MarkandJulie

Hey,

We have a parcel (60kg) that we need to ship back to England. (Brisbane to Leeds).
We used Crown to ship a full container out here for us but I thought they might be less competitive for one parcel. Has anyone sent a one off parcel back to UK? Any recommendations? At 60kg might not even be cost effective to send it.

Cheers

mlbonner

Hi - I'd try one of the excess baggage companies like Excess Baggage or Seven Seas, you could maybe compare this to a shipping quote from Aussie Post as well

E=mc2

We sent a small package a few Weeks before Christmas and it cost us about 4 times what we expected with Australia post. It was only a 2005 Calendar weighing a few Ounces but it cost us over $10. Shop around.

ABCDiamond

Aust Post may not be very good on this:

eg: Destination Country: UNITED KINGDOM
Parcel Weight: up to 20 kg (the maximum they quote for)
Air mail $359.00
Economy Air $275.00
Sea mail $154.50

Pollyana

Calendars cost a bomb to send because Oz Post calculate their letter rates by the size of the envelope - anything larger than A4 has to go as a parcel not a letter....hence a steep price rise.
If you're not in a hurry for the stuff, surface mail is a lot cheaper than air.

mlbonner

Though if you write "paper material" on envelope you should get a discounted rate (similar to writing 'card' on a b'day/xmas card). I sent a book over (quite heavy) and it only cost me about $3 to do

Pollyana

That seems to depend on who you talk to - one batch of calendars went as 'printed papers' - when I did the second lot the woman said that was only for newspapers!!!!

mlbonner

Odd - I sent a book and was told to write it on. Probably depends on the mood of the person as much as who you talk to as well

Pollyana

And as my local Aus Post Office still has problems accepting a UK passport as proof of identity, they aren't the most helpful place around

JAJ

Have you raised this at a higher level with Australia Post (they ought to accept a British passport as proof of ID).

Jeremy

Pollyana

I raise it with the supervisor frequently!! She is fine, she's used to it now, but not all the staff are quite as -err - amenable. One vixen, before Xmas, refused to accept anything except my driving licence. This dissolved into a full scale row with me pointing out I don't HAVE a driving licence, and her yelling at the top of her voice that everyone has one and I should return with that instead of my passport!
As the supervisor approached (again!) to sort it out, a woman in the queue decided to join in and said that she didn't have a driving licence either, and the staff member was of dubious parentage!
Anyone who wants free entertainment, I'll let you know when I go to post my next parcel

I am however considering writing to Oz Post as it is getting tedious having to call the supervisor to point out which buttons to press to accept my ID.

mlbonner

Thats crazy - I use my DL everytime (at various PO without problem!!) how could they not accept your passport!! :scared: