Time to say goodbye to posties?

[donnashuggy]

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/entering-the-postaustralia-post-era-20140114-30t12.html

[*crikey*mate*]

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@am*3 wrote:

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@crikey*mate wrote:

anything that can fit within the large letter specifications can currently be posted as a large letter. This includes items up to 20mm thick.

A lot of items purchased on line are sent as letters/ large letters. (fro example, underwear, jewellery, stationery, t-shirts, scarves, craft items, CDs etc)

The postie delivering parcels up to 500g is a step backwards though.

Here, he doesn't bother, he just leaves a card.

The parcel guy does come and he delivered larger parcels, but I have to go to the post office now to collect small parcels up to 500g (yes, I know that is my very own first world problem).

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A lot of items purchased online are sent as parcels bigger than 500gms as well... clothes (even a fairly light top or underwear arrives as a parcel, major online retailers don't post clothes in paper envelopes), shoes, books. small appliances etc.

Not all online retailers use Aust Post to deliver their parcels either.

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i lost track of the point?

I understand that larger items are sent as parcels, but a lot are also sent as letters/large letters, including clothes, books etc (I concede on the shoes LOL)

and they don't have to be paper envelopes. They can be boxes (yes they make them), stiff cardboard mailers, or just wrapped in own packaging. They just have to be within the weight (up to 500g depending on size) and and measurements.

but they cannot be over 20mm thick (including packaging) regardless of measurements (please don't make me write it all out, it's on the AP website.)

[freakiness · Accepted solution]

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@am*3 wrote:

Why offset the cost of letters though? Reduce/cut out the letter deliveries and the parcel profit is $128.4 million up. Resulting in less often increases in parcel rates, and/or lower increase in parcel rates.

Do other businesses keep arms of their business that loose that much money every year?

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It's not just a business though. It's a public service and has been for life times.

The country is not a giant business that has to make a profit off every facet of the services it provides.

[*crikey*mate*]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

My postie delivers both (parcels and letters) - surely that is cost cutting in itself? 🙂

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mine delivers letters and "come get me at the post office" cards 😞

I wish they'd just leave it with the parcel guys, he's coming anyway.

[*crikey*mate*]

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@am*3 wrote:

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@donnashuggy wrote:

My postie delivers both (parcels and letters) - surely that is cost cutting in itself? 🙂

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How does that compare with all other areas, Australia wide?

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all posties now "deliver" small parcels, ie those up to 500g

[donnashuggy]

You are fortunate to get carded crikey, I spend my days dealing with the uncarded lol

[*crikey*mate*]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

You are fortunate to get carded crikey, I spend my days dealing with the uncarded lol

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I'll remember to be more positive about it then LOLOLOL

[*crikey*mate*]

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@freakiness wrote:

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@am*3 wrote:

Why offset the cost of letters though? Reduce/cut out the letter deliveries and the parcel profit is $128.4 million up. Resulting in less often increases in parcel rates, and/or lower increase in parcel rates.

Do other businesses keep arms of their business that loose that much money every year?

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It's not just a business though. It's a public service and has been for life times.

The country is not a giant business that has to make a profit off every facet of the services it provides.

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I suppose it depends on just how many services we can afford to sustain that don't make any money.

[cherry*135]

The clothes we get in the mail from big online retailers (ASOS, The Iconic etc). just a ladies top arrives in  an unbranded  plastic satchel (larger in size than the Au Post 3kg one)  10+ tops would fit in there, and are delivered by the Parcel man. 

My youngest is oseas at present, the parcel man will notice a lack of parcels needing delivering to our house.

A small sized slip I ordered online  from a Dept store was delivered (free del) as a parcel.

Parcels that come in the post here are usually in the smallest size bubble bag.

[cherry*135]

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@crikey*mate wrote:

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@am*3 wrote:

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@donnashuggy wrote:

My postie delivers both (parcels and letters) - surely that is cost cutting in itself? 🙂

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How does that compare with all other areas, Australia wide?

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all posties now "deliver" small parcels, ie those up to 500g

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Yes, but isn't Donna stating her Postie delivers all parcels & letters. My question relates to that.. how many other areas in Aust have that same service?

[cherry*135]

If you want the loss making letter service to stay, then can't complain if the price of posting a parcel goes up and up frequently to counteract the loss from letter delivery.

It is not just a problem in Australia.. other countries are affected by the reduction in letter mail also.. resulting in them considering from no household deliveries to reduction of service to 3 days a week.

A postie may turn up for work and have no letters to deliver for 3 days or more in a week in their area...who would pay someone to do that?

We used to have door to door milk deliveries too.