Tips on how to save on postage costs

[iherbal2012]

I'm sure this has been answered many times.

We know the cost to send a standard letter is 60c at australia post and up to $2 for larger, thicker, heavier letters. But what if we were to send flat thin items such as DVDs inside a padded bag? Will this count as a parcel and cost us $6.95? Has anyone got away with attaching a $2 stamp?

Also, what are your tips on saving when it comes to sending larger heavier items that weigh >5kg? I dont want to use Australia Post as it is extremely expensive!

[*tippy*toes*]

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@crystalbsuarescrystal wrote:

hI i HAVE ABOUT 5 BOOKLETS OF 10 Pges ON  A4 PAPER SIZE TO GO TO INIDIA  How do i send this 

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Ummm, package them up and take them to the post office? That's what most people would do I'd think, especially in the SIX YEARS since this thread was started.

[chameleon54]

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@crystalbsuarescrystal wrote:

hI i HAVE ABOUT 5 BOOKLETS OF 10 Pges ON  A4 PAPER SIZE TO GO TO INIDIA  How do i send this 

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Large letter has been reinstated to many countries, but the PO advise most of this is going by sea due to COVID 19. This is the cheapest option, but may take 8 weeks to arrive. You can use the same large letter but fill out the parcel declaration and send it as a parcel. This is more expensive but does include tracking and parcels are currently receiving preferential treatment over international letters in the mail system, so may be quicker.

It pays to add a piece of cardboard to the envelope to stop creasing and bending if you want the booklets to arrive flat. It wont matter for the parcel rate which has a 500 gram threshold, but you want to keep under 250 grams if going as a large letter as is is cheaper than 500 grams.

[moov-auction]

To answer the OP - I use letter rate for the majority of my items (about 4/5) as I sell media. Books are quite tricky at times and I open them for thicker books and you can fit them as 5.50 large letter (at your own risk). I have never had any problems doing this. Obviously, these items are not protected by ebay's cases for items not arrived as there is no tracking. 

In 2020, these are the sizes of letters: (not including dimensions):

under 50 grams and under 5mm: 1.10 

under 125 and under 2 mm: 2.20 

under 250 and under 2 mm: 3.30

under 500 and under 2 mm: 5.50 

Here is a huge tip, Australia post are hardly fussed at all if you go over these limits very slightly (by upto 50 grams) as long as you post them in the post box. Also you are entitled to discount postage stamps for concessioners. 50 per year for $30. Not all items require precise packing too - if it is new, definetly use bubble wrap, but otherwise it's up to you whether you think it's worth spending the extra time to protect your items (obviously some things should always be protected). For newbies, follow all the rules and as you sell more you will figure out what is worth the time and what isn't. 

Bubble wrap is easy to find free on gumtree/facebook. So are other stationery. Hard Rubbish also good for boxes. Scavening people's recycling bins (depending on local council law) - is great for free packaging (maybe at night as to not alert people). Keep your packaging from purchases and if you of the very thrifty kind you can reuse unfranked stamps (although not techically legal). 

Buying stamps at auctions (be careful here as there are people who "wash" the ink off stamps and these almost always STILL HAVE FRANKING MARKS ON THEM. - buy at your own risk). I buy new, old stamps (which does take time to attach to parcels). Some new stamps are obviously either stolen or fake, too. 

Sendle, probably close to the cheapest courier around. Carbon neutral claims too. They send ebayers with stores ads for premium services which is about 15% off regular prices. They have a great inter-city parcel price. Similar to Australia Post they don't have the time to weigh each parcel so a few grams over always get delivered. Their international parcels are mostly cheaper than Aus Post but not always if you buy less than face value stamps. Sendles 500 gram parcels are 7.50 on premium - enquire about premium if you send parcels atleast weekly and they are likely to subscribe you. 

[*tippy*toes*]

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@moov-auction wrote:

To answer the OP - I use letter rate for the majority of my items (about 4/5) as I sell media. Books are quite tricky at times and I open them for thicker books and you can fit them as 5.50 large letter (at your own risk). I have never had any problems doing this. Obviously, these items are not protected by ebay's cases for items not arrived as there is no tracking. 

In 2020, these are the sizes of letters: (not including dimensions):

under 50 grams and under 5mm: 1.10 

under 125 and under 2 mm: 2.20 

under 250 and under 2 mm: 3.30

under 500 and under 2 mm: 5.50 

Here is a huge tip, Australia post are hardly fussed at all if you go over these limits very slightly (by upto 50 grams) as long as you post them in the post box. Also you are entitled to discount postage stamps for concessioners. 50 per year for $30. Not all items require precise packing too - if it is new, definetly use bubble wrap, but otherwise it's up to you whether you think it's worth spending the extra time to protect your items (obviously some things should always be protected). For newbies, follow all the rules and as you sell more you will figure out what is worth the time and what isn't. 

Bubble wrap is easy to find free on gumtree/facebook. So are other stationery. Hard Rubbish also good for boxes. Scavening people's recycling bins (depending on local council law) - is great for free packaging (maybe at night as to not alert people). Keep your packaging from purchases and if you of the very thrifty kind you can reuse unfranked stamps (although not techically legal). 

Buying stamps at auctions (be careful here as there are people who "wash" the ink off stamps and these almost always STILL HAVE FRANKING MARKS ON THEM. - buy at your own risk). I buy new, old stamps (which does take time to attach to parcels). Some new stamps are obviously either stolen or fake, too. 

Sendle, probably close to the cheapest courier around. Carbon neutral claims too. They send ebayers with stores ads for premium services which is about 15% off regular prices. They have a great inter-city parcel price. Similar to Australia Post they don't have the time to weigh each parcel so a few grams over always get delivered. Their international parcels are mostly cheaper than Aus Post but not always if you buy less than face value stamps. Sendles 500 gram parcels are 7.50 on premium - enquire about premium if you send parcels atleast weekly and they are likely to subscribe you. 

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Under 2mm? WOW, that's thin. My post office allows 20mm.

What terrible, terrible advice. I can't believe you are encouraging people to break the law. Especially on a public forum when you don't know who is reading. Not to mention basically admitting it that you break the law yourself. I am gobsmacked.

[davewil1964]

You post open books?

To save, by your admission, $2?

If none of these have arrived damaged (like the spine broken when a parcel is dropped on it) then that is good luck, not good management.

I also wouldn't be paying $5.50 to post a letter. I'd either use the prepaid C4s for $4.68 or the tracked prepaid C4s for $5.60 in 10-packs.

Posting in a red box also has risks - like not getting scanned within your handling time, thus leaving you open to having your stars dinged.

I realise you are replying to a SIX year old post, but if you use AP packaging, the charges are by size, not weight, up to 5kg. If you are using Sendle (usually Fastway/Aramex), more fool you.

[*tippy*toes*]

Open books with reused stamps no doubt!

If I received an open book with a broken spine, I'd be really pished. 

[joz15au]

If I received an open book I'd be giving a negative for bad packaging even if it wasn't damaged, and I've probably given maybe 2 negs at the most in nearly 20 years of buying on eBay. Not on.

[moov-auction]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

You post open books?

To save, by your admission, $2?

If none of these have arrived damaged (like the spine broken when a parcel is dropped on it) then that is good luck, not good management.

I also wouldn't be paying $5.50 to post a letter. I'd either use the prepaid C4s for $4.68 or the tracked prepaid C4s for $5.60 in 10-packs.

Posting in a red box also has risks - like not getting scanned within your handling time, thus leaving you open to having your stars dinged.

I realise you are replying to a SIX year old post, but if you use AP packaging, the charges are by size, not weight, up to 5kg. If you are using Sendle (usually Fastway/Aramex), more fool you.

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I buy stuff and sell low cost items. Sometimes profit margins are thin, and many other smaller sellers will vouch they use stamps. Savings are about 3.50. And new stamps. 

I hardly send books this way, and it's stated clearly in my listings when I do. 

I haven't had any of your issues and have sold over 500 things in the last year doing it this way. It works and people do what's easy and sustainable. 

[moov-auction]

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@*tippy*toes* wrote:

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Under 2mm? WOW, that's thin. My post office allows 20mm.

What terrible, terrible advice. I can't believe you are encouraging people to break the law. Especially on a public forum when you don't know who is reading. Not to mention basically admitting it that you break the law yourself. I am gobsmacked.

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Sorry you got so triggered and If I could edit my post i would. 

Yes, 20 mm and 2 cm. 

If you read carefully I say reuse packaging and buy new (old stock I meant). I use to reuse stamps, but don't do that anymore. And most ebay'ers, atleast from my purchase history, use stamps (low cost items anyway). And I buy new stamps on ebay. Ebay have hundreds if not thousands of listings for unfranked stamps in high values which are clearly not intended for collectors. Ebay also have a similar amount of "washed" stamps - this is where the line needs to be drawn - washing stamps and selling them seems to be something been done on a huge scale and hundred of thousands of $$ sell daily and ebay, the sellers and buyers seem to be okay with this practice. I am not condoning illegal activity. All you need to do is look at how often these "unkfranked stamps" sell. There was a survey that showed over 80% of people thought it was acceptable to reuse an uninked stamp. Some people just wouldn't bother due to the inconvenience or they want to do it legally. 

There was plenty of good advice in my post and some observations, too. 

[moov-auction]

Honestly, books that are fiction and old only sell for under $12, this means after expenses and regular postage fees, books mean an overall loss. However, this changes for a $3-$4 profit when sent open. I am worried books will damage this way, but the low price of item means I am okay with consequences and happy to refund. I only send a handfull of books this way a year. 

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@joz15au wrote:
If I received an open book I'd be giving a negative for bad packaging even if it wasn't damaged, and I've probably given maybe 2 negs at the most in nearly 20 years of buying on eBay. Not on.

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