Even snail mail is too much for Australia Post

Services
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Re gift card analogy, I did not ask to top up ONLY with a further gift card. I would be being charged $25 in order to use an old gift card to buy the toaster, rather than the actual $15 shortfall.

As per my earlier link, International Postage Stamps - Stamps
the stamps are already in production. The question is whether a Post Office can be expected to have them to sell.

Your comment that “AP shouldn’t be responsible for customers who keep stamps too long before using”…you may be interested in the following, from the current Australia Post website:

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Of course, the stamps need to be mint (unused). Just post-decimal currency for mainland stamps.

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I am aware if this and ability to use old stamps for postage. The comment was made in relation to providing every possible solution for a customer in every AP outlet, for those who chose to use old stamps, for postage on standard items when postage has changed. Australia Post possibly has found that the use of old stamps has diminished and there isn’t a business case for having solutions in every outlet.

AP does provide an online solution, the the costs would exceed the benefits for the use of a single stamp.

Does it? Can you point to the section which specifically answers the question as my look has been to no avail.

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6 Postal prepayment impressions, franking machine impressions and
impressions made by a printing press or another printing or stamping process
in accordance with the Acts of the Union may be used only with the authorization of the member country or territory

That would cover the Auspost printed labels as “authorization by the member country” ie Australia.

Further to this is:

"(Convention Manual – Art. 6; Prot. Art. II; Art. 06-001 Volume I – 11)
Article 06-001
Prepayment. Methods of denoting prepayment
1 Letter-post items

1.1 As a general rule, letter-post items shall be fully prepaid by the sender.

1.2 Methods of denoting prepayment

1.2.1 Prepayment shall be denoted by means of any one of the following methods:

1.2.1.1 postage stamps printed on or affixed to the items and valid in the member country of origin;

1.2.1.2 postal prepayment impressions valid in the member country of origin and dispensed by automatic vending machines installed by designated operators of origin;

1.2.1.3 impressions of officially approved franking machines valid in the country of origin, operating under the direct supervision of the designated operator of origin;

1.2.1.4 impressions made by a printing press or other printing or stamping process when such a system is authorized by the regulations of the designated operator of origin.[my highlight]

2 Letter-post items may also be provided with an indication that full postage has been prepaid, for example, “Taxe perçue” (“Postage paid”). This indication shall appear in the top right-hand part of the address side and be authenticated by a date-stamp impression of the office of origin. In the case of unpaid or underpaid items, the impression of the office which prepaid the item or made up the postage on it shall be applied opposite this indication.

3 Parcels shall be prepaid by means of postage stamps or by any other method authorized by the regulations adopted by the country of origin or by its designated operators."

Though 1.2.1.3 could also be an applicable section, depending on whether the printers used by Auspost are considered for this section to be Franking Machines, they may have this as part of their designation in Auspost.

EDIT: Auspost rules forbid using both stamps and label on the same item. Auspost enquiry confirmed this is the case.

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I read that section…the highlighted is OR and not and/or. It doesn’t specifically say that mixed types of franking can be used, such as printed stamps and other printing methods.

Likewise with (3). It is also OR.

This section also indicates regulations under Australia Post operate can also occur…such as determining if mixed types of franking can be used in the same letter as in the above case. I am yet to find anything that says two different types of letter franking methods can be used on the same posted article.

Australia Post could have its own policy, but such information isn’t available online. Only AP would be able to clarify if they accept ‘and’.

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I contacted Auspost and they agree with your assessment that it must either be stamps or labels but not a mix of payments, partly due to Auspost’s rules and partly UPU. This may mean that Auspost has to accept payment by both by a rule change here and then UPU could allow it based on the originating country allowance.

At the online shop single stamps of various denominations can be purchased but to get free postage of the stamps to the purchaser, it requires at least $30 spent at the online store.

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Thanks for doing that. I was planning to drop into our local Post Office tomorrow (on my daily walk) to ask them the same question.

I can see why they only accept one for of franking (stamps).

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What lot of fuss over 55 cents!

The world changes, get used to it!

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Fuss over 55c - maybe,
but the discussion - priceless.

We’d never encountered the problem, although if I ever find some unused old stamps I’m forewarned. There are still 10c stamps for issue, which may provide for some needs. Whether the LPO would have a sheet or two for making up the correct postage $10 of stock for 2 standard sheets seems a small overhead to carry?

‘Stamps - Australia Post

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In reporting my experience trying to send a card with an old stamp, I must say I anticipated Choice readers would immediately appreciate that I was vexed by the lack of service and the principal involved, not the 55c I lamely paid while taken aback. Obviously not everyone.

Yesterday I visited my nearest very small one-man LPO, where the manager has been working for decades, and I asked how I might post to the UK with my (now hypothetical) $2.95 stamp. He pulled out his book of stamp sheets from beneath the counter and explained that it would be 55c. Would I like a 50c and a 5c? Was the recipient a stamp collector? Perhaps two 25c and a 5c?
I asked whether he always had these various stamps- answer “Yes. Any post office can help you with that”. Seeing my raised eyebrows and meaningful look, he said “well, they’re a post office”.
Seems as though it depends on the proprietor. Maybe it’s relevant that he sells only stamps and a few cards and post bags. No sundries. Core business done well.
As to small denomination stamps not being in demand and thus ‘wasted’ —- only a person expecting one correct value stamp only per article would fail to allow that multi denominational stamps can be combined in any way to any value. That’s the point. If all necessary currency transactions can be done with only 5, 10, 20, 50c sub $1 denominations, stamps are no different. If these are not available, in what sense does Australia Post undertake that all and any post decimal currency stamps remain valid postage?

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Australia post offers no service at all. The cost of sending parcels is exorbitant, last Christmas I send a parcel to South Korea, some colouring books and pencils, the cost was $45 more the double of the cost of the goods.

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So now we have two data points. At one PO at one time there were no smaller stamps in stock and at another there were. On this has been built a great deal of theory and speculation about the entire organisation.

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I am sure every letter is not checked, I would have posted it with the one stamp anyway, have done so in the past.

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It appears this is the case. I dropped into our local Post Office and they don’t keep any smaller denomination stamps. The only ones they have are standard postage stamps. I asked why and they said that they used to keep smaller denominations, but weren’t being sold so they stopped holding them. They indicated that it may be possible to order some in, but one would be up for the cost of the whole sheet/minimum order amount.

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In my experience I can attach stamps for part of the postage on a parcel and the PO will a fix a label for the difference in the postage cost.
I can’t remember if I have used this for international mail.

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Personally I don’t see the problem with mixing stamps and labels. The outcome is the same whether a mix, only stamps, or only labels; end result is that postage required is paid in some form. If the international rules are read it is even possible for a postage service to place in the top right corner a written or printed statement that is simply “Postage paid” with a official postal service stamp on it that has no indication of value, that is all that is needed to meet the requirements. Seems somewhat crazy that a mix of stamps and a printed value label to the total value of the required postage is not allowed. But Auspost has their rules about what is acceptable and what is not, no matter how ludicrous they seem to us.

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No we don’t have two data points. The post office I went to did not say they had no smaller denomination stamps in stock. They said what I needed could not be done.
Their response was the difference between acknowledging that they could not provide the service I needed, rather than implying my customer request was undoable. Had they suggested they were unable to help in this instance, but suggested another post office might, I would have dealt with them and paid the $1.10 out of convenience, being unwilling to try again elsewhere. What was wrong was that their lack of inventory, for whatever reason, was put forward as being an unreasonable customer expectation.

Bad retail experience usually just means the customer resolves to vote with their feet and shop elsewhere. This is not possible with Australia Post letter service.

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Well that is new information. Previously you said that you were told: “well I haven’t got anything like that, it’ll have to be $1.10. "

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Gotcha!
Yes, it may be that I completely misunderstood the information that they had nothing to do the job because it “couldn’t be done”. I may have misread the demeanour, body language, tone, lack of eye contact and take it or leave it offer.
Or not.
I bow out, after a very interesting discussion, resolving to patronise my little LPO at all times.
P.s. the card still hasn’t arrived in the UK.

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I can only work on what you typed. Obviously I did not understand your intention.

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