Australia Post scamming customers on underpaid postage now...

[harleyfxstc2008]

Hi all,

I received an invoice from Australia Post in the mail this afternoon stating that I under paid postage on a parcel I posted the other week by 70 cents and was invoiced for $2.20.

I called Australia Post and the first question I asked was "what stamp was on the parcel?" the customer sevice person replied it was a 70 cent  stamp..

"Hmm, thats odd because I have no 70 cent stamps at all so there is no way that I could have put a 70 cent stamp on the parcel"

I then pointed out that I buy my stamps in bulk and since Australia Post put their prices up I've had to purchase 10 cent stamps to make up the difference, with this parcel I had put down 2x adhesive 60cent stamps and  2 x10cent stamps (which were still connected) next to the 60cent stamps.

As the Customer service person said that she believed I was telling the truth she cancelled the invoice.

How many other Australia Post customers are they trying to fleece "Underpaid postage" from to boost up their profits.

Looks like I have to take photo's of all my parcels with their stamps attached from now on...

[chameleon54]

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@dazzledayz wrote:

I too have had similar problems with AP, usually to do with the 2cm thickness limit.

The post office workers have a strange interpretation of how to gauge thickness with their cardboard tools.

They seem to require a vague condition best described as "ease of fitment".

ie. the letters needs to go through the slot easily (define easily as you like it lol).

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I mail through three different Australia post offices. They all define "ease of fitment" as the letter sliding through the slot under its own weight. If it catches on the way through and needs to be pushed through, it fails the "ease of fitment " test. Sounds fair enough. They have to have some standard to work on.

[digital*ghost]

Last I heard, those slots were 1.8cm wide, so for a letter to slide through easily, it actually needs to be around 1.6cm max thickness, so even if it doesn't quite make it through the slot, it could still be a large letter. 😉 (If someone who has one and cares to measure the exact width and post it, just to confirm for sure, though). 

[chezzy]

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@harleyfxstc2008 wrote:

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@davewil1964 wrote:

Either that or make sure the stamps are affixed properly.

I know which way I would go if I didn't use prepaid envelopes.

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I make sure that all 4 stamps are fixed properly with little chance of coming loose, and for 2 stamps to "fall" off the parcel out of 4 stamps would be quite bizzare...

The order on the parcel was 10 - 10 - 60 - 60 and the 2 x10's are still joined.

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I am curious as to how the stamps can 'fall' off especially if they are the modern self adhesive type. I can understand the old style gummed type not sticking, especially if they are stuck on plastic...but self adhesive. Find it hard to believe they would lose their stick. 60c stamps would not be 'old' stamps either...

I like the prepaid envelopes, not just for convenience and economics but the fact that they don't have 'pretty' real stamps on them that might go walkabout.....

[chameleon54]

:

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@digital*ghost wrote:

Last I heard, those slots were 1.8cm wide, so for a letter to slide through easily, it actually needs to be around 1.6cm max thickness, so even if it doesn't quite make it through the slot, it could still be a large letter. ) (If someone who has one and cares to measure the exact width and post it, just to confirm for sure, though). 

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        Hi DG you are right about the 1.8 cm slot. I have an AP letter gauge and just measured it with a micrometer ( 1.8 cm as you say ) . It definately gives written  measurements as 260 x 360 x 2.0 cm. as large letter size, written on gauge.  Medium letter size is 180 x 260 x 2.0 cm thick. ( also written on gauge.) but slot is definately 1.8 cm. WHERE DO YOU GET ALL THIS INFORMATION ???? ( I will invite you to our next trivia night  LOL )

[extra-keen]

Goodness, Australia Post must have shrunk their letter guages recently then. I have one which I've been using for around 3 years and it is 2cm.

I've had old (but mint) stamps which have lost their sticky, I just put a line of sticky tape over the top - worked a treat.

[chameleon54]

My guage is 12 months old. They do wear with lots of use. Australia post have auditors come around and measure guages in use in  post offices. ( I saw this happening one day & had a chat to the staff about it ). My local had to replace all of their guages as they had worn. I,m not saying this has necessarily happened to yours, they may have been made bigger once.

[digital*ghost]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

:

 WHERE DO YOU GET ALL THIS INFORMATION ???? ( I will invite you to our next trivia night  LOL )

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Mind like a steel trap... 

When I'm actually paying attention, anyway.  (It's second hand info - I remember someone else posted that it measured at 1.8cm several months ago - but I'm good for pop culture categories 😄 ).

[davewil1964]

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@dazzledayz wrote:

@ davewil

The pre-paid C5 standard post envelope is good for up to 500g.

A 10 pack will cost you $16.15 or singly $1.70.

I too have had similar problems with AP, usually to do with the 2cm thickness limit.

The post office workers have a strange interpretation of how to gauge thickness with their cardboard tools.

They seem to require a vague condition best described as "ease of fitment".

ie. the letters needs to go through the slot easily (define easily as you like it lol).

For quite a while I have been measuring my letters with a cheap plastic micrometer.

If I get a negative assessment from AP I just give them a ring and let them know the actual dimension.

It seems that some sorting centres are quite strict while others are very lenient.

I also see there are quite a few sellers posting books I know to be well over 500g at letter rates and getting away with it.

They probably have a local mail centre that doesn't worry themselves with the extra paperwork.

It's pretty much luck of the draw but if you get an underpaid mail bill from AP and know you were within guidelines then a quick phone call usually sorts things out.

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I'm fully aware of that. That is why I recommend using prepaid envelopes. Which I stocked up on before the increase, so they cost me nowhere near $1.70 for the next few months.

I also question your 10 pack price. These envelopes have only ever attracted a 2.5% discount in 10 packs. 5% was always reserved for 100+. I will be happy to be wrong, but I doubt I am.

[cherry*135]

I think dazzledays might have meant to reply to dylan, in the post prior to theirs, as dylan asked a ?  about the prepaid C5.

Prepaid envelopes pricing

                                                                                                      Bulk price 
                                                                                                     (pack of 10) 

Medium C5

500g

162 x 229 x 20mm

$1.70

$16.15 (1-4 packs) $15.30 (5+ packs)

http://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/domestic-letters.html?ilink=mm-domestic-letters-1

[i-love-my-sheep]

Last time I had to post a padded bag over the counter, I double checked their sizing and I asked was it 20mm before it went up to parcel rate and they said yes. I made my slot 20mm and haven't had any issues. I've seen them hold their gauge and drop the bag through it onto the floor to make sure it goes through easily. That one that I posted didn't fall through easily, but when she shook the gauge, it fell through. That's what it did when I put it through my home made one. Weird!