Royal Mail Price Rises 2014

martindow

Emma_N wrote: »

Am I correct in thinking that the cost of sending a small parcel by 2nd class mail (weight up to 2kg) will reduce from £5.60 to £3.80?

Yes. I imagine they've seen a reduction in business with carriers offering cheaper rates for up to 2kg.

ballisticbrian

Large Letters have quite a hike, (on top of all the previous ones).

ballisticbrian

I can't see where it says the bit about 5mm airmail, but if so, together with the price hike for airmail, it's now £3.80 to send a packet of elastic bands to Cherburg or £3.20 franked. If you can point out where it says 5mm, that would be appreciated.

soolin

ballisticbrian wrote: »

I can't see where it says the bit about 5mm airmail, but if so, together with the price hike for airmail, it's now £3.80 to send a packet of elastic bands to Cherburg or £3.20 franked. If you can point out where it says 5mm, that would be appreciated.

The changes to airmail is what I have been watching for as well , I will go through the paperwork when I have time to see if the proposed change to thickness has been included.

The thickness does show on the new PDF as being no more than 0.5 cm.:(

If that's now going to be implemented then several of my light but thicker items will no longer be cost effective internationally and I will have to drop,them.

campdave

soolin wrote: »

If that's now going to be implemented then several of my light but thicker items will no longer be cost effective internationally and I will have to drop,them.

If you sell them domestically as well, I don't see any need to drop them.

My items are small, light and cheap - I won't be stopping selling internationally - my sales overseas will drop off a cliff, but there will still be some people willing to buy multiples or even one if they want it enough.

it doesn't cost me anything extra to list internationally, so I'm only losing out by stopping selling overseas.

soolin

campdave wrote: »

If you sell them domestically as well, I don't see any need to drop them.

My items are small, light and cheap - I won't be stopping selling internationally - my sales overseas will drop off a cliff, but there will still be some people willing to buy multiples or even one if they want it enough.

it doesn't cost me anything extra to list internationally, so I'm only losing out by stopping selling overseas.

A lot of my items sell predominantly overseas and I would prefer to drop a line to free up a little room to sell something different rather than carry stock that barely shifts.

My business model revolves round the idea buy it -sell it- and keep the work down as I am lazy.

ballisticbrian

If you sell them domestically as well, I don't see any need to drop them.

My items are small, light and cheap - I won't be stopping selling internationally - my sales overseas will drop off a cliff, but there will still be some people willing to buy multiples or even one if they want it enough.

it doesn't cost me anything extra to list internationally, so I'm only losing out by stopping selling overseas.

I know I'm not the only one who operates like this, but if you are not going to get an international signature which costs over a fiver, then the item is probably only worth a few quid. If you only sell expensive items and always get a signature, you may not fully understand how this bit of the market works.


So these small items of little value which tend to work on volume, there is a point where the extra work of airmail, CN22 forms, the prospect of no claim if it goes missing, and adding the throughput of money for airmail postage through your turnover affecting which side of the VAT threshold you are, all add up to mean it's just not worth it. Keep doing the local volume and let your competitors deal with all the carp.

soolin

ballisticbrian wrote: »

I know I'm not the only one who operates like this, but if you are not going to get an international signature which costs over a fiver, then the item is probably only worth a few quid. If you only sell expensive items and always get a signature, you may not fully understand how this bit of the market works.


So these small items of little value which tend to work on volume, there is a point where the extra work of airmail, CN22 forms, the prospect of no claim if it goes missing, and adding the throughput of money for airmail postage through your turnover affecting which side of the VAT threshold you are, all add up to mean it's just not worth it. Keep doing the local volume and let your competitors deal with all the carp.

Standard airmail still covers up to £20 in case of loss (I don't have a business account )

I agree that my business model is not to spend a lot of time chasing very little money.

ballisticbrian

For me the amount of money taken in postage receipts and VAT threshold is the main issue. plus we charge up our franking machine with over a thousand pounds each month, and it would seem ridiculous if a whooping chunk of that money is tied up to pay the postage on a tiny minority of our business.

ballisticbrian

I still haven't forgiven eBay for fees on postage, so to send a slightly fattish item through the post (think pin cushion or small teddy), you are looking at £3.20 plus eBays fees on it, 32p before you start working out tax and everything else.