Australia Post Insufficient postage

[dylan11235813]

This is a picture of a letter sent to a customer (that they took) and had to pay a fee to get the item. The "letter" is under 50g and under 5mm (the compontents contained are 3.5mm accross the longest width) and I passed the item over the counter at the LPO. I measure the width after I package an item and the envolepe is flexible.

I had applied the stamps myself, which I will do more often as it is at least 20% cheaper (sometimes 50% cheaper) to buy stamps on the secondary market.

Does anyone see a problem with this?

[broncraft]

I had this happen to me last year. My address was on the back and the buyers PO wanted them to pay extra, they didn't and the parcel was returned to me where i had to pay the excess and then had to send it again. It was also registered. When I went to pick it up from the PO where it came back to (by the way it came back to another PO not the one I usually use) I checked it all out with that PO person and they aggreed that it shouldn't have had any fees on it and it was the correct weight and thickness for the postage I put on it. I was going to put a complaint to the PO but the person who said it was OK didn't charge me the excess. I would have written a complaint letter though or rang the PO informtation line where I have been successful inthe past with similiar complaints. But I would complain. 

[j*oono]

A small letter or a large letter standard mail does not have to contain written material. I often send things as a large letter in a padded envelope.  I know and have been told that they can be sent safely as a small letter but I prefer to use the padded envelope for presentation.

As for the buyer being a scammer, I seriously doubt it. Things are not that bad in the ebay world are they?  

[bigbrickshop]

Speaking of large letter rates ..  I have just received 3 printer cartridges in the mail posted in a small plastic satchel with $1.40 in stamps! This was from a high volume seller who would know the large letter requirements but probably regularly underpays postage. An obvious case of Insufficient postage that has not been picked up.

[i-love-my-sheep]

I was told by my local that anything that can't damage the auto sorter, that fits into a regular envelope can be sent that way. They used the example of a pencil. While a pencil would be well within the size and weight restrictions, it can damage the sorter and also damage the envelope enough where the contents could fall out. Padded bags are hand sorted, so harder, damaging items should go in those and posted as a large letter.

[shepherdsrule]

As to the rest of it, I do know when AP charge for 'insufficient postage' they do not just charge the short amount, there is a fee in there somewhere as well.

I guess it is to cover the posty having to take it all the way back to the PO instead of just chucking it in the letterbos in from of him.

[cq_tech]

I put this issue to the fellow at the post office today and he said that it clearly a miscalculation as the underpaid postage fee should be the amount not paid plus a $1.50 administration fee, although I prefer to call it a fine. In addition, the recipient should not have been charged that fee as the sender's name and address were clearly displayed on the envelope. At the prices being charged by AP these days, I expect a far more competent level of service than that shown on this occasion.

[cherry*135]

The fee for underpaid postages is $1.50

As someone mentioned above if the contents got bunched up, it could have been thicker than 5mm then?

Are your cardboard envelopes no longer than 240mm?

I have been told by PO staff, if an item has underpaid postage on it, and it has a return address, the underpaid notice is sent to the sender.

[cherry*135]

 The "letter" is under 50g and under 5mm (the compontents contained are 3.5mm accross the longest width)

plus the carboard envelope < 1.5 mm?

I have a carboard envelope here it is approx 2mm.

[dylan11235813]

The major things I though were:

The price doesn't add up

They sent the bill to the receiver

They didn't frank the envelope

They are idiots

To answere some of the stuff people said:

This is a card envolope and not cheap, and less than 1/2 millimeter thick, I am not trying to go cheapo or anything. Postage I find is the hardest thing to work out when selling and unless this item got hit with 20kg of feathers I think it would be OK.

If 20kg did fall on it, it would be quite flexible. The components are held in place. I have sent these about 50 times, if anything they should pick up my bubble mailers that if shaken force everything to one end.

A customer of mine payed an incorrect fee for some reason to get their item. Thankfully they were quite good about it after I refunded them. Maybe it was a scam...,

[dylan11235813]

I don't mean anything bad about my local post office just Australia Post in general. And whoever put that sticker on.