Comparing notes on postage policy anyone?

[Josephine]

Thank goodness for that, thought I had started one of 'those' threads for a moment.

Sorry, Josephine I didn't mean to "start" anything or upset anyone.

Don't worry Lesley, I didn't think you were accusing anyone of anything underhand. Its as you said, writing on a forum things can be open to misinterpretation.

[turnedlight]

I thought the signed for part was just useful in case the recipient wanted to deny receiving the parcel.. but if posties are posting them without getting the signature, and they don't carry any better insurance than first class (is that really true?! I admit, I didn't know that!) there doesn't seem much point.

[beadysam]

I send beads for free but have to charge for frit.  With beads, nearly all ofthem will fit in a large letter and are under 100g so only cost 52p to post - obviously there is Paypal fees etc, but strictly looking at postage charges it is only 52p or if its bulky then its £1.09.
Frit on the other hand is a pain in the bum!  It took me ages to work out a fair system - £2.50 on purchases under £20 and £5.00 on purchases over £20.  CZ's free of charge no matter how much you spend, simply because they are so lightweight and small.  Frit is heavy, especially when it is in a jar, and the bigger orders tend to be heavy - postage is sometimes close to £10 to me though I only charge £5 I think its worth taking a hit on the postage occasionally for the sake of goodwill, and customers can see how much the parcel has cost to post and make up their own mind what they think.  I often have people offering extra postage when they see how much the heavy jars cost to actually send - obviously I say no.  Sometimes people buy things that weigh very little, like 1 30g refill bag of frit - well thats only going to cost me 52p to send so I usually refund at least half of the postage charge of £2.50 otherwise I just feel like I am taking advantage.  
As for signed for postal services, well I do have that option available, but to be honest I don't think its worth it.  Your package goes in with normal mail and is often signed for by your posty anyway!  I often get letters through that should be signed for that still have both bar codes on - they should peel one off to go with the record of the signature.

[dinah46]

My 'signed for' parcel was put through my neighbour's door while a card telling me it was next door was put through mine No-one signed, goodness knows what he thought he was doing, but at least I got my delivery of silver

[Trudi]

I send beads out in pink boxes from the Tiny Box Company. !!!
Kaz

Hi Kaz - I was looking for a box that would be suitable for hollow beads - not huge ones, would the ones you use be suitable?

Thanks

Trudi x

[Kaz]

Hi Trudi
I send out my big b*ggers in the little boxes - I split the white stuff inside in two and put one under and one over. I think they are about an inch deep so they may be just OK for a hollow that wasn't too big?
Kazx

[beadifferent]

I currently charge £1.50 p&p per order which is intended to cover the 1st class postage with signed for status and the padded envelope. As i sell jewellery rather than beads this doesn't give me any insurance and I foolishly thought initially it would guarantee delivery and help reduce lost items.
However as virtually every recorded and signed for delivery I get is simply posted through the letter box without a signature then paying for this service seems a joke. I'm intending reducing my postage to cover the actual basic costs.
Re paypal fees I factor that into the price of the item before adding it to the website.
Re including postage in the cost of the item or charging extra - as a buyer I don't mind how someone chooses to do it as long as I'm happy with the price I'm paying. If I think the p&p is too high I won't buy. I feel p&p should reflect the actual cost and not be used to get a bit of extra profit.

[Trudi]

Hi Trudi
I send out my big b*ggers in the little boxes - I split the white stuff inside in two and put one under and one over. I think they are about an inch deep so they may be just OK for a hollow that wasn't too big?
Kazx

Cool thanks for that Kaz - I take it's the kraft collection you're using? They look fab - my hollows aren't huge, but I was a bit concerned about getting the right packaging!!

Trudi 

[saffie]

If I think the p&p is too high I won't buy. I feel p&p should reflect the actual cost and not be used to get a bit of extra profit.

i guess this is the challenge. Apologies if this has been discussed I have not gone through the whole thread yet!!! I charge £1.50 for P&P I do worry that if the package only cost 52p to send I am making £1 profit but once you factor in organza bag, bubble wrap, apaer for receipt and ink to print, box if I use one, envelope then i think £1.50 is completely fine. I kept it seperate as people can choose what method of postage they want. For big orders i can make a loss but for small orders it works out about right!
nice to see everyones different rational. I am gonna think about this a bit more 

[Steampunkglass]

My signed for parcels either get left on top of the external mail box, posted through the cat flap or dropped over the gate


That would make an interesting entry on the track and trace website. 'This parcel was posted through the cat flap at 9.17am on2/3/09.' 

'Signed for by Mr Tiddles' or would he just make a paw print!?! 

I orginally put on postage cost, but recently took them off when I started putting stuff on my site and folksy as a way of trying to boost interest/beat credit crunch thing etc. Seems to help so far as finally got a couple of sales out of blue this weekend on Folksy. I guess I am loosing out, but I only send 1st class (worth writing '1st class' in bold in top left corner I was told by a postman years ago, and does seem to speed them up a little). I used to post out plants many years ago and I ONLY used 1st class post, never recorded, and I only had one parcel that turned up a week late - it was going to the other side of london whereas parcels sent 'up north' got there next day - and one package which was squashed, but luckly the contents still survived.

If you take to the counter my local will give a reciept as 'proof of posting' which gives insurance up to about £36

[squirsygirl]

sort of on the same lines, but a wee bit off at a tangent, I know but...

I've just come back from my post office.  It's in a big town, so they should know what they're doing.  I tried to send my buddy a few pieces of jewellery for her birthday, some toffee, and some clothes for the kids.

She lives in Germany with HM Forces, so it's a BFPO address ( British Forces Post Office)

The whole parcel is worth about £200, so naturally I want it insured for the whole journey - me to her, door to door.

The PO have just told me there's no way to do it.  I can send it Special Delivery, but the insurance will stop the minute it leaves the UK.  I asked them, what if it get's lost or damaged - there's no way of knowing where that happend, so who would I claim from?  And can you guess what the reply was?  'Oh you're right,  the Post Office would ever admit to it being their fault.'  So I asked if the extra money for the SD was a waste, and she admitted - 'well, when you put it that way, I suppose it it's money for nothing, isn't it?'

Parcel force won't pay out for a parcel containing jewellery, and I'm just not prepared to trust it 'regular' post.

The only way is to send it to her private German address, insured, at at least twice the cost.

Good old Post Office - sticking it to the little guy - again. 

[jammie]

I have some jewellery on etsy and a website almost ready and am confused about how to offer postage.
From a buyer of beads point of view I like to have my beads with postage included, but it doesn't put me off if the postage is added on  either.
Do those of you that sell jewellery and beads charge postage differently depending on what you send. I dont buy jewellery so i cant compare. I wanted to send next day signed for because it would then be insured, the post office leaflet says that if you send jewellery it is not covered for insurance up to the £36. It says you are only covered if it is sent next day special delivery signed for. this is about £4 or £5   which seems an awful lot to add, but then if the jewellery is quite expensive anyway, it would seem to be worth it, say a necklace for about £40. but for a  pair of earrings, for instance no it doesnt seem worth the extra.
I thought about giving different options, like 1st class ordinary post at own risk, or special delivery , but if somehting goes missing i have to the replace it and dont get compensation at all. that also seems a very complicated way to go.
Also bead buyers are repeat customers usually anyway arent they, i know i am, but wouldnt jewellery buyers be more one off customers
can you tell i'm confused??

[theflyingbedstead]

I've just come back from my post office.  It's in a big town, so they should know what they're doing.  I tried to send my buddy a few pieces of jewellery for her birthday, some toffee, and some clothes for the kids.

She lives in Germany with HM Forces, so it's a BFPO address ( British Forces Post Office)

The whole parcel is worth about £200, so naturally I want it insured for the whole journey - me to her, door to door.

The PO have just told me there's no way to do it.  I can send it Special Delivery, but the insurance will stop the minute it leaves the UK.  I asked them, what if it get's lost or damaged - there's no way of knowing where that happend, so who would I claim from?  And can you guess what the reply was?  'Oh you're right,  the Post Office would ever admit to it being their fault.'  So I asked if the extra money for the SD was a waste, and she admitted - 'well, when you put it that way, I suppose it it's money for nothing, isn't it?'

Parcel force won't pay out for a parcel containing jewellery, and I'm just not prepared to trust it 'regular' post.

The only way is to send it to her private German address, insured, at at least twice the cost.

That's odd because the Royal Mail website does mention special delivery & compensation for HM Forces post - here is the link I found http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400038&mediaId=400164
I have made a claim for a similar amount for a special delivery item which arrived broken (not to a BFPO address though) and after about 4 weeks I got a cheque for the full amount.   I have sent hundreds of items by post and and have only lost a couple (that went abroad), so I have found the postal service is pretty good, and better than many couriers.  Strange that there is such a discrepancy between our experiences !

[Josephine]

I thought about giving different options, like 1st class ordinary post at own risk,

I don't think that would work. As a business it is up to you to replace or refund anything that goes missing. That is as I understand it anyway. But asking for a certificate of postage gives you insurance up to £36 anyway just like signed for.

I think I would use the cert of postage option for things like earrings but signed for on more expensive items that would cost you quite a bit to replace. I think I would be tempted to add the cost on to the jewellery and offer it post free, if you were selling that jewellery through a gallery or shop the customer would be paying a lot more in their commission anyway so in a way I think it would be easier to absorb the cost on jewellery than on loose beads.

[jammie]

yes thats right about having to replace anything that is bought that goes missing including postage one way according to the distance selling regulations which also counts if someone just changes their mind,
the thing with the replacing up to £36 with the certificate of posting is it doesnt count for jewellery, the leaflet from the post office   says that the only way to get compensation is to send the  jewellery next day special delivery thats the one thats about a fiver
maybe including the cost in with the jewellery would be better really as you say Josephine