AusPost crazy charges.

[valdoe]

This Christmas the only one making great profits are Auspost.

1. The Pre- Paid 500g Satchels  are useless

Most things I want to send is a inch or two to big for the Satchel.

This means either put it in my own satchel and pay the same $6.60 at the PO and have no tracking because they will not allow you track anything under 500g, The other option is to use the 3 kg pre-paid.. making to not profitable as any profit would be just lost if you used it.

I also had the same problem when I have to use 3 or 5 kg pre-paid satchels... Bags to small yet no of my items ever weighs more that 2 kg.

Here comes the crunch.. eg yesterday I sent my own satchel .and sent it to a customer in WA. The item weight 1.1kg and using the Auspost calculator postage came to $16.35. and with tracking came to $17.90

At the PO that item was cost $23.75. +$1.55 for tracking Reason - because any item 1kg or over postage is worked out cubic volume ( called Cubing Postage rate) which on the docket said equivalent to 4-5 kg postage.

Today I sent the same item to the same customer that purchased same item again so this time I used C&S .. putting in the dimensions and weight with tracking said the cost would be just under $20 including tracking. I printed the label and again went to the PO.. guess what... I was still charged $25

So no matter what you do trying to work out how much postage to list in your listing.. and if you send through C&S you will  still end up losing.

Anyone has had the same problem this Christmas.. or got a better solution?

[thecatspjs]

Charge for pick up from Metro Melbourne on particular day was $11 extra or $18 extra for a particular within a particular am or pm time frame.

Not sure PJ but it might be calculated on pick up location ???

[boomct]

I'm glad I'm not the only one infuriated by the size of the satchels, extremely useless!  They seem to assume anything under 500gms must be tiny.  

Cubing frustrates me too, as AP charges the MAXIMUM they can for a box, even if the difference is $15 as it was for me some weeks ago. . . I marched out of there refusing to pay $35 when the weight and postcode should have had it at $20.

Ppppsst, I have been told by AP staff that since the cubic weight appraisal only counts for box shaped parcels, if it is a satchel OR irregular shape, they can only go by postcode and weight, making it much cheaper  So, adding lumps to the box (of bubble wrap for example) will make it lots cheaper.   

I'm most peeved at the moment about the jump from 2cm thickness of an envelope which is a couple  bucks to $6.60 and then $11.40

They should bring back the 250g parcels.  

And make satchels bigger. 

[phantomchris1984]

My friends and family were all having trouble sending dvds and games. post office were charging $6.60.

One post office even said it cost more because it has a disk, total lie, nothing like that on website mentioned.

Anyway I showed them how to stop being ripped off.

send dvd under letter classification, most people use padded sleeve bags, envelope bags to send mixed items, thats what they are for, as long as it is under 2cm thick it comes under letter pricing.

use a c5 or larger envelope or buy padded envelope bags, wrap dvd in bubble wrap, this also replicates a padded envelope bag. also under 2cm thick. put on stamps, place in red box.

when you buy a book of stamps you will notice that on back it says how many stamps to put on.

up to 125g - 2 stamps $1.20

125 g - 250g 3 stamps $1.80

250g - 500g 5 stamps $3.00

there is a big difference between paying $1.80 and $6.60

Aus post needs something in between, maybe a dvd box including postage for $3. i would buy that.

use this method also to send small items like jewelery or small objects under 2cm thick in padded envelope bags otherwise if you give it to post office person they will charge $6.60

All dvds i buy myself from other sellers, stores come this way as well, in padded envelope bags or thick paper sleeve bags.

[biancabeebee1990]

last time i sent an item that was irregular shaped, australia post demanded i had to purchase on of their boxes, saying that all items must be in a box...i no longer go to that post office branch for obvious reasons...either way, sellers, and buyers are getting ripped off with postal charges, using couriers are where its at 🙂

[the*bear*is*back]

Couriers can be expensive, but I do agree bianca - AP have the monopoly, where else do you go to post items (and get seller protection) ?:|

[phorum_junkie*]

If you look at the AP policies on cubing you will see that they have the right to cube any parcel and if it is irregular in shape then the largest of the three measurements will be used.

A few years ago POs were told they had to cube everything but a lot still ignored it and most people get away with it BUT anyone along the delivery route can pull the parcel out and cube it and then either insist the recipient or the sender pay the extra before it will be delivered.

I haven't seen one for a long time but there have been posts from angry buyers who have had to pay extra when their item is delivered and of course their anger translates into carp feedback and stars!

[forumfool]

last time i sent an item that was irregular shaped, australia post demanded i had to purchase on of their boxes, saying that all items must be in a box...

Seriously?!! I'd ask the staff member where that is stated  anywhere?!!  Good move not returning to that branch biancabeebee,  

I guess you have to find a nice AP person . . . it can save lots of money - even from the standpoint of their sloppy or over-measuring as opposed to more precise or 'erring on the lower side' measuring which can save lots over time. 

Grmph.  Remember the days folks when a small parcel was only $4.35?  Ah, memories . . .

[2106greencat]

Grmph.  Remember the days folks when a small parcel was only $4.35?  Ah, memories . .

OMG - showing my age here forum but I can remember $2.60 and that was airmail!  Gone are the days...........

[digital*ghost]

Grmph.  Remember the days folks when a small parcel was only $4.35?  Ah, memories . .

OMG - showing my age here forum but I can remember $2.60 and that was airmail!  Gone are the days...........

I'm already nostalgic about the days C&S was $5.50 :^O

[boomct]

:^O

LOL