Shame shame shame Australia Post!!

[extremeshoppingonline]

Hi everyone

Not sure if you are aware or not, but Australia Post has just increased their postage charges by 30% and this will flow on to buyers & sellers alike. Whether you buy with ‘free postage’ or buy with postage as an additional expense, we can all expect to pay more.

What has really got up my nose is how Aust Post can justify the previous charge of $1 for ‘signature on delivery’ with an increase today of $2.95 for the same service! This charge is now being applied to the ClickandSend ebay/austpost satchels that many ebay sellers in Australia use.

We are already fighting a losing battle to remain competitive in the global market because of our extortionate postage costs within Australia and to post internationally.

Sadly to say, I feel we are going to see ‘free postage’ go by the wayside now. Because 90% of buyers are using Paypal, sellers need to show ‘proof of delivery’ in the event of a buyer opening a dispute in Paypal, claiming an item has not been received. So many parcels go missing, whether through theft, damage, fraud or abandonment and if the extra $2.95 for a signature on delivery is not taken up, then the seller will automatically have the case closed in the buyer’s favour. It is that simple. Registered Post is no longer. If you want Registered Post, it will cost $2.95 for the signature on Delivery plus $1.50 to cover than article up to the value of $100!

Anyway, if you want to read more, here are a couple of links. There is an online petition which has over 1000 signatures that you may like to add your name to. This petition now has media interest with a phone interview from Karen with ABC Radio the Sydney Morning Herald’s article and callers ringing into 2GB Radio in Sydney.

In closing, if I can say one thing… there is nothing that riles an aussie more than seeing fellow aussies kicked when they are already down 😞

Cheers

Evil Elle aka Ellen

https://www.change.org/petitions/australia-post-reconsider-the-parcel-price-increases

http://www.smh.com.au/business/postage-costs-soar-by-30-as-online-retail-booms-20130407-2hewv.html

[cherry*135]

Too much lol'ing in a thread about post increases.:-p

[donnashuggy]

CS is for non-ebay related discussions (thank goodness!).

😄

[the_great_she_elephant]

Too much lol'ing in a thread about post increases.:-p

I know how we can fix it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Goodies

[cherry*135]

CS is for non-ebay related discussions (thank goodness!).

😄

The postage increases are exclusively for eBay sellers (and their buyers)?? No, I don't think so.

Postage increases affect everyone in Australia that wants to post a letter or parcel.

[*crikey*mate*]

Agreeswith id pending. I paid about $5.30 postage for an ebay purchase (small parcel) from the UK. Could buy the same stuff here, but would have to pay $8-$10 post domestic.

NZ also has postage around $5.50 to Aust. Why buy the same things here with high postage costs when you can get same stuff from oseas? 

Australia Post should not have removed the under 250gm category for parcels either (domestic and international). Up to 500gms is the first category now.

Minimum charge for Intl Air parcels in NZ is 200gm and charged in 10gm intervals after that. Australia Post intl parcels up to 500gm, up to 1kg etc - with 500gm increments after that.

Not directed at anyone in particular - but you raise a point which I find curious.

It is often cited on these boards that people don't mind paying a bit extra for Australian grown fresh produce in order to support our farmers, yet it seems the same attitude is not extended to other Australian owned businesses such as an Australian based eBay seller? Or Australia Post themselves who presumably employ a fair few Australians.

[*crikey*mate*]

 If you can get it oseas for less then why would you buy it in Aust?

To support Australian business? To keep Australians employed? To keep Australian money in the Australian economy?

[cherry*135]

Australia Post postage increases will make it hard for Australian online businesses to make a living. 

If I can circumvent Australia Post making money out of my online purchases I will and have done already.

The majority of products that ones buy online  in Aust. are made overseas anyway.

Aust Post profit was $281m last year. Aust Post will the be cause of Australian online businesses losing support, Australian's becoming unemployed, Aust money going overseas.

We don't order our fruit & veges direct from Aust farmers via Aust Post services so not really relevant to a discussion about posting parcels?

[1972capri]

A monopoly pretty much allows you to charge what you like. 
Until  a viable and competitive option is introduced, then we are stuck with it.

[*crikey*mate*]

Australia Post postage increases will make it hard for Australian online businesses to make a living. 

If I can circumvent Australia Post making money out of my online purchases I will and have done already.

The majority of products that ones buy online  in Aust. are made overseas anyway.

Aust Post profit was $281m last year. Aust Post will the be cause of Australian online businesses losing support, Australian's becoming unemployed, Aust money going overseas.

We don't order our fruit & veges direct from Aust farmers via Aust Post services so not really relevant to a discussion about posting parcels?

OMG! LOL

Aus Post employs Australians and so do online businesses! So to save a few bucks, ya don't support them, cos their employer is making a profit???? 

It's all well and good to blame the employer - but that don't help the worker!

Yet, because for whatever reason the Aussie farmer is struggling (and I believe it is often cited as the Govt.'s fault for importing other stuff which is also cheaper) we support them??

You don't see the hypocrisy in that?

[freakiness]

We don't order our fruit & veges direct from Aust farmers via Aust Post services so not really relevant to a discussion about posting parcels?

There are food businesses doing exactly that, cherries, apples and pork that I know of first hand without looking for info.