New postage prices depending on size and thickness of letter / packet

[johnh6038]

I'm not sure how the PO will regulate this rigidly. Will they return or surcharge every large letter that is posted as a small letter because it's relaxed to slightly over 5mm since being packed? The gauges sent to private households do not allow for accurate measuring either. I expect that the application may be rigid at first but then relax back to customers being expected to observe the spirit of the pricing rather than rigidly adhere to the sizes.
Otherwise if you think about it, either the PO invests heavily in equipement to measure every item or the sorters will watch for items that appear to be over sized.

[onlinegifts]

I'm not sure how the PO will regulate this rigidly. Will they return or surcharge every large letter that is posted as a small letter because it's relaxed to slightly over 5mm since being packed? The gauges sent to private households do not allow for accurate measuring either. I expect that the application may be rigid at first but then relax back to customers being expected to observe the spirit of the pricing rather than rigidly adhere to the sizes.
Otherwise if you think about it, either the PO invests heavily in equipement to measure every item or the sorters will watch for items that appear to be over sized.

Hello as far as I know the post offices do have new equipment as my friend has been in training for the new prices and the sorting office machines only allow certain sizes, this is why the change came in as anything above a large letter has to be man handled, this is why the price is now going to be higher for packets.
I am sure it will be regulated as mail at the moment is as I have been charged £1 admin costs for post sent to me under paid, even by 5p out!!
sorry its not what you wanted to hear but post as we know it is going to change and will be a pain to start with.
I have a cardboard measure board and new prices up on the wall!!!
you can order plastic ones from the RM web site which will give exact measurments.
take care

[johnh6038]

Hmm, the thing is that weight is consistant, as long as you don't dunk the packet in a bucket of water or drinking chocolate, however if you pack something in a jiffy bag when it is cold and just manage to post it as a large letter, heat it up so that the air in the bubbles expands and it is no longer a large letter but a packet, they will have to build some lee-way into it.

[weldedbliss]

I have had two of these templates sent through already the 25 mm template is actually about 24.5 mm and the 5 mm about 4.95 mm.
If you talk to the counter staff they will all say different things but one thing they all agree with is they have had no training in how to deal with it.
So what happens if you put a 6mm thick letter in a post box with standard first class stamp. Answer Duhhhh!

Aug 21st - predict chaos.

I stamp all my first class post letters and packets before I go to the PO (costco stamps 2p cheaper than post office)
I will take my packets to the limit and then some so are the counter staff going to be measuring every one? Ask them they haven't a clue. Just like they haven't a clue about charging packet or letter rate for international post. ie if you send anything and it is under 100 grams Europe it is cheaper letter rate, over 100 then packet rate. For rest of world under 60 grams then send it letter rate over 60 grams then send it packet rate. Time after time the counter staff will overcharge you if you dont ask for the correct rate, even though they are directed to charge you the lower rate. Their display does not show both prices together so if they don't know the weight rules they will plump for the rate they think your item looks like, ie if they think your jiffy envelope looks like a packet so they charge you packet rate instead of cheaper letter rate.

[johnh6038]

I'm puzzled, I would have thought that the slots would have got larger with use, not smaller!
I must be lucky with my PO, often I take items to go Airmail and they cost a fraction of what I've worked out!
I don't think that there will be chaos on Aug 21st but no doubt there will be some confusion and I suspect that some of this will be caused by customers who believe that they understand the system better than the PO clerks.
The major problem I see is the huge jump in cost between 1000g and 1001g.

[weldedbliss]

I'm puzzled, I would have thought that the slots would have got larger with use, not smaller!
I must be lucky with my PO, often I take items to go Airmail and they cost a fraction of what I've worked out!
I don't think that there will be chaos on Aug 21st but no doubt there will be some confusion and I suspect that some of this will be caused by customers who believe that they understand the system better than the PO clerks.
The major problem I see is the huge jump in cost between 1000g and 1001g.

There is no luck in it #25 either you are not weighing correctly or you do not have the price charts. The template size will remain the size they are if you don't use, them that much is obvious. If you only send 1 kilo +1 gram parcels then the size changes are unlikely to be of any interest to you. I can see you are puzzled although presumably happy as the current price for sending 1001 grams is £4.74 ie the same as it will be after 21st August, and the 1 kilo price will be £2.70 ie a saving to you of £1.19
It would help PO queing and the PO clerks though if you were to do your own stamping/franking before you went to the Post office.

When I start believing that anyone with a qualification means they automatically know more about something I will start believing that policemen are getting older.

[johnh6038]

no, I'm puzzled as to how a slot can start at 25mm wide but as it wears become only 24.5 mm wide and actually the difference between £4.74 and £2.70 is £2.04 not £1.19, well not in commonly accepted arithmatic that is.
PiP has absolutely no affect on Airmail rates.

[MyHeartsMyFlowers]

My local PO gave me the UK leaflet about 6 weeks ago and the international on about 2 weeks ago. The staff went on their training in the first week in August. I can't praise them highly enough - they are really on the ball. When I've got a lot of parcels for posting I can drop them off in the morning then pop back later to pay. Mind you that was on eBay - they might have forgotten who I am now that I have joined eBid!

Apparently some POs are also giving out free plastic guides - going to ask later today (actually sold something on eBis so have something to post!). RM are advertsing one but it costs £29.37 + £3.20 P+P(eeek!?), although apparently Staples have something similar for about £3.

A lot of my items will go down in price but the best thing is the fact that that the upper weight limit for 2nd class has gone up - before it was often cheaper to send something 1st class than Paecel Post when 2nd class wasn't on offer.

[weldedbliss]

no, I'm puzzled as to how a slot can start at 25mm wide but as it wears become only 24.5 mm wide and actually the difference between £4.74 and £2.70 is £2.04 not £1.19, well not in commonly accepted arithmatic that is.
PiP has absolutely no affect on Airmail rates.

You are misunderstanding John.

Measurements are as new not used. Templates if stretched would be totaly irrelevant.
The postal price tranches I have quoted are the prices you currently pay and the prices you will pay after 21st Aug
ie you are going to save money on the 1 kilo price and it is the same on 1001 grams. I really suggest you get a price chart and work it out for yourself, you may be pleasantly surprised, although others especially with smaller goods which don't quite fit through the slightly undersized templates will not.
Don't understand your point about airmail rates.

[bennett2006]

an idea for u all stick the template somewhere around your desk hold the packet to it.
It will last you alot longer than having it lying around.