Monday 29 November 2010

postage - paying more for less..........

I don't need to tell some of the girls in the Secret Santa Christmas Swap about postage.............it is the worst part of the swap................the girls who have posted since last Monday to the USA have been hit with an extra $9 charge for parcels over 500grams...one girl had to pay $4.50 for a lighter parcel......this is on top of the postage charges already.............I asked my posty who got this money and he said it is a USA postal service charge Australia Post have to pay the USA Postal service.........so they have to collect it from us...........and for this extra fee it could also take the parcel a little longer to arrive...
......FANTASTIC....
........they brought it in just when everyone would be sending parcels for Christmas.......
....perfect money making exercise...
...Christmas bonus for the USA posty's

This will also affect other swaps and I have no idea how long it is going to last for but to add another $9.00 on top of the costs already charged will probably make it prohibitive for people to join swaps sending to the US..........this would be really sad..........
To add to this in some countries in Europe the postal service has had some strikes happening........
....why does all this have to happen before Christmas..............

Catch you later..............
Chookyblue
PS to add I have LOVED all the swap I have done internationally and don't want to have to stop so hope the charges get dropped very soon.............I know postage is a factor for bloggers deciding to participate in swaps

19 comments:

Mary Grace McNamara said...

That is sad. The timing is terrible. But like you said, it's a great money making opportunity and if you want to send packages, there really is no other option. Domestic swaps are fun, but I really love exchanging gifts with people from other countries. This will make it too expensive and no one will want to swap with anyone here in the US. Very sad.

MGM

jodie said...

Mr P posted my parcel for me Chook, imagine how thrilled he was with the extra $9! Man shoulda heard him. He was also posting some stuff for himself - not international and two identical items they wanted to charge him two different rates, so he brought one home and re packaged it!

Wacky Woman said...

I heard about this. Rediculous.

Jo in TAS said...

Hi Chooky,
My postal master told me it's anything, letter or parcel, over 453 grams.
Jo

gracie said...

Bad timing....unfair to all....

julieQ said...

Yes, I know EXACTLY what you mean...Someone is making big-time money here!!

Jeanette said...

That is really sad. I love to participate in swaps. Especially overseas ones. So unfair.

Kris said...

Yes I heard the over 400 something too. It is because of increased border security in the USA at the moment. And because of the increased security they have also advised that it will take an extra 48 hours for your package to get wherever. So, costs you more for less service!

Unknown said...

I know how frustrating it sounds but it is actually the same here in the US, we have to pay outrageous fees to send overseas and we get the same reply you guys do- it goes to the other countries postal service. SO I do not think it is just the US Postal service making extra.

suzitee said...

Well that's not very fair! Grrrr...makes you wonder where all this extra money goes to.

Levin said...

it's a bit sad :(
christmas should be about nice gestures - like making postage cheaper. like they do with the stamps :)
i once sent a parcel to my sister who lives in holland and the postage cost more than the contents of the parcel!!!
when she told me the cost i was so shocked i just handed over the money. i vowed to send the next parcel by sea post but that doesn't seem to be an option anymore.
l
x

BubzRugz said...

I was horrified at paying about $38 to send a couple of things (about 700g) to UK..... almost more than the cost of the gifts ... too expensive to send gifts to grandies now... if they hadn't been handmade I would have just done an internet shop!!
Hugz

Rebecca said...

Or Postie lady said its to do with extra security the USA postal service is doing and they will not wear the cost. She said it looks like it will become a permanent thing which is sad, although I hope she is wrong on this .
Hugs Bec

broderie said...

i went to the po today to post the giveaway from the 'cross stitch posts' that i offered. the winner lived in spain and to send airmail it was $30.00, i am afraid i opted to send it by sea mail!

Sherry said...

Hi Chooky,

I'm in the US. . . and our postal rates have been going up to send internationally also.

The cost is getting prohibitive for any of us trying to stick to a budget. . .and, unfortunately, it might mean that I have to swap less with the cyber friends that I have made over the years.

The US Postal Service keeps crying that they are losing so much money but they are cutting hours & services & raising rates. . . so someone is making a "killing". . .just not the "every day Joe".

LuAnn said...

Our post office is run by the government, and I would guess once they put a charge on something it will be there for the long haul. It is sad because a lot of us like to send little Christmas gifts to our blog friends.

Satu said...

Hi Chookyblue, here in Finland we have used to the high posting rates. So it's always demands some extra thoughts of what shall I do in SWAPs - that parcel won't be overlarge. But one or two oversea swap in a year, it's ok with me, despite of the rates.

suz said...

The US Postal system is completely screwed up. They offer lousy service for high fees and then wonder why people use other options. Here in the States it's getting cheaper to use UPS and FedX! I order from a small company in Rhode Island (about a 5 hour drive from my house). If I have the package sent to my house it can take up to 3 weeks (I can walk to Rhode Island and back in 3 weeks! But, if I have it sent to the law firm I work at, it gets there in 24 hours! Go figure. We get hit with the high prices on this end too. I don't know where the money is going, but it isn't going into service and I truly doubt it is beefed up security. Sorry you guys get hit with it too - that's so unnecessary. I figure shipping stuff overseas only happens once or twice a year, so I can do it.

Beeshebags said...

For some time now, a few bloggy friends and I have been saying we need to do a worldwide postage strike to show how we're not happy about them putting the prices up all the time....if everyone around the world boycotted sending parcels for a predetermined amount of time....it might make them realise we ARE a force to be reckoned with and not just a bunch of sooky lah lahs wingeing about nothing.....so who agrees???? Hugs Naomi