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?

[lane-ends]

This what I do.

Flatten clothing item and place in A4 size zip lock bag. Flatten air out and seal. Tape over tightly with packing tape. If zip lock opens bags can inflate in transit. I then use a normal manila folder. Fold over extended edge and tape edge. tape across bottom. A4 zip locked package then slides perfectly inside. Tape end shut. test it goes through card slot. Weigh, put appropriate stamps on. Post in street box. Not trackable so over counter is no advantage.

Folder is stronger than a normal envelope, and clothing dont need padding, in any case padding takes up valuable letter depth. Zip lock bag protects item in case package gets wet.. "vacuum" sealing in zip lock bag prevents item bulking up in post, and getting caught in sorting machines.

[wickedfezplayer]

Hi I would do as others have suggested and get the guage. In my opinion the pacifers that you are selling I don't think will lbe able to be sent as a large letter. You  have to be careful as Australia post will charge you the  extra post plus a fee and it might be nearly the cost of what you are selling. Plus sending them with no protection, I would be worried about them getting damaged by the machine and/or other mail on them.

This is just my opinion and I wish you all the best and good luck with your future sales

[dylan11235813]

As an alternative to bubble mailers there are cardboard boxes available that are just under the 20mm limit, up to A4 size, and they seem to be able to fit slighlty thicker items than a bubble mailer. Also there are the card mailers but I have never used them.

[phorum_junkie*]

I don't use cardboard either, I put things in ziplock bags and squish all the air out then seal it. If you are sending clothing in an envelope you need to make sure it is waterproof too.

You don't have to use padded envelopes either, I have a stock of ordinary envelopes and shurtuff mailers, as long as they drop easily through the slot they can go as a large letter.

If you have to help them through then they are a parcel.

For things that will not go as letters your most economic way of posting is click & send with the ebay branded satchels, for anything worth up to $50 ($100 with signature required) they are cheaper than regular small parcel or the red satchels and have Paypal seller protection.

[licoricebabyandfabmama]

Thanx for the suggestions.   I dont think I would feel good about sending items out in ziplock bags,  although if it were a personal mail out,  its a great suggestion.    I dont have a problem sending clothing out and tacking on the 7 dollar postage fee as I feel people expect clothing to be sent in larger packaging and expect the postage rate.  But for a pacifier they dont expect to be paying 7 dollars in postage,  in fact if I tacked that rate on to the item I would be priced far above everyone selling the same item and noone would buy from me,    The pacifiers are all silicone no hard pieces so they would bend in the mail,  I just dont want them to get stuck in the sorter,  although the other sellers dont seem to have a problem with damaged goods as all their feedback is quite good.  Oh and I should add I know the other sellers are sending them stamp mail because i bought from them to see.   IMO the postal worker at the desk was being an ***     I wouldnt be surprised if he was owner of the shop or if they are just briefed on getting more money from us.

[phorum_junkie*]

Not sure what you have against ziplock bags, I would say that a good 70% of all clothing items that I consider adequately packaged are in them. the rest have some sort of waterproof layer between the outer packaging and the garment. Even if you use satchels you really need an inner, waterproof layer as theyb often arrive with a tear or hole in them. I will mark any seller down who does not send with inner protection.

100% of clothing items I sell are sent in ziplock bags (or another, well sealed with sellotape bag if I don't have a ziplock big enough), in all the many years I have been selling I have never had a single complaint about how my clothing is packaged.

[flashback_deals]

I sometimes use the dark yellow A4 envelopes. Books that size can go as letter rate for up to $3.

The white ones are see through so I dont use them. This is makes the postage cheaper than buying a tough envelope, but I only do it for cheap books as well.

Sometimes cardboard can put it above the 2cm. I get books of Fishpond, but find if I reuse them, they are only good for books that would go as a $6.60 parcel rate

[lyndal1838]

If you don't use ziplock bags, what do you use for inner packaging for clothing?

I buy from several good clothing sellers on ebay....some of them use tissue or other wrapping paper first but all of them use some sort of waterproof bag before placing the clothing in an outer mailer...either satchels or tuff bags.

I have had clothing just in plastic satchels which have been damaged and the clothing has been wet or damaged in some way.  I have learned not to buy from small sellers who are just clearing out their wardrobes...I stick with the larger sellers who know how to pack for safe mailing.

And  return year after year.:-D

[flashback_deals]

Yes lyndal, sometimes the satchels can arrive with holes in them.

When I send things in satchels, I always use bubblewrap, at least it protects the item as well

I did have 5 PC Games arrive once in a expandable tough envelope - all loose and they got damaged and never bought from them again! If someone packages the item well, it gets a tick from me.

When my other half has bought clothes, most arrive in a zip lock bag in a satchel.

I usually ask myself if someone charged me this much for postage, would I be happy if I received it like that

A happy customer is a returning customer!

[*new2vintage]

" IMO the postal worker at the desk was being an ***     I wouldnt be surprised if he was owner of the shop or if they are just briefed on getting more money from us. "

Don't blame a postal worker for doing his job. If a package doesn't fit through the 2 cm slot it can't be sent as a large letter. If you obtain a cardboard guage you will be given the chance to repack an item at home if you need to.