That Royal Mail package postage prices hike yesterday will severely dent Ebay, Amazon selling/buying, etc.

[OhLori]

I went to the Post Office today to send some crocs through the post, second class - normally £2.60.

However, it is now (second-class) £5.20 to send this item. It was 2mm thicker than the new width allowances (even though it was incredibly light 330g).

The PO worker told me these were the new rates from 2 April 2013. They have a new measuring plastic thing to check measurements for small and medium packets.

So, apart from buying/selling books (which counts as a small packet), that's it for me.

[BornInACrossFireHurricane]

Oh looks like I'm going to be out of pocket with ebay on a couple of things I listed

I'll stick to gumtree and facebook from now on, or just freecycle!

[Lonecatwithkitten]

For those of you running small businesses it is worth looking into a franking machine. I switched my business over in December you only need to do 15 2nd class letters in a week to be saving money. I'm really impressed with mine yes my rates went up on Tuesday, but not as much as counter prices.

[teacherandguideleader]

I'm going to be out of pocket with the things I'm currently selling on ebay.

I got stung a few years ago. A lady bought a pair of shoes from me and I had the postage at £5. She willingly paid the bid price and postage price but then put in a complaint when they arrived about the cost of postage as it was higher than the price on the stamp. I had also factored in how much it cost to park in the car park at the post office. I had to refund her the postage. It angered me as she purchased the item knowing what the postage was, it is not like I suddenly upped it after she had won.

So since then I have kept postage really low and on some items it has cost me more to post and I've only broken even, but at least I wasn't out of pocket like the shoe buyer. I'm half tempted to remove my items from ebay that I'll lose money on and take them to the charity shop.

[sparkle12mar08]

On the size template thing, also be aware that the item has to be able to drop through with no assistance. If you have to shake or tap or otherwise manipulate the item to get it to go through, then into the bigger price bracket it goes. It's utterly shit. I sent a single bra in a non padded envelope, completely flat, which would have gone through the lowest price band if she'd have simply pushed it through, but she refused and I had to pay. She said she could have put the lower price on but that it would only be picked up in the system anyway and would have the usual surcharges and collection fee added on and the buyer would have to pay when they collected it. Outrageous.

[eccentrica]

Imho Hermes are crap. They are not a real courier. A bloke from Hermes was outside my window the other day, trying to stuff something for my neighbour down the back of her wheelie bin, crushing it in the process. When I objected, he told me I was immoral for not taking it for her (I was about to.go away for four days but wasn't going to tell him that obv). Also know several others who've had problems.

The worst courier company of the lot though are DX secure.

[Tryharder]

I only send small, single items through the post now. Everything else is couriered.

Amazon and mail order businesses aren't bothered as they have the clout to negotiate cheap postage with Royal Mail and I wouldn't imagine they will be affected at all. As with all things in life, they are clobbering the little people just because they can!

[OhLori]

Tryharder, I do think even "big" business will be affected somewhat. If I can't send something back that I've bought online economically, then I simply won't take the risk to buy it in the first place. Perhaps the courier companies will step into this gap more now, and things will revert back to normal eventually, but I don't think any of this is good for online business overall right now. Its great that there are these courier companies (that I didn't know were cheaper in the first place!). But for the very small shopper like me, with very occasional ebays sales, it really is all a big bloody faff.

Perhaps this part of Royal Mail - packages - runs at a loss and the Government want to reverse this. Even if its not to do with privatisation, its still a poor overall decision to me.

Anyway, signing off here. Thanks for all the advice re. alternative couriers, etc.

[floweryblue]

Lonecat surely in house franking machines make Post Offices less viable, which I think, is the biggest concern her: access to a reliable universal service.

[floweryblue]

here

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Flowery the original post was about cost so whilst I accept franking machines do make post offices less viable they do reduce costs for those who are posting more than 15 items per week. So my suggestion was to help those who regularly post out for their businesses.

[GemmaTeller]

Unless you're a med/large company sending lots of post out every day I don't think using your own franking machine works out a lot cheaper - you might get reduced postage costs by a per pence per letter/parcel but you still have to pay to lease/maintain a franking machine

www.royalmail.com/parcel-despatch-low/uk-delivery/how-buy-our-services/franking

[LaVitaBellissima]

I use //www.parcel2go.co.uk you weight your item and put in the measurements and it compares all the courier companies for the best offer. Some will even pick up from your home address.

I sold a jumperoo on eBay and spent it for less than £5

[wizzler]

If I use Collectplus, do I need to buy special label things to print ?

I too have items listed at the moment which will incur the higher charge and send me into a loss!

[lljkk]

Collect plus requires you to print the label off (ordinary paper), afix to item (cellotape), get to a shop.

It's only £3.49 for items delivered to another shop; not useful for Ebay but good for getting stuff cheaply to family & friends.

[HoHoHoNoYouDont]

I almost started this thread myself! I can't believe RMs new prices, there is no middle ground. I send out lots of parcels each day as I run an online business and this is going to affect it badly. I have opted to turn to Parcel2go as an alternative. They don't have brilliant reviews but it is the only option right now.

I think now is a perfect time for people to set up courier companies, they will make a killing.

[HoHoHoNoYouDont]

Amazon.co & similar will be fine, they have business accounts, and the business account rates with RM are quite a bit lower, totally different price regime, no problem.

There are many individual sellers on Amazon. We have to pay the same postal prices as everyone. Only business who despatch in volume can work out a cheaper rate with courier companies.

[lynniep]

I'm not sure it will make much difference. I had the same thing (walked in to post a parcel - discovered it would cost a tenner - walked out again)

People who sell using ebay are internet savvy, and like me I would assume will just switch to another postal service. My hermes or collect +.
Thats what I'm doing. Its actually a lot easier for me as I can just drop off my prepaid parcel at a garage or shop - don't have to queue up at the PO.

[TheBigJessie]

I don't list stuff on Amazon any more for similar reasons, because the £1.46 of the postage price that Amazon actually passes on to me can't buy the stamps!

[EwanHoozami]

I can recommend Myherpes, I've only used them for bulky items before but at £3 for less than a kilo it looks like the best option for everything.

[EwanHoozami]

^^HERMES! My Hermes!

[twinkbat]

It's big big businesses not feeling the effects. I work for a small business doing mail order and on some items it is now literally twice the cost to send it was last week. I'm sorry but that is a ridiculous price hike on exactly the same item. It also now makes the postage a full quarter the cost of the item itself. This last year the mail order side of the shops is all that has kept us going. Now it's 50p odd cheaper for us to use a courier, but that's still £6 on a £23 item. I wouldn't be surprised if a few small businesses go under tbh

[mrswishywashy1]

I was panicking yesterday after reading this because I had just sold a lot of items on Ebay for the first time ever and they all ended yesterday. I'm just back from the Post Office and all my items went through at £2.60 which I had put as the p&p and I had even combined a few things in one parcel.

I panicked when I saw her bring out that stupid sizer thing but they all went through ok

[mrswishywashy1]

pmsl at Myherpes

[pixiegumboot]

sure others have said, use myhermes. they collect from your house or work. can track parcels if you want. about 4.50 up to 2kg

[WandaDoff]

Myherpes