Royal Mail clarifying letter vs small packet for international post - from MSE

Picked this up this up from MSE forums:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=4458739

"Royal Mail are finally clarifying the small packet vs letter system, unfortunately for sellers of light items it's going to be a lot more expensive, as going by this document, items can only be sent as a letter internationally if they are less than 5mm thick."

I always thought that international letters was for personal letters and postcards anyway. So any goods you are sending should not be in the category (IMHO)

However, this is all part of a wider change. Expect news on price changes (and I think weight bands etc) in the next few weeks

From what I understood that was always the case, since the introduction of sm/l letters & packets.

http://www.royalmail.com/prices-2013/#

Possibly the only people who could send as letter are stamp and postcard sellers. I have only sent 2-3 lettewrs overseas from eBid in over 2 years. All sellers can to reduce costs for buyers is offer to remove unneccessary packaging. I have done that on several occasions, I had a buyer in the USA bought about 12 pairs of briefs and the shipping more than halved by throwing most of the packaging away.

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Originally Posted by kreativebargains

Possibly the only people who could send as letter are stamp and postcard sellers. I have only sent 2-3 lettewrs overseas from eBid in over 2 years. All sellers can to reduce costs for buyers is offer to remove unneccessary packaging. I have done that on several occasions, I had a buyer in the USA bought about 12 pairs of briefs and the shipping more than halved by throwing most of the packaging away.

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Packaging has to be sufficient for the item to arrive intact - though unnecessary packaging is better avoided. If I can provide extra protection without going up a weight band then I will.

One of my few feedback complaints was where I skimped on packaging to cut the postal cost as the item's box was already damaged (as was stated in the listing) but the buyer still complained the packaging was insufficient to protect the item and it arrived with the box damaged...Ho Hum.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gothicina

http://www.royalmail.com/prices-2013/#

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I had signed up for pre notification of the changes - but now I can see they are on the website

This is going to take a lot of working out for me. We were sending lengths of metal at 500 mm for £2.36 now it will fall into the new Medium parcel bracket at double the price :(

I now know how my time will be spent this month - changing prices :(