Do you lose money on postage?

[moviepostercentral]

I can't understand how so many sellers appear to obviously lose money on postage. There are many listings for vintage magazines. Take Australasian Post magazines which measures approx 260 x 360 with an opening bid of 3.00. Quoted postage costs range from $2.00 - $4.85 and up.

I really can't see how these magazines can be sent in anything other than parcel post which costs a minimum of $6.60. (Do sellers know that the cost for parcel post has increased?). I guess there is a possibility that sellers may try and get the package through as a large letter but this would be asking for trouble from Australia Post.

Hopefully the magazine would be packed well between cardboard sheets to avoid damage. Professional sellers usually pay for packaging so this would add, say, another 1.00.

Maybe it would be wise to send the package by registered mail which is another few bucks.

If the seller is running a business, they would have to absorb GST on the postage cost making the overall cost well above 10.00.

So, how can a seller quote 2.00 for postage??

[onekiwi0]

I agree with your comments viewmont & john....interesting reading this post as I collect and sell /trade mags...but couldn't be bothered with the adverts....as with both of you you have buyers who do...

i'm one of those that state the mag has been folded or on occasion mag will be send in a tube unless buyer states a preference not too.  having bought from viewmont before I know their mags are properly described.  it all comes down to you want your buyers to return! 

I was horrified to receive a mag from another seller just bunged in a paper envelope with no packaging whatsoever and this was very fragile from the '40s.

apologies OP (if this means 1st poster) if this is getting off your postage subject.  Yes I send my mags letter rate if the mags and packaging are less than the 26x36 2cm measurments.  this obv excludes large format vintage australian womens weeklys.  In general I don't make a lot of money from vintage mags, but onsell my doubles or ones I dont' want when I've bought a bulk lot for my collection. 

could there be a troll in this discussion?

[***super_nova***]

I make sure that I slightly underquote my postage charges, so  the buyer pays less than I end up paying at the PO.  But that does not mean I am losing money.  I make profit on my items and do not mind if there is couple of dollars going towards the postage, if that keeps the buyer happy.  So many buyers are very resentful of  sellers overcharging on postage.  I also always print out the charges summary out 2x and put one copy in the parcel.

Dispite that my postage cost DSR has a tiny chip, and even more worryingly there is about 10% less of the postage cost ratings than for other categories.  ?:|  That looks like some people decided to give me 0 stars because they were unhappy with the charges, and thought that was the worst they can do.  :_|

[devonrexcatz]

My daughter gave me a whole lot of vintage magazines to sell. Many came within the size specifications for a large letter or document in Australia but when I weighed them, along with the cardboard to keep them in place and the envelope, they were over 500g...hence, a parcel. So to sell a vintage magazine for $15 - $20, but to add on $13.40 for postage, boots me out of the market. 

[*crikey*mate*]

promote combined shipping.

i.e. sell as many magazines as will fiot into t a 3kg satchel.

look at bx2 boxes (up to 15 kg C&S or 22kg the regular way,

it's no different to the parametwrs that book sellers have to work within.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

a friendly post here letting everyone know that since this thread was started in October of 2012 there have been some postal price rises/changes as well as postal product restructuring.

Please take this into consideration if you decide to post further on this thread.  Don't post replies that correct other poster's postage prices as they were current at the time they were posted.

Additionally, if you have something significant to contribute to this thread then please consider starting a new thread so that all information will be current, relevant and accurate.  Have a nice day     

Spoiler

what I really want to say is "DEAD THREAD"

[lyndal1838]

Very nice and polite Sir Sales.....I can't see anything wrong with that.