Thread: AUSTRALIA POST SETS UP WAREHOUSE IN USA

Originally Posted by steran50

This should be really good against those eBay Sellers for example that charge over the top postage prices to ship to Australia.

Now it just gives AP the opportunity to charge over the top postage - "Australia Post charges a base rate of $24.95 a parcel, with a weight rate of $5.95 per 500 grams".

Couple that cost with the quality of service and tracking offered by AP and its not much of a deal.

I have a ship to address but next time I buy stuff from US I will be comparing the costs of both and going the cheaper option. While I have not looked at the finer details of the $24.95 flat rate, there may be some circumstances where it may be cheaper than ship to.

Cheers,

Simon

Its seems that the minimum charge is $24.95 for the parcel + $5.95 per 500g or part thereof. So for a 5gm letter = $30.90 or a 3kg something = $60.65.

https://shopmate.auspost.com.au/our-...shipping-rates

Ahh so they are charging AU rates in the US...

Does that work out to about twice USPS flat rate prices?

Originally Posted by Sir Stinkalot

Its seems that the minimum charge is $24.95 for the parcel + $5.95 per 500g or part thereof. So for a 5gm letter = $30.90 or a 3kg something = $60.65.

https://shopmate.auspost.com.au/our-...shipping-rates

HI,
A Letter is not a Parcel, they are talking about Parcels not Letters. When I was saying that this should be good, I was referring to (for example) eBay Sellers from the USA that charge well over the top for the Postage on an Item. If You Buy something from a Seller whether it be someone on eBay or just a USA Business in General that only charges the proper amount for Postage then this Service would not be a Viable option to use. You would only use this Service if for example if You bought something from the USA and the Seller wanted say $135.00 for Postage when the proper amount was only say $50.00 (the figures that I stated are only meant as an example).

Originally Posted by steran50

A Letter is not a Parcel, they are talking about Parcels not Letters.

You are correct. I was trying to think of something small that would not weigh much so a letter was not the best example. I can alter this to a thick feather weighing in at 5gm, but at 22mm thick it exceeds the maximum thickness rate for a large letter, thus being classified as a parcel

Originally Posted by Sir Stinkalot

Its seems that the minimum charge is $24.95 for the parcel + $5.95 per 500g or part thereof. So for a 5gm letter = $30.90 or a 3kg something = $60.65.

https://shopmate.auspost.com.au/our-...shipping-rates

Those rates are crap! Shipto have nothing to worry about…

Simon

ebay US has some deal with pitney bowes to ship to aus.
PB rates are more than the USPS rates, the sellers send it to PB and they forward it on.
I had an item go thru PB and it went thru 5 PB warehouses, and nothing that made sense either.
Seller sent it from Florida to texas, they sent it to kentucky, then to Chigago, then to seattle and then to arizona before it left for australia.

If you read the AUS post thing they will charge cubic weight as well.
So a 15x15x11 cm box will be considered 500gms even if the weight is 150 gms.
15x15x12 and your in the 1kg range. Aus post will charge whichever is heavier.

I think I worked out once that 40cm by 40cm by 40cm is considered a 20kg weight within Australia,
even if its something fragile and has lots of packing beads to keep it safe.

But this US shipping cubic weight would be considered 12.8 KG.

I guess if there is something you really want and the seller will only post within US then its an alternative.

Peter

I don't think I'm too excited about it. Not only are Shipito prices cheaper, it remains to be seen if AP will offer the other services of Shipito, such as:

• consolidation of multiple packages into one carton, including swapping contents around between a couple of cartons (either to get the best fit or for other reasons such as sending a package to someone else)
• photos on arrival for checking the goods
• lightning quick delivery by TNT (26 hours from pressing the "go" button in California to delivery at Mosman is my current record, which I don't expect to better - AND it was my first package)
• storage for up to 90 days without charge
• delivery to any name & address I like, without having to do anything but nominate that N&A

Granted, the people at Shipito have made mistakes but none of them catastrophic, and I have been rather frustrated with them at times, but overall the service is pretty reasonable, especially for the flexibility.

I reckon that those who will use haven't heard of Shipito.

Just a slight deviation from the topic here,
But recently on US Ebay I have come across 3 different sellers who have
specifically said in their listings that they WILL NOT post internationally and
they WILL NOT post to freight forwarding addresses either

I can understand if they don't want the hassle of posting internationally themselves, But
for the life of me I can't work out why they won't send to a forwarding facility like Ship-to.

If more sellers start listing like that it's going to get hard to buy out of the US unless you have
a mate or two over there that wouldn't mind doing the odd favor for you...

Something to think about..

Matt

It's been like that for years. Furthermore the postal charges out of the US are becoming prohibitive. Australia post is delusional with their Oregon Warehouse if they think they can re invent the wheel at a higher price.

There are however enough sellers who post international.
Try UStoOZ rather than shipito or myus, no "membership" fees and they are willing to go to a shop and buy the item for you in person.

I have a friend in the US that reposts stuff to me... But I only use his services once every couple of years..

I just change my ebay address for the transaction and he gets it automatically..

Then change it back later on..

Originally Posted by matthew_g

But for the life of me I can't work out why they won't send to a forwarding facility like Ship-to.

Maybe they don't want the hassle of dealing with someone half way around the globe if something goes wrong (item goes missing, is broken, wrong item, etc)????

Originally Posted by Vernonv

Maybe they don't want the hassle of dealing with someone half way around the globe if something goes wrong (item goes missing, is broken, wrong item, etc)????

I recently bought a grinding fixture from someone in US. They sent one that was not the same as in the picture and I complained. It turns out that they had two on auction at the same time and they sent me the wrong one. It was sent to me via Shipto after they quoted me a ridiculous postage fee. When I told them that I felt that the one they sent was of lesser quality, they replied saying this is why they don't like dealing with customers outside the US! In the end I got a grinding fixture that was actually pretty good and they knocked $20 off the price. It ended up costing me $80 delivered for an item I have seen here S/H for well over $200. So, sometimes it's got nothing to do with having to send it over seas, it's more about dealing with issues when/if things go wrong. It's just so much easier not to have to deal with OS people, especially when they have a big enough market domestically to keep their business running happily. Cheers, Simon