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

[digital*ghost]

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@ozmagz wrote:

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.

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There has always been a difference between a small letter and a large letter - if you read the full letter guide, which I have several times over, you see that "flexible items" is in fact only applied to small letters (domestically, they can only be 5mm thick, not 20mm thick like large letters).

Anyway, I just checked out the most recently published (August, 2015) international letter guide.

Quote:

"An Air Mail letter that contains anything other than written correspondence
or documents must have the appropriate completed customs form affixed
to the front of the envelope. Written correspondence or documents do
not include books or magnetic or optical recording media such as tapes,
cassettes, computer discs, compact discs and other digital storage devices."

So while CDs etc count as "documents", they don't count as "written correspondence", but it also clearly illustrates that letters can contain non-written correspondence, at least up until today - no new international letter guides have been published, so if my PO tries to charge me parcel rates, I'll show them their own regulations. 

I can't link to the guide because it's a PDF, and that will make my post disappear, but you can find it very easily by googling "Australia Post international letter guide".

Edit: oops, looks like I misread - CDs etc now no longer count as documents.

[davidc4430]

next we will hear AP headquaters are sending out white sticks to help staff who are 'flying blind' today

[goodthingsforsalerobert]

I understand the situation your in.

i buy the stamps and post myself in postbox,if customs holds it up at the other end and asks for duty,i would pay on customers behalf.

No problem yet (touch wood) 

[imastawka]

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@ozmagz wrote:

imastawka wrote

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You don't need a customs dec for printed matter

---

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.

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  Sorry - wrong!

Under  20mm thick, then it's a letter.

And mailed with the customs dec attached

Just read back,  all very confusing.

I have posted what the manager of a large PO told my daughter

when she posted her o/s letters this morning.  

They did not contain printed matter and he knows that.

[audio-spot]

There has always been a difference between a small letter and a large letter - if you read the full letter guide, which I have several times over, you see that "flexible items" is in fact only applied to small letters (domestically, they can only be 5mm thick, not 20mm thick like large letters).

Anyway, I just checked out the most recently published (August, 2015) international letter guide.

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Yes, that's eactly as I just read it. The sad part is that in the abbreviated version on the AP website it only mentions 'letters' which can't have anything not flexible. It is not until you read the full postal guide does it mention 'small letters'. Very sloppy!

I suggest for those who are wanting to post non-printed document airmail letters, use the following checklist:

1. Needs to be less then 500g.

2. Needs to be 20mm thick or less.

3. Needs to have a customs form affixed.

4. Need to advise that you have read the 'International Postal Service Guide August 2015' to the person serving you at the AP counter

[ozmagz]

Yes, but i can't see necklace's in your 'printed matter' list.

So what is the difference?

Why would Australia Post employees police 'written correspondence' if they don't already police 'printed matter'?

Basically - what's the big flap!!??

[curraone]

http://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/size-and-weight-guidelines.html

** Letters should not contain stiff objects such as bottle tops, pens, items enclosed in a hard case, and so on. High-speed letter sorting equipment could damage such objects, or the objects could damage other articles.

[imastawka]

I think you've gotten yourself bogged down with this 'necklace' bit.

You're going round in circles

[curraone]

Their definitions are a bit of a puzzler when you consider that they encourage posting CDs as a letter, by offering the appropriate boxes.

[audio-spot]

That's the problem. The abbreviated website is completely different to the official postal guide.