Australia post change to international letters

[eclectic-oz]

Hi All

I do not post here much, but this has got me absolutely fired up.

Australia Post had advised our local Post Office Agency that there were new forms for International Parcels to be used from today, Monday 18th April. There was a new brochure for pricing of international parcels, but nothing about changes to International Letters.

So at the counter this morning, the PO manager grabs me as I enter with my 50 odd parcels and packages. 30 of those were to be letter post to the USA.

The manager advised that the postal system had changed and that merchandise is no longer permitted within International Letter post. He was trying to work out how to help as he was expecting me and he was on the phone to the area manager.

The process and system has changed. It is our the understanding that all merchandise, no matter how small, must ship as a parcel for a minimum of AU$15 to the USA where it was a minimum of AU$3 previously. This is a 400% increase ! We sent items that weigh 10grams. The size 0 padded bag we send them in weighs as much as the item for a total of maybe 20grams. Why do we need to send these as a parcel in amongst the 2 Kilogram and larger parcels? It is crazy.

But if we set aside the price increase for the moment and look at what it means for processing.

The new labels are bigger than the old forms and do not have a number on them. The tracking / parcel number is only provided after the item is lodged.

The new forms are in triplicate, with carbonless type paper and require that we fill them out in black pen, then the post office staff will enter the details into the computer, then the computer will print 5 small labels which they then place on the parcel.

1 label says Airmail (Duh!) and another a bar code. Both of these need to be peeled and placed on the parcel docket above the address area.

Another label with the postage cost and the barcode is placed on the front of the parcel.

The other two bar codes are stuck to the duplicate yellow and triplicate green copies of the parcel form. The yellow form stays at the post office and the green form gets put back inside the slip case that it came from....  (yep, rip it out, stick a label on it, and put it back!) so it can go to the customs department.

As the sender, we do not get a copy of that form. So we get no record of where or what we sent. We get the tracking number on our receipt but no other information.

Overall the form filling process takes around 5 minutes for me at home and 5 minutes for each parcel at the post office while the staff.

So if I send 1 parcel a week it is not really an issue, but I am preparing 50 or more parcels a week and what used to take a minute per parcel is now a lot longer process.

But that is all irrelevant as it assumes that I can get customers to accept the costs of $15 or $25 to post a $4 item.

It is an impossible situation. The cost will reduce our sales, the time consumed makes it a waste of time doing the prep work, and all up we have to re-think why we would bother trying to trade with this un-viable impost.

[*tippy*toes*]

Please see one of the many threads started about this topic today.

[love_of_cars]

Thank you for writing up the account of your experience at your PO with the new changes, it is a big help for me with what I am to expect when I to send off my parcels to overseas tommorrow.

If it's going to take up to 5 minutes to process each parcel now, then no matter how much passion I have for making the posters I make and sell, I really can't be bothered dealing with it anymore.

With eBay's 10% grab on the postage fee, AP's most recent price increases and the amount of time and effort it is said to take, I don't know how much longer sellers like me can continue.  We now must look so expensive to the rest of the world and many will not want to buy from us.  Exports from Australia are going to take a huge nose dive.

[allfixelectrical]

Maybe everyone who posts small items via letter rate needs to start dropshipping their items direct from China as it appears that China Post can still send small light items to Australia for less than the cost of sending a letter overseas.

No wonder the country is going down the S-bend.

[jillywinkle]

Here's the link to schedule 31 telling us that we can no longer post a doily, diary, teatowel etc...flat and under 20 mm as a large letter from Australia...doom

http://auspost.com.au/media/documents/Schedule-31-0416.pdf

[eclectic-oz]

Hi All

The Post Office manager has confirmed for me today the following:

1. The small green customs slips can only be used on parcels
2. The new International Post forms can only be used on parcels
3. Merchandise cannot be sent by International Letter Post
4. Post Office Staff are obliged to ask what is in any International Letter
5. If there is merchandise in an International Letter it will be charged at Parcel Rates
6. If an International Letter is found to have merchandise in it a a Distribution Centre / Sorting Centre it will be pulled out for addtional post (not clear if it will be returned to sender)

We can continue to send our paper based items - decals and similar printed matter - within Australia and Overseas at the same rates previously.

We can continue to send the small packets that we use within Australia.

We MUST send overseas as a parcel with a minimum cost of between $11 to $30 depending on destination.

or we must stop selling to overseas customers.

Unfortunately the only way I can see is the last option. This change has effectively killed the business as 60% of our trade was to international customers.

Tony

[jillywinkle]

Thanks eclectic and digital for your posts. What a mess eclectic!!! Did you have to take your parcels back home with the new forms and do them all over again? Were you charged new parcel prices for any large letters? And yes, it's incredibly time wasting all round, this new PO money grab. Apart from wasting precious time in forums trying to get support and verifications, reading the new APO rules and regulations & wasting more time at the PO and their time as well. It's a fiasco. Especially the new large letter rule. Holey moley. More poverty for the poor and more dosh for the fat cats.

I send heaps of large letters overseas. Textile merchandise mainly. But what about people who sell coins and small artwork and flat souvenirs, and small pieces of cutlery and necklaces? The list goes on. Sales will plummet and people will again, have to work out what on earth to do next. I have to go through two online venues now, change all postage costs & most likely kill off international post for many items I would normally post for only 8 bucks overseas (including tough bag). Blessed are the meek, as they shall not inherit the earth....and by the way, I posted two parcels to Canada yesterday and was charged the new fabulous price of $15.85 & was also given a green copy of the big new form I filled in. It was the PO ladies first international parcel since the change, so maybe I was not supposed to get a copy......:( Jilly

[jfmgray]

I would go to a different Post Office if this was an option for you.  My Post Office advises that nothing has changed re international letters and I am still allowed to send small items at letter rate.  There is even a pre-paid international letter which has printed information that states:

• When used for letters, documents and printed matter no customs form is required.
• Envelopes that contain goods of any kind, including computer disks, will not be carried by Australia Post unless the appropriate customs form CN22 or C231, available at post offices, is completed, signed and affixed to the front of the envelopes

Their own envellope states that you can send goods with the appropriate CN form.

[jillywinkle]

Hmm....well now it's getting even more complicated. So you have to use "their" envelopes....I will be looking into it...as I sell doilies and small textiles...I am not holding out hope though, but will check it out at the PO tomorrow. What a waste of time trying to understand the new policies and pricing....!....grrrrr....

[jillywinkle]

Hi again jgray.......This link, below,  leads me to believe, that you are unable to post a CD or doily as a document/merchandise. What packaging and bag/overseas service available did you use and how much did it cost? Jilly

http://auspost.com.au/media/documents/Schedule-31-0416.pdf