Auspost is ripping up Ebay sellers and customers!

[ga-540169]

In my other account I sent items in a C5 envelope, in the back clearly state up to 500g and 200mm

My orders are FLAT, 250g and 100mm

Since last week I start receiving email from customers that they were left a collection card and when they go to the post office they said they need to pay extra because was "not enough postage"

I tell my customers to pay and email me the receipt for refund

I'm paying a lot of $5.65, $7.65 $9.10 and so on

I'm losing money and dont know what to do.

Any ideas? anyone can help please?

[digital*ghost]

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@katistrophik wrote:

OP states -

In my other account I sent items in a C5 envelope, in the back clearly state up to 500g and 200mm

My orders are FLAT, 250g and 100mm

So definitely think user error is the problem as you suggested.

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Typo here is more likely, as the envelopes don't clearly state 200mm.

Plus, the way the OP is framed, it sounds like the issues are a new occurrence only starting from last week, not something that has been happening with every order sent, which it would if their packages had been 100mm thick the whole time (besides which, it would be practically impossible to safely pack one of those envelopes 100mm thick). 

[eol-products]

I am guessing but over the counter would already be sorted where as the red box needs to be sorted regarding letters and parcels. Maybe they have hired new staff who make the decision which is which and shy on the safe side. 

[itdownunder]

Australia post states the contents have to be documents. Because letter size items go through rollers and if it is merchandise and lumpy it doesn't pass through as well and can damage equipment. Though vacuum packed and under 20mm C5 envelopes have no padding so Aust Post maybe easily identifying non-document merchandise being sent as letters. Though many sellers seem to get away with this is it not the intended use of letter sized mail and so Aust Post maybe enforcing their rules on easily identifyable infringements to change user behaviour.

[digital*ghost]

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@itdownunder wrote:

Australia post states the contents have to be documents.

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They have this stipulation for express envelopes, but for the regular ones they just state they need to be flexible, not rigid. They will often say "documents only" but this is not actually reflected in their TOS. 

Even then they aren't consistent - I received a small tracked letter from someone recently; those ones are only allowed to be 5mm thick and have to be flexible, but one of those flat rigid letter boxes was inside, which are not only completely inflexible, but are around 18mm thick from memory (the sender may have received an underpaid mail notice for it though, I suppose). 

[gumleaf_goodies]

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@itdownunder wrote:

Australia post states the contents have to be documents. Because letter size items go through rollers and if it is merchandise and lumpy it doesn't pass through as well and can damage equipment. Though vacuum packed and under 20mm C5 envelopes have no padding so Aust Post maybe easily identifying non-document merchandise being sent as letters. Though many sellers seem to get away with this is it not the intended use of letter sized mail and so Aust Post maybe enforcing their rules on easily identifyable infringements to change user behaviour.

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I always thought that the rule about documents only applied to small letters i.e. those 5mm or less thick. For large letters (up to 20mm thick), I believe they are allowed to contain items other than documents. From the AP website: 

Note that it does not say that the items in the letter must only be documents.

[eclectic-oz]

Hi

For what its worth, my local LPO (i.e. Oz Post franchise) advised me this morning that they have received a reminder that small letter post is for documents and not merchandise.

Interestly, the email provided exactly what is on the website and in @gumleaf_goodies post where there is no specific qualification on documents / merchandise.

I expect that in this regard their concern is the machinery and not having items that are solid sent in flimsy paper envelopes.

We send 100's of small packets as letters with merch every week and all of them weigh less than 50grams with the padded bag or small box (think CD mailer) making up 60% of the weight. This type of packaging should be robust and not create issues in their machines.

This does not relate directly to the OP but just the distinction between a letter and a parcel. Drilling in to the website for International letters I cannot find anything that indicates anything other than sticking with the Australia Post letter Guide sizing suggested earlier in this thread. I have had one for years and while we rarely need it it does confirm letter vs parcel dimensions.

[eol-products]

I am thinking if the machine can handle 1/2kg going through it as long as there are no sharp edges I am hoping there is no issues. 

[curraone]

I think it is important to note "small"

For what its worth, my local LPO (i.e. Oz Post franchise) advised me this morning that they have received a reminder that small letter post is for documents and not merchandise.

I think I read somewhere that small letters are handled by a more picky fragile temperamental sorter and that may be the problem.

On the other hand, C5 envelopes are not small, and hopefully don't through the same machine.

[digital*ghost]

It's the envelope type rather than the size which primarly determines whether it goes through the sorting machine - paper envelopes are the main issue, as AP generally presume they are flexible. (You'll notice on the tracked envelopes, the small and medium ones have the disclaimer about not containing rigid items, while the large card-stock one doesn't).

Bubble mailers, rigid envelopes and the flat boxes are pretty much all hand-sorted, AFAIK. 

[kitty-kat-kollection]

Every single person I've talked to at Aus Post has told me different information about these C5 mailers.

I just stick them in the box now and bypass the people who sometimes seem to be a bit power hungry about the mail. lol. I've actually been a bit naughty and sent some things that were WAY over the 20mm limit, but never had any issues.

I've only ever received one underpayment notice, which was about 2 years ago when I used a standard small untracked envelope and they sent me a bill for $8 or something as it should have been in a satchel. I ignored it. Never heard from them again.