posting item with $8.30 worth of stamps

[pko_pec]

Hello all,

I have a question regarding stamps, and I was not able to find this on the Aus Post website or eBay (would love to see a link if you do know where it is). If I was told an item would cost $8.30 to post in a standard small AusPost satchel, am I allowed to use my own packaging and put $8.30 worth of stamps on the package? Assuming of course the size of the package is that of a small satchel and under 500 grams?

I know this might be a stupid question but I wanted to confirm that I can use my stamps as opposed to paying the same amount at the post office (where they don't put stamps but just a barcode/sticker). I want to use stamps for convenience as I can walk to the mailbox and put the item in as opposed to driving to the post office everytime I want to send something off.

Kind regards,

[wide-world-of-stamps]

If only we had that choice - we're 25km from this post office, the next closest is another 20km away.

[purplemon18]

---

@curraone wrote:

---

@pko_pec wrote:

Hello all,

I have a question regarding stamps, and I was not able to find this on the Aus Post website or eBay (would love to see a link if you do know where it is). If I was told an item would cost $8.30 to post in a standard small AusPost satchel, am I allowed to use my own packaging and put $8.30 worth of stamps on the package? Assuming of course the size of the package is that of a small satchel and under 500 grams?

---

Yes you could but as pointed out, you would have no proof of postage.  

Why not use your own packaging and use the ebay label option?    You just need to tape it to the parcel.    Ebay provides tracking for you then.   You do need a printer tho.

Or buy a bulk lot of Aust Post 500g satchels, so you wlll have them ready.   They will also have tracking nos.

---

This is what I do. It's actully a little cheaper if you buy ebay satchels too.

For items that are not worth sending as a package, such as DVDs, I use a bubble lined envelope and $2, $3 or $5 worth of stamps depending on weight. Max size is 2cm high and about the size of an A4 envelope.

However,  there are also available a new line of products called Domestic letter with tracking, currently available on the AP website, and some branches that is worth looking into:

https://shop.auspost.com.au/product/domestic-letter-with-tracking-large-c4-prepaid-envelope-0590327m

Lots of people refuse to post using street boxes because of the increased risk of losses - which you will almost always wear, but you should do the calculation and decide for yourself when the cost is too high. Losing 1 in 500 packages becuase it never received a scan and got delivered to the wrong address may be a cost you can absorb with the profits from the other 499. You will lose more to people who are dishonest and claim things that are not true to get a refund. These forums are full of those stories.

To answer your original question, you can absolutely use stamps to pay for a package. They can even be used to pay for international postage - even though they don't say they are international postage stamps. The caveat though is that you have to put 10% extra on because regular stamps have GST which does not go to AP.

[purplemon18]

---

@purplemon18 wrote:

Lots of people refuse to post using street boxes because of the increased risk of losses - which you will almost always wear, but you should do the calculation and decide for yourself when the cost is too high. Losing 1 in 500 packages becuase it never received a scan and got delivered to the wrong address may be a cost you can absorb with the profits from the other 499. You will lose more to people who are dishonest and claim things that are not true to get a refund. These forums are full of those stories.

---

Sorry, it's probably more like 1 in 80 items if you don't have a tracking number, and 1 in 180 if you stick a fake barcode on it. the 1 in 500 is if it has a proper tracking number and gets posted in a street box.

[stick.it.good]

I've had sellers send me expensive items using $20+ worth of stamps.
From memory they still had a tracking sticker on them. It was just paid with stamps instead of a money transaction.

[clarry100]

You can get the rolls of 50x parcel tracking labels for free from any PO. These are intended for use on Bona-Fide parcels (not letter rate items).

So you could put stamps on your own packaging to pay for the postage and one of these free tracking labels and drop the parcel into a red street box.

The risks with doing this are...

They rarely ever get scanned until they are delivered.

If they get lost in transit there will likely never be any scan event, hence, you then have no proof you ever lodged it. So you will lose any ebay INR claim against you. And the possibility of any discretionary compensation from AP.

If the delivery scan event is outside your stated handling time (and likely will be) then you will be subject to a late delivery point from ebay. Too many of these can see your account downgraded.

So to me it's always better to lodge over the counter and ensure you get a lodgement scan event. You then have proof it was lodged into the AP delivery system in the event it never makes it to the other end.

[brerrabbit585]

Can't you get some free labels from another PO when you're in a different town, and buy some of your postal supplies at the same time? My PO is really good with most things but he's done a couple of really offensive things (not aimed at me but his customers in general) and now I take most of my business elsewhere.

I can't post anywhere else but I can certainly buy most of my supplies elsewhere and I do! I only buy about a quarter of my supplies from him - just enough for him not to realise what I'm doing. If he can't respect those who provide him with a living then he doesn't get my business.

[curraone]

---

@pko_pec wrote:

Hello all,

I have a question regarding stamps, and I was not able to find this on the Aus Post website or eBay (would love to see a link if you do know where it is). If I was told an item would cost $8.30 to post in a standard small AusPost satchel, am I allowed to use my own packaging and put $8.30 worth of stamps on the package?

---

Just a note about some of your listings :  it is a very bad idea to say you are going to use a specific postal service and then don't use it

e.g.  Standard Postage (Australia Post Pre-Paid Parcel Post Satchel 3kg)   Item: 252868658153

even if you are offering free postage.    Buyers can get pretty snarky

Probably best to bulk edit your postage to "standard delivery" while you work out your postage options.

[medalsbadgespatches]

Use the stamps then ask for a tracking number when you lodge. They will print one out and affix it to box and then print a lodgement reciept. 

[go_39414]

Do you realise that Ebay 500gram satchels cost only $7.55 to post?  Print it out at home, with tracking,  post in the PO or in a posting box.

Other Ebay postal charges are cheaper than Aus Post too.   

[curraone]

It must be frustrating for the OP when we don't read the original post

. I want to use stamps for convenience as I can walk to the mailbox and put the item in as opposed to driving to the post office everytime I want to send something off.