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

[ozmagz]

The AP delivery times are arbitrary and a 'very rough guide' (borderline useless!).

Depends a lot on where you live in relation to International flights, flight schedules/frequency etc.

As example, if you're mailing to Fiji from South West WA (ie. Albany) vs someone mailing to Fiji from Brisbane. They "quote" you the exact same likely delivery timeframe (9 Standard, 11 Econ).

I'd be willing to bet that 'Econ Air' from Brisbane to Fiji most always beats 'Standard Air' from Albany.

[transport-posters]

There is hope, I've had a few sales yesterday and overnight to the US, Norway and The Netherlands after having to increase my overseas shipping prices by a couple of dollars.  I am not looking forward to the post office experience, however.  Someone said it takes about 5 mins per parcel to lodge each one now.

[ozmagz]

Processing time is much the same (i've lodged a few items already). The only difference is they print out a couple more labels. But there's is no ID check now. So, if your package fits and you've aleady paid or have stamps, you could lodge directly into a pillar box.

[jillywinkle]

Here is the link to Schedule 31 about the new "large letter" rules....no more teatowels or doilies ladies...

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

[transport-posters]

The experience at the post office went fine.  I got a new updated statement sheet with the new economy/standard/express options and was able to keep using the green CN22 labels, air mail stickers and ID recorded stickers just like before.  So I can prepare it all before I go to the post office in future, give them the sheet, pay and leave.

This is for sending parcels using the cheapest economy with no tracking.  It's extremely rare for my poster tubes to go missing so I never option it.

[dazzledayz]

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@jillywinkle wrote:

Here is the link to Schedule 31 about the new "large letter" rules....no more teatowels or doilies ladies...

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

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Stop Press - In late breaking news;

Australia Post have backed down on the issue of letter rate not being available for non printed items <20mm. <500g

Apparently the new system has now reverted to the old in the face of massively negative customer reaction.

You may have to remind your local PO of this though.

Strength in numbers apparently - score one for the little guy!

[transport-posters]

How do you know this mate?  I mean, is it mentioned anywhere on their site or something?

[chezzy]

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@transport-posters wrote:

How do you know this mate?  I mean, is it mentioned anywhere on their site or something?

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I saw someone also mention similar on the AP facebook page but I have not seen anything to back it up or official notice online....yet

[dazzledayz]

It was the FB page I was basing that on but then I also Asked at my PO when posting my meagre sales.

My PO is not enforcing the rule and are waiting on a smaller form which is apparently on the way,

(the existing form is too large to affix to a small letter)

[digital*ghost]

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@dazzledayz wrote:

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@jillywinkle wrote:

Here is the link to Schedule 31 about the new "large letter" rules....no more teatowels or doilies ladies...

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

---

Stop Press - In late breaking news;

Australia Post have backed down on the issue of letter rate not being available for non printed items <20mm. <500g

Apparently the new system has now reverted to the old in the face of massively negative customer reaction.

You may have to remind your local PO of this though.

Strength in numbers apparently - score one for the little guy!

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I saw a FB post from AP - as happy as I am they've re-thought things, some of the things they said were nothing short of 'amazing'. 

(I'm referring to "we now understand the impact..." - as if they wouldn't have known thousands of consumers, be they business or not, would have been impacted greatly by a completely unnanounced jump from $2~ to around $15-20~ odd postage at the cheapest. If they had ever listened to even a small percentage of their customers, they would have known, and they never would have disrespected them so much as to make this change a complete "surprise". AP would do a lot better if they listened to their customers, and understood the meaning of the word compromise). 

Oh well, back to business as usual, I guess, when my listings re-index and become visible again to international buyers. 

And until the next time AP has a midnight brainwave.