Am I missing something - re postage prices over 1kg?

[kathskollection]

I had a customer buy three items from me, with 2-3 books in each sale, so a total of 7 books, mostly small hardcovers.  She asked for combined postage, which I offered, and was happy to do.  Sadly, no amount of trying to combine the books to fit under 1kg total, or 2 lots of under 500gm was effective, so the cheapest option for her was in a 3kg satchel, because she's in a different state.

She was horrified.  I am frustrated that I can't get it any cheaper for her. 

So, am I missing something?   Is there a cheaper option between 1kg and 3kg when sending interstate?  

[imastawka]

she assured me she has bought ten books in one hit and paid only $5.00 postage

I call shenanigans on that one   

Better off without her.    She would have found fault with something else when

they arrived.

[davewil1964]

I wanna know how the OP can post a 500g parcel for $5. Even eParcels are more than that, I believe.

[*tippy*toes*]

If you haven't commenced the cancellation request yet, wait for 4 days from the end of sale and open an unpaid dispute. THen go back 4 days later and close it to get your fees back. Stuff her. If she's going to behave like a numpty, treat her like one. I'd just say to her that she doesn't need to do anything else, you'll take care of everything from your end and for her to ignore any messages in regards to the transaction. It also means she can't trash your feedback, whereas if you cancel, she can.

[digital*ghost]

The only Aus Post alternative would have been a BX2 box at $12.05 (presuming all the books would fit in there), but at the end of the day - after the box cost - it'd cost as much as the satchel. 

I have similar issues on the odd occasion, not quite the same but there is a huge difference beween my standard postage (@ letter rates) and express postage prices because I can't send my stuff as express letters, and also with some international customers when they enquire about bulk orders, as when you have to go from letter to parcel, the cost can be up to 10 times as much (eg $2.95 for a small, under 50g item, or $28.72 for a parcel up to 500g). I just try to explain that the package size and weight needs to meet very strict specifications in order to use the letter service, but once a package exceeds that in weight and/or size, I am required to use the more expensive parcel service (i.e. emphasis on there being two completely different services which are not comparitively priced, with the cheaper of the two being much more limited).

Agree with the others, though, especially on the 10 books for $5.00 postage. If they were each under 2mm thick, no bigger than A5 size (for 5 stacked side by side in an A4 envelope), and weighed no more than about 40g each (1 standard A4 sheet weighs an average of 5 grams, so if they had soft covers and were no more than around 10 A5 pages for the equivalent of 5-8 A4 pages long, it's possible), but the only things I can think of that meet that criteria is brochures and the like. (Sorry, I have to run the stats, it's an uncontrollable compulsion). 

Alternatively, and more simply, someone could offer a $5 flat rate, likely including an extra amount in the item prices to cover additional postage on multiple orders, then sure, the buyer could have paid $5 P&H for 10 books, but that doesn't mean that's how much postage actually cost. 🙂

[dazzledayz]

Kath, there is not much you can do as there is nothing between 500g and 3kg that suits books (the BX1 box is usually too small).

Couriers do a 1kg satchel but that would only work out for metro centres on the east coast and maybe Adelaide.

I looked into this and Couriers Please was quite good BUT I would have still needed Aus Post for regional areas, WA and NT (Tas too if I remember rightly).

AP experimented with a 1kg satchel last year I think but it only lasted 1 month.

I rather think they realised they would lose too much money on 3kg class satchels.

We never saw the 1kg satchel again.

Personally, I believe they should lift the 500g limit to 1kg for the small satchel but AP are run by money grubbing ex-bankers so I won't be holding my breath.

I get this problem all the time too as combining 2 or 3 large letter class books costs about the same to post when in a satchel.

The best advice I can give is to stop your auction method as I see you are selling with 1 bid only.

Go to BIN for your listings and pad the price a bit.

That way you can still do a discount on combined as you've built the discount into the purchase price.

Maybe list the books individually and go for free postage on multiples?

You can set that up to be automatic through the checkout.

[everard6920]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

I wanna know how the OP can post a 500g parcel for $5. Even eParcels are more than that, I believe.

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I use a method on some of items which I call "subsidised" postage.

So for example, if the actual postage/handling is $8.00, then $3.00 is included in the item price and then it's $5.00 postage.

It may sound strange, but I do this for some of my cheaper items, because I don't like the postage to ever be more than the item price. I just don't think that looks good to buyers, and I can afford to add the $3.00 to the item price and still be cheaper than my competitors. For anyone wondering I don't do free postage on such items (and put all of the postage in the item cost) because then there is no room to discount if they buy multiple.

So maybe it's not the actual cost, and $5.00 is just how much OP charges.

[springyzone]

I'm a bit surprised the woman is asking to cancel the sale.

In her shoes yes, I might feel a twinge of disappointment that combined postage only saved a dollar. But then again, that is the way it goes, it would still be better than full price.

No one promises that combined postage is going to be half price or anything. And after you explained the situation to her, that should have been the end of the matter.

I think she has a cheek actually, asking for the sale to be cancelled. In those circumstances, I wouldn't do that.

Some buyers seem to have very unrealistic attitudes towards postage costs. If the cost was absolutely vital to her, she should have asked you what combined postage would be before she bought.

[thecatspjs]

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@kathskollection wrote:

In reply to your questions, davidc4430, the cost for each pack of books was $5.00 to post - each pack weighed over 250gm, less than 500gm.   Buyers assume that combining books will reduce the postage, but it doesn't always work that way.  I combine my books in packs to reduce postage on individual items.    I could re-arrange the books in any way to reduce the postage, and putting them all together made them weigh in at about 1.2kg.  Even if she'd be in the same state as me, I would still have had to pay more postage by sending them in 2 separate packs over 500gm.  It was a no-win situation, but she assured me she has bought ten books in one hit and paid only $5.00 postage - must be small books, coming from her own state.   😕   

Which is why I asked the question - is there something I'm missing about postage rates over 500gm interstate?  

As for everyone else, thanks, I needed the laugh today - said with all honesty - you all made me laugh out loud. 🙂   And restored some perspective.  

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OP what post method do you use to send the book packs to be able to post for $5? 

Do they go as large letter rather than parcel ?

If are thin enough for 3 to be posted as a large letter then they may fit into a B1 box / would depend on height and width dimensions - via eBay thats only $7.40 plus cost of box 

Or have you built in some of the post costs into your price for the goods ?

If you have built in some post costs into the price of the books, then there is much more room to discount - if you were inclined of course. 

Many book sellers offer free post, and some offer low discounted post, and others discount for customers making multiple purchase, I don't think the buyers experience of having 10 books posted for $5 is unusual. 

[kathskollection]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.     I have a pretty small profit margin, selling fairly cheap second-hand books, so I want to keep postage prices separate.  

It seems there is no compromise between 500gm and 3kg once you're sending interstate, so I might have to re-think the way I do things.  

thanks again

[heihachi_73]

If we had a media mail option it would help a lot in cases like this, alas not in this country. If media mail existed, none of my bulkier video games would have $7.60 postage attached to them for daring to be a few millimetres thicker than a DVD cover. Of course, if Australia Post's letter gauge matched that of Royal Mail in the UK (1 inch), it would also fit.

Australia Post don't need to be competitive when the government itself engages in anticompetitive practice! Yes, there's a law for that - the government and their Australian Postal Corporation is naturally above it, so AP holds the exclusive right to operate all over the country without fear of competition or the race to the bottom. In Melbourne, it's cheaper to endure the likes of Metro, Yarra Trams and buses in order to drop off the item yourself than it is to pay the 3kg Parcel Post rate!