Sending items as a large letter.

[licoricebabyandfabmama]

Ok so Ive started selling small light items,  Ive done my research and seen that everyone else is selling the same thing as a large letter or stamp mail in a padded envelope.     Go into the post office today to post an item and see how many "stamps" ill need.   Guy tells me oh no thats a parcel rate.    Argue it with him,  he pulls out the slot measure and makes a feable and failing attempt to push my parcel through.    Show him another item which would clearly fit,  oh no thats a parcel too.    What gives?      I know Auspost is privatised,  are they making more money making sure small items do not go through as large letters.       I know my first mistake was taking it to a teller in the first place,  but I dont really want to be sneaking my items through the mail as letters either.

However,  I cant sell this item with 7 dollars extra postage tacked onto it,  I just wouldnt be able to compete.      So the only other thing I can think is to get some stamps and just put it myself in the red box, and squeeze it through right and proper,  but now do I run the risk of having it returned or my customer having to pick up the cost on the other end.

Any advice,  comments?

[putney32]

most of the items I see you've sold, you charged $7+ postage anyways

for an item to go letter rate, it must be flat,.. letters go thru the sorting machines at over 50km p hour, a dress, or baby rug, not properly packed, in an envelope, will catch and be torn, and worst yet, stop the sorting machine and in rare cases even damage the machine.

letter rate really is for paper items, flat and flexible.  If you are sending small items such as a bead or badge, you can, sometimes get them in the 000 or 00 padded bags, well packed and they go at ''letters''but the must be FLAT.

you can always up yr item price by a dollar or 2, and charge a little less for postage.

[kopenhagen5]

I don't know the rates, but have a look at click and send.

Nearly everyone says it's terrific and sometimes cheaper than regular AP items. 😉

[thesoulyearns]

Copied directly from the official Aus Post website:

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http://auspost.com.au/personal/standard-delivery.html

A large letter is an article which exceeds at least one of the small letter dimensions and has the following characteristics:

rectangular in shape no larger than 260mm x 360mm no thicker than 20mm does not weigh more than 500g.

[foxette-in-sox]

Ask a FRIENDLY AP shop for a letter gauge-I did & it sure made life a lot easier.

[rumplebear1951]

If I was to receive one of your items that I had paid $7 postage for I would be less than impressed to receive it in an envelope.

For $7 I would expect it to be wrapped and in a satchel at the very least.

[curraone]

Ask for a letter gauge from a post office - this is a large cardboard thingy which has slots cut into it - for 2 cm.  My PO was glad to hand it out and it is free.  

Then you will be in no doubt whether your item complies, if it fits through the slot, it can be sent as a letter.

Buy lots of stamps and yes, post them in the red box.   Follow the Aust Post guidelines on their site and on the letter gauge for number of stamps, you will not go wrong.

Of course it depends on what you sell - obviously some breakable items should never be sent as a letter.

PS:  if possible, change  your post office, there is nothing worse than a post office with a bad attitude.

[curraone]

Oh and I agree, don't charge $7 when your buyer can see you only paid $3.00 postage - a tiny amount for buying the envelope say,  but don't over do it.

Just my opinion:-)

[b3llag1na]

You can get away with posting small clothing items as letters as long as you pack them FLAT.

When I do it, I use an old cereal box cut down to fit the envelope, use the white non-marking tape to tape the clothing down onto one piece of card, cover it with another and tape the edges of the card down, then slide it into a large envelope... this way the clothing item won't bunch up inside and the postage will be under $3.

It's alot of effort though, and if you sell alot of things it would be very time consuming.

[licoricebabyandfabmama]

Just to clarify folks,  I would never charge extra postage and not ship an item accordingly.  The postage charges you saw were for clothing items and were sent in prepaid sachels. I wasnt even looking to make a profit off the clothing just to get my sales up and practise listing.  In hind site I should have stuck them between carboard and sent them in an envelope since people were paying more in postage then what they paid second hand for the item.     I am also selling new items such as pacifiers and they arent worth an extra 7 bux postage to buyer,  therefore I need to find ways to get postage down.  I can clearly see other sellers are charging letter rates for postage.   Obvioulsy I want to do the same so that I can make some profit.