Postage increases

[sjay2k]

Previously it cost $1.40 to send a bubble mailer within Australia (i.e. a "large letter").

I went to the post office this morning and it now costs $2.00. Also, they are selling "priority" stamps for 50c which will apparently result in one or two day postage. They basically told me that if you don't pay for the priority stamp, there may be a delay of two days. However there will not necessarily be a delay (i.e. they don't just deliberately delay the non-priority mail).

I'm curious what the etiquette should be for the priority mail.... I paid for it for my letters today but I expect that it will probably be unnecessary so I don't think I will get it unless anyone specifically asks for it.

Also, incidentally it is now cheaper to send a card to Singapore than to someone in your own city.

 

[Parrapaul]

Does anyone know when sending registered is it 'priority'?

I sent a registered post item today and cost $5.80

 

[bigrob2307]

Does anyone know when sending registered is it 'priority'?

I sent a registered post item today and cost $5.80

for that price you'd bloody hope so

 

[boosta]

Auspost increased the domestic stamp prices from $0.70 to $1.00 so probably have a flow-on effect.

 

[MattWasGF4L]

hope there's a time for us to use the 70c stamps we have already bought!

 

[Parrapaul]

hope there's a time for us to use the 70c stamps we have already bought!

Only way I can think is putting 3 x 70 cent stamps on a small bubble mailer and that way we are guaranteed of the parcels being delivered

 

[MattWasGF4L]

Only way I can think is putting 3 x 70 cent stamps on a small bubble mailer and that way we are guaranteed of the parcels being delivered

I remember wen stamps went up last time I think there was like 2 months where you would still get through and use stock, not sure this time though

 

[exzibit3]

I remember wen stamps went up last time I think there was like 2 months where you would still get through and use stock, not sure this time though

They should sell 30 cent stamps for you to chuck on and make the dollar.

 

[bigrob2307]

Ive heard they have 60 cent stamps or something you can add on if you have 2*70c

 

[Andrew Thomson]

hope there's a time for us to use the 70c stamps we have already bought!

my understanding from what ive been told is there is a 3 months grace period for people to use the 70c stamps

 

[rishgoon]

Was just charged $10.20 to express post a small bubble mailer. Brutal.

 

[Felixnator]

Cost me $7.65 to post today my mailer being half a mm to big for $2.00 post

 

[bigrob2307]

Think aust post may have found another way to destroy our hobby

 

[thePACisback]

Not gonna be selling to the US for a while if this is true.

 

[sjay2k]

Cost me $7.65 to post today my mailer being half a mm to big for $2.00 post

Yeah the jump up is quite strange. A lot of the time it would actually be cheaper to break it up into two bubble mailers so it's just 2x$2

 

[Andrew Thomson]

i must say my local post office which is a newsagent as well lets me get away with thicker packages all the time, mine you i have spent a long time building up a good re pore with them over the years

 

[Ersk]

Yeah the jump up is quite strange. A lot of the time it would actually be cheaper to break it up into two bubble mailers so it's just 2x$2

The key is......
less than 2cm then it is a letter.
Less than 125gm then it is $2
125-250gm will be $3
250-500gm will be $5

Good thing about "letter" compared to parcel, is that it does not have additional cost for being sent to the country, whereas parcel will be charged depending on remoteness.

So if you can keep your package less than 2cm thickness, even if you spread it out over an A4 sized envelope, you will be better off than just parceling it up as one thick package.

Note - 2cm includes the thickness of the packaging (and padded envelope).

It is roughly about 15 standard cards, between 2 toploaders in a padded envelope.

 

[Ersk]

Not gonna be selling to the US for a while if this is true.

Prices to send overseas has not increased I believe.

But there is a little trick to sending items.

Again the 2cm rule to keep it as a "letter" not parcel, pricing wise.

But the key is, for example to the US, keep the package to less than 50gm.

As soon as it goes over 50gm, even 55gm, it goes up dramatically.

0-50gm to US is $2.75
50-250gm is $7.40 - 3 x $2.75

So if your package is up to 100gm, better to divide it into 2 packages and send them individually, you will save yourself $2.75. If 100-250gm, then jjust package it all together.

250-500gm is $16.50

So it is always better to split your package to 250gm plus another package. If the second package is 50gm you would have only spent $10.15. If your second package is 250gm, so 2x 250gm, you would still only spend all up $14.80 by just splitting your package into 2, less than the $16.50 for sending the package all as one.

Ersk

 

[thePACisback]

Prices to send overseas has not increased I believe.

But there is a little trick to sending items.

Again the 2cm rule to keep it as a "letter" not parcel, pricing wise.

But the key is, for example to the US, keep the package to less than 50gm.

As soon as it goes over 50gm, even 55gm, it goes up dramatically.

0-50gm to US is $2.75
50-250gm is $7.40 - 3 x $2.75

So if your package is up to 100gm, better to divide it into 2 packages and send them individually, you will save yourself $2.75. If 100-250gm, then jjust package it all together.

250-500gm is $16.50

So it is always better to split your package to 250gm plus another package. If the second package is 50gm you would have only spent $10.15. If your second package is 250gm, so 2x 250gm, you would still only spend all up $14.80 by just splitting your package into 2, less than the $16.50 for sending the package all as one.

Ersk

Nice. Thanks!

 

[sjay2k]

I think what will happen with the priority stamps is that very few people will use them, and so there will be very little disadvantage in using regular mail. Basically business as usual.