All true, but I'm not trying to make money on tracking per se, I'm trying to simplify my business and bring it to a level where I am not running myself ragged fulfilling hundreds of $5 item orders, and fielding multiple post-sale enquiries on those orders ("where is my order" type enquiries I mean), when I can be in the same position fulfilling a dozen $100 orders with far fewer post-sale hand-holding required (it's weird, but the most anxious buyers are always the ones that have spent a few dollars, whereas I have buyers who spend $300 on an order and they are almost invariably the most chill people lol).

The "cheapest price possible" buyers are now well catered for, so while AP might be making money on the service itself, that doesn't mean I can't use that service to my own advantage. 😉 

We also moved to Tracked Envelopes for low value goods less than 20mm and not a single INR case since.  It makes any dishonest buyers, AP 'staff' and others in the delivery chain accountable.  At least letter mail is not going up unlike the recent MP parcel hike...

'At least letter mail is not going up unlike the recent MP parcel hike...'

Give it time. 😒

Letters normally go up in January.

They also need approval for increases to stamp prices and there's usually news articles well before about AP submitting an application for approval, though they don't need to do that for registered, and the tracked letters are under the "registered letter" banner -  if / when registered costs increase, that theoretically allows for an increase to the tracked letters, too.

ooh, I'll have to give that a go - is it easy to use when there's a lot of items in an order, or do you have scan individually? (I had an order on Monday with 40 line items, entering the same number for each item is such a PITA, but opening each item to mark as sent on the phone may be a similar exercise  - why eBay don't at least have an "apply to all" option I'll never understand >_> ). 

Oh you're right, registered is going up so the associated pre-paid letter services are, too.

Individual pricing is going up by 10c for small ($3.05), 15c for medium ($5.10), and 20c for large ($6.15).

Bulk pricing (on the two I use) will mean the medium jumps from $4.46 per envelope to $4.59, and the large is jumping from $5.36 to $5.54. I just bought a bunch, but will try and sneak in a couple extra packs if I can. It's not much of a saving, but better in my pocket than AP's, lol.