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??

[viewmont1071]

If you fold most Australia post magazines centrally and tightly they will meet the large letter guidelines and come in under 20mm.

You can advertise that cheaper letter post may be available but that the mag will be folded once horizontally.You can carefully warm iron magazines and advertisements (between brown paper) and remove most/all of the creasing.

Rather than offer this now I decide at listing whether I will fold for post and make it plain in the item listingso that those that want the mag delivered flat and square can ask and pay the extra postage

It does not suit all purchasers especially cover collectors however for those that are purchasing more for the information inside it suits them. ( I am a cover collector and would prefer my mags delivered unfolded and wrongfully opined that most others would also where it appears many are just after the information and advertisements)

Often on this account (and my real mag account) prospective overseas buyers will buy the whole magazine and then get me to remove the articles/pics that they are interested in so that the post anywhere in the world for folded pages up to the weight of 500 grams is $14.10??? dunno I have not adjusted prices yet from the price change this week.

google..... Franquin  

http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/fame-found-on-the-count-of-three-20101108-17kee.html

I sold a removed magazine article and pics a cupla years ago for a US collector after he bought the entire mag at auction for nearly  $200 ...who knew?? not me that's for sure a real OMG moment for me on ebay

[moviepostercentral]

I sell a lot of vintage magazines and they would be significantly devalued if they were folded for postage.

If a magazine measures 260 by 360 or over it should not be sent by letter post.

[lovetadojen]

yes, large letter post is your answer, thats how, although even at that theyre only just covering cost.

some of your own costings on it are 'generous", you can do better on A4/B4 envelopes than $1.20...even at Auspost shop 1 by one, they dont cost quite that much, and they can be economised on as can other postage materials.

then you say 'wise" to register?

no, Id say all things weighed up, in the case ot items youre talking about, it is not really wise to register, its overkill for little real objective.

is it "wise" to register a car worth $1000 comprehensively at $500 P/A premiums?

people do do such things, is it really canny or necessary or really adding up in the accounting? 

[lovetadojen]

ie "insure comprehensively"..

[moviemem]

no, Id say all things weighed up, in the case ot items youre talking about, it is not really wise to register, its overkill for little real objective.

Well, we are getting close to the point when all sellers will be required to show tracking so they will have to use registered post or some other form of tracking.

[dylan11235813]

Me either. And books and magazines are made of paper, so I would argue that they are documents.

I would definately class a magazine as a document. I would also class a USB stick with word documents on it as a "document".

Maybe I should google what a document actually is. 

[annies_fancy_dress]

I wonder how long it will be before Aus Post make it so that a large letter needs to be documents? Does anyone think this will happen?

'

Only the Express envelopes are supposed to be documents only.

But there are ways around that too   ]:)

[mccrae2007]

As far as I am aware magazines are "printed matter" therefore they come under the "large letter" category.

The postal charges then are either $1.20 for 125 grams / $1.80 for 250 grams or $3.00 up to 500 grams.

[dylan11235813]

As far as I am aware magazines are "printed matter" therefore they come under the "large letter" category.

In the same way as when I print my business name on the garden gnomes that I sell.

[moviepostercentral]

As far as I am aware magazines are "printed matter" therefore they come under the "large letter" category. 

That is not necessarily correct. The criteria for large letters is the dimensions. A large letter has to be a maximum of 260 x 360 and no more than 20mm thick.

That means that many magazines cannot be sent as large letters.