New RM Post Charges from 6 April 2009

[raindropsies]

The seller will incur the extra postage Sarah if 'they can't be bothered' to update' but any seller, if they are on the ball, will ensure that their postal charges are corrected in due time to avoid the loss.

Agreed this should be the case but I remember quite a few post in May saying that the seller wants xx extra for postage because they have not done P&P correctly so the buyers were asking if they should pay the extra

[booksntings]

Hi Darth, it really is a poor thing that Royal Mail need to increase prices again.

"I for one will be getting some quotes now from people like TNT to see what their prices are like compared to Royal Mail's and see what savings I can make ono behalf of my customers."

Just read this week somewhere that TNT are interested in buying part or all of Royal Mail from the government !!!!

Cheers Mel

[rokins_toys]

I read yesterday that Royal Mail are in profit for the first time in nearly 20 years! I'm not surprised when you see how they are ripping online traders off with their extortionate fees for packet services with an increase of around 50p in 3 years on the "up to 250g" alone! This is the main weight I use and it's going up by 17p come April 2009! So instead of me sending a single carded action figure for £2.25 1st class, it's now going to cost £2.42, putting me not far behind what most charge on FeeBay with most of my competitors charging £2.50 for that first carded figure, but a lot more are now upping their postage cost for a single carded figure to £2.75/£3.00. so hopefully, across the board, I'll still be cheaper than most of my competitors on postage cost. But realistically, there's no need for such high increases on packet services anyway. And it's out of order that they are charging an extra 17p for the "up to 250g" when a rise of 5p would be more than enough. I'm beginning to wonder if FeeBay own Royal Mail now with all these fee increases! Lol!

1st Class Packets (I like many, use the below 4 the most)
Up to 250g: Rising from £1.45 to £1.62 (17p increase)
251-500g: Rising from £1.94 to £2.14 (20p increase)
501-750g: Rising from £2.51 to £2.65 (14p increase)
751-1000g: Rising from £3.08 to £3.25 (17p increase)

2nd Class Packets
Up to 250g: Rising from £1.24 to £1.49 (25p increase)
251-500g: Rising from £1.63 to £1.80 (17p increase)
501-750g: Rising from £2.08 to £2.23 (15p increase)
751-1000g: Rising from £2.49 to £2.70 (21p increase)

Now, I do give my customers the choice between 1st class and 2nd class postage, with 99.9% selecting 1st class. But these increases are ridiculous. And as always, Royal Mail will spin some story to the government/regulator justifying the increases. Times are hard enough for us as it is without having postage costs going up.

Ironically, for me to send a single carded action figure 2nd class, it is now going to cost what my current price is for 1st class lol!

So, do I quit offering my customers the choice between 1st and 2nd class under 1000g or do I restrict services to 2nd class for items under 1000g giving the added expense of 1st class now? I'd rather keep offering the choice and maybe put a little message on my listings for my customers to thank Royal Mail for yet again more extortionate price increases lol!

[bluefincircle]

So, do I quit offering my customers the choice between 1st and 2nd class under 1000g or do I restrict services to 2nd class for items under 1000g giving the added expense of 1st class now? I'd rather keep offering the choice and maybe put a little message on my listings for my customers to thank Royal Mail for yet again more extortionate price increases lol!

If your current policy of offering a choice is attractive to your buyers then I'd be inclined to keep it.

As not all buyers will be aware of the postage price increases I do think that there is some merit in mentioning it, just in case they are comparing current listings with closed. However I do think that it would look more professional to keep it simple - e.g. Postage charges are those published by Royal Mail with effect from April 2009.

[meebo1]

I haven't given a choice most of the time, and I don't think anyone has ever asked to have it sent 1st. But this is a big increase, more than just a few pence