Postage costs - reference page/list

slip

slip

Beefcake...BEEFCAKE!!!
With the amount of sales going on through the site, a number involve postage, the cost of which we often don't really know till we launch it at the post office.

It would be pretty easy to set up a thread, where the first post could contain the information a seller/buyer might want, and be updated with new info when necessary. Wouldn't really take too much work to get a nice, comprehensive list enabling us to get a fairly accurate idea of postage in no time at all. A nice organised list with groupings, not just a jumble of 30 things in random order.

It would also make selling/buying a little easier as everyone would have a better idea of exactly how much the transaction is going to cost them. Sticky it in the for sale forums, piece of cake.

Template could be....

Item: 26" MTB wheel complete
From: Brisbane
To: Melbourne
Cost: $15

I'm looking at a wheel from interstate, and postage cost will make or break the deal.

What think ye?
 
to-hard-basket

to-hard-basket

Banned
I think its a bit overkill. Through Pm contact find out your seller/buyers post code and use it on this website http://www1.auspost.com.au/pac/ easy as that.
Im sure this list you want will become full of contradictory figures in no time.
Also postage costs should include packing also so it differs from item to item.
 
leitch

leitch

Feelin' a bit rrranty
In my experience, from/to any major city within Australia, any single bike component (frame, wheel, forks included) should not cost more than $20 with AusPost. :) Assuming you're buying a BMX wheel, your postage shouldn't be more than $15, Paul.

That said, I think it's a good idea, but there are so many variables that you'd be better off just guesstimating the size and weight of the package and using the AusPost postage calculator.
 
arpit

arpit

Banned
to-hard-basket said:
Also postage costs should include packing also so it differs from item to item.
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Agreed. There is a reason why it is conventional to quote 'postage and handling'.

If I were selling a bike, and the buyer was to pay for it to be shipped to them, 'postage' would cover:

a. The charge by the carrier
b. Packing materials
c. Cost of packing it. (eg. paying a bike shop to disassemble the bike etc).

It's good practice to negotiate with the seller to determine a postage charge in advance of the sale. The australia post link given provides a guide as to what is reasonable. Because of the above reason, however, the postage charges on the australia post website aren't definitive.

After all, a buyer wouldn't be impressed if I just glued some stamps on the frame and jammed it into the local post box ;)


As for sellers, definately use the auspost calculator - but be warey of additional charges for bulky items! If an item is sufficiently bulky, the post office will charge you by size, rather than weight. You can, of course, get around this in most cases by making an irregularly shaped package ;)

Sellers, if you agree with the buyer as to a postage charge, don't try and raise it when you find out you made an incorrect estimate. Remember to factor in the cost of packaging - good boxes at the post office are expensive. You might need to pick up some bubble wrap and packaging foam too.
 
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|Matt|

|Matt|

Banned
People don't know how to package and post things properly.

I sent an STP frame with headset and seatpost/clamp to ACT IIRC for $15 registered up to $400.

I wrapped it completely in bubble wrap (over individual tubes) and then cardboarded it (over individual tubes), then bubbledwrapped it again over the individual tubes. Basically it was a frame but each tube was bubblewrapped. And yes, I used a LOT of bubble wrap. We found it on hard rubbish so its okay.

If you don't make things square of rectangle, they can't measure it and will only weigh it regardless of size. If I had have put the frame in a box, it would have cost easily over $50.
 
mike-

mike-

Likes Bikes and Dirt
There are a few tip and tricks to post things very quickly, and cheaply.

My favourite is the express post bag.

My next favourite trick is that cutting corners off large LIGHT WEIGHT parcels saves you heaps in postage. I recently sent a Dually frame over Australia for less than $15.
 
slip

slip

Beefcake...BEEFCAKE!!!
I had no idea that AusPost thing existed. Didn't even think to look. Idiot.
 
N

NoFearNick7

Likes Bikes and Dirt
For the more expensive items, if I get the amount I want for it I usually include postage. Likewise for the smaller items, anyway here are my experiences:

STP Frame (bubble wrapped) Sydney to Brisbane $13
26" Wheelset (bubble wrapped) Sydney to Canberra $12
Felt Straight Shot and Norco Bigfoot frame (Bubble Wrapped) Sydney to Brisbane $20.

Postage isn't really that expensive these days, I don't see why some people charge so much for postage when it never costs that much.
 
K

KA0S

Likes Dirt
NoFearNick7 said:
For the more expensive items, if I get the amount I want for it I usually include postage. Likewise for the smaller items, anyway here are my experiences:

STP Frame (bubble wrapped) Sydney to Brisbane $13
26" Wheelset (bubble wrapped) Sydney to Canberra $12
Felt Straight Shot and Norco Bigfoot frame (Bubble Wrapped) Sydney to Brisbane $20.

Postage isn't really that expensive these days, I don't see why some people charge so much for postage when it never costs that much.
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And who was that through?
 
sawtell

sawtell

The Great White Rooks Hunter
not hard to go on the auspost website and enter dimensions, i think the biggest mistake is people dont realise how much packaging can weigh.

BUT in items that cant be measured it goes by weight, which your local postoffice should be able to give you a double sided page, which list's different weight of packages to different postcode's and the EXACT price.

soo many times ive done the calculator on the auspost site, got there and have to pay double what i was internet quoted :(
 
F

fungusnuts

Likes Dirt
Aae

I've used Australian Air Express to ship complete bikes interstate before because they have special rates for bikes packed in legit bike boxes. Although they only ship from airport to airport, i.e. the seller will have to drop the boxed bike off at the AAE depot at the airport, and the buyer will be notified to come and pick it up when it arrives at the other end. I got a quote the other day: Tassie to Canberra for $64 - 3-4 days delivery time.
 
sawtell

sawtell

The Great White Rooks Hunter
fungusnuts said:
I've used Australian Air Express to ship complete bikes interstate before because they have special rates for bikes packed in legit bike boxes. Although they only ship from airport to airport, i.e. the seller will have to drop the boxed bike off at the AAE depot at the airport, and the buyer will be notified to come and pick it up when it arrives at the other end. I got a quote the other day: Tassie to Canberra for $64 - 3-4 days delivery time.
Click to expand...

you can also get pick up/drop off serice for about 25 dollars each side. and sometimes if they are nice, and the package is late they will deliver free of charge. had it happen 2 out of 3 times now..
 
mitchy_poo

mitchy_poo

Likes Dirt
Hey im interested in a stp from that is in melbourne and would like to know what the postage cost would be from melbourne to brisbane and who with.


Thanks alot .
 
M

Michae1

Likes Dirt
Easiest thing to do is bust out the yellow pages and let your fingers do the walking.:p

Look up couriers or even Greyhound Freight.

I used a courier a few times recently and in 2 cases it was cheaper to use the courier than Auspost.
 
mitchy_poo

mitchy_poo

Likes Dirt
yer was going to go with grey hound with previous bike but he went with australia post for $77 from adelaide to brisbane (bike was a 03 kona stinky).
 
Customjimmy

Customjimmy

Likes Dirt
mitchy_poo said:
i went on the site filled it in and it said it exceeds the limit.

All i was typing in was the stp frame lenght width and height and postcodes.
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106cm is the cut-off for box dimensions. An STP frame should be fine. Grip's website has some solid packaging advice. Most frames are sent via Aussie Post.
 
O

Ozza

Eats Squid
Insuring an item costs more, how much more depends on the items value. Remember to let the buyer know if the postage cost will be covering insurance or not so their is not issues down track.
 
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