Overseas parcel rate INCREASES

[creativecharm]

Just letting you all know so you can adjust overseas postage rates on your listings before next sale comes through.

I have just been to the Post Office with thin envelope containing a charm 44 grams total. Last week it would have gone at letter rate of $3.25. If going as a Parcel would have been about $8.00.

This morning rates are up. This item is now costing $20.50 to send. You can no longer send anything at "letter" rate overseas if there is an object in it. However even the "parcel" rate has more then doubled in price.

I am sending this one at my expense. It was a $10 item, with $5 postage.

I wonder how many Australian businesses sending overseas will go out of business. It's hard enough competing with Chinese sellers who sell for $1.00 including postage, without this mammoth increase in price

[goodthingsforsalerobert]

I send bubble style large envelopes up to 125 grams as a O/S lettter at the $7.40 rate, no docs required and i send CDs and Cassettes all over the world without a problem with customs or AP, i tell the PO nothing of whats in the envelope as long as its not danderous goods     

[ozmagz]

But a 'necklace' is NOT printed matter. It has always (of recent years) been required to be mailed as a PARCEL (not a letter). Nothing has changed in that respect.

From what i understood, creativecharm has been sending them as a 'Letter' and essentially writing a Customs dec, acknowledging it's NOT 'printed matter'. I just don't see the logic.

[digital*ghost]

None of my international large letters contain printed material, either. 

I have always lodged my articles at the counter, customs forms filled in, international large letter - merchandise, as I explained above, with the description clearly explaining the contents were not printed matter.

There have always been some services, both domestic and international, where documents were the only allowed contents, but regular large letters were always excluded from that (small letters are a different thing entirely, and registered international large letters can only contain documents); but even documents has a broader meaning by Australia Post terms (they define a document as something that contains reproducable media, so it includes CDs, memory cards and USB sticks). 

As I said, today is the first day I have ever seen the very specific "written correspondence only" in relation to international large letter articles. 

[creativecharm]

I was sending bubble style large envelopes up to 50 grams for $2-75

Over 50 grams to 125 grams was $7.40

I was told I needed to fill out Customs declaration (green form) as there were objects inside.

If they only contained documents, then on customs form required, and could have posted in postbox.

Maybe CD's and cassettes still come under same category as documents.

I have no idea. I just know I had to fill out the green form.

The new rates only came into force this morning.

[imastawka]

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@ozmagz wrote:

But a 'necklace' is NOT printed matter. It has always (of recent years) been required to be mailed as a PARCEL (not a letter). Nothing has changed in that respect.

From what i understood, creativecharm has been sending them as a 'Letter' and essentially writing a Customs dec, acknowledging it's NOT 'printed matter'. I just don't see the logic.

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The customs dec is to declare what's in the envelope in case there are

any import duties at the other end.

And to say it is not dangerous goods

You don't need a customs dec for printed matter

And as long as it's under 20mm, fits through the slot, and weighs less than 100gr

it is a letter, not a parcel

[ozmagz]

imastawka wrote

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You don't need a customs dec for printed matter

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I know, i've mentioned that (if you read my posts).

Here's a question for you :

Is a necklace 'printed matter'?

If your answer is NO. It needs to be mailed as a PARCEL with customs dec.

If your answer is YES, it is 'printed matter', then i requires NO customs dec.

[curraone]

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@imastawka wrote:

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The customs dec is to declare what's in the envelope in case there are

any import duties at the other end.

And to say it is not dangerous goods

You don't need a customs dec for printed matter

And as long as it's under 20mm, fits through the slot, and weighs less than 100gr

it is a letter, not a parcel

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Why are we saying 100g ?    Letters can be up to 500g.

[twyngwyn]

I would/do just put the very lightweight item inside a mag - there's your printed material

[chezzy]

Creativecharm has obviously been sending items at the "letter rate" - as have many people - where the packaging is within the requirements (dimensions/thickness/weight). And if the contents are not 'printed matter' then it gets a customs sticker filled in.

If there is some requirement (rule) regarding this I would like to know why so many Post Offices have been accepting all these letters for years.

Even today with the changes it seems that different Post Offices have their own rules (unless some for the sake of peace are just turning a blind eye)

[chameleon54]

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@imastawka wrote:

Bluddy hell,  missed this bit.........(written correspondence only for international items)

That's a serious wrinkle!

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Dont shoot the messanger here, but large letters for International postage have always been required to be written material only. I have been quized on the contents of my large letters a couple of times in the past and always priced non written material for international postage at the parcel rate in my listings.

Basically nothing new about this bit. I suspect that as a customs form was not required for large letters IF THEY CONTAINED WRITTEN MATERIAL many sellers and post office staff either didnt know about the clause or just turned a blind eye..