Australia Post US Item Surcharge??

[ausreenactor]

Gents..

Australia is the next in what I assume will be a long line of countries to impose fees for US bound items
All items over a weight of 453g (15.98 oz) will incur a AU$9.00 surcharge on top of any applicable fee
for postage. This is passing on the cost of the US based security measures. Not sure why the rest of the
world can absorb it. Will have to amend future eBay sales, which will no doubt decline due to this. May
just put away the kit until the USD bounces back.

US item of 500g (1lb) $21.95 + $9.00 = $29.95!!

Couchy

 

[asiamiles]

Australia is the next in what I assume will be a long line of countries to impose fees for US bound items
All items over a weight of 453g (15.98 oz) will incur a AU$9.00 surcharge on top of any applicable fee
for postage. This is passing on the cost of the US based security measures. Not sure why the rest of the
world can absorb it.

Presumably Japan Post could not and were unwilling to play the game and pass the cost on to their customers. Initially, I was suspicious of Japan's Post reaction and suspending air-mail to the US, but in light of this...

Of course, perhaps I would prefer the option of paying more and being able to ship things to the US, but on the other, I don't see why everyone else should be paying for the US to employ more people in order to improve their security.

 

[Jason]

If the US Homeland Security advertising gurus are anything like they are here, they'll espouse their improved mail security measures to other countries sending inbound mail as a benefit to them. "Takes longer. Costs more. And you get nothing for it. But you really are better off this way!" they'll say.

How can a receiving country (eg the USA) pass on the cost of their own internal security measures to a country of origin? After all, its for the US' security, employing US citizens to do the work, for the US' benefit. Though I can see some logic there... it may encourage other countries to take similar measures. I bet USHS think this is the sort of thing should be the responsibility of every other country in the world. And I'm throwing out the anchors right here, since I'm now verging on political talk...

 

[asiamiles]

And isn't it all a massive over-reaction? I believe all this has been caused by the discovery of a single suspect package. Is that really enough to change and totally disrupt the entire world's postage systems?

 

[ausreenactor]

Was that a Postal Item or Fedex? Why not hit UPS, FEDEX and the couriers and leave the post alone? China's postal service has it made. They are able to get an item on an Australia bound flight for a fifth of the cost that it takes to get from the International Mail Centre in Sydney to my door, but the money stays in China! No wonder our major retailers are looking at establishing in China to avoid GST and import duty. The world is a changin'.

Couchy

 

[asiamiles]

Was that a Postal Item or Fedex? Why not hit UPS, FEDEX and the couriers and leave the post alone?

It may be that the couriers are absorbing the costs for now. Their business has likely increased as a result, and they already vastly over-charge for the service they offer in comparison anyway. AFAIK some explosive was found and that is what led to the increase in security...I don't know if further details have been leaked, Of course, the whole story might just have been an excuse, just like when airports worldwide used 9/11 as an excuse to employ people to carry out (un)necessary "security checks" and make various changes, passing the costs on to users.

 

[deeb7]

• Public Notice
  
  Aviation Security -air parcel restrictions to the United States
  
  Due to heightened border protection and increased aviation security measures introduced by the United States (US), there is likely to be delays of around 48 hours to parcels being sent to this destination.
  These new measures have higher requirements for screening and transport, and as a result a $9.00 surcharge will be imposed on all air parcels over 453 grams (16 ounces) destined for the United States from Monday 22 November 2010. This includes all US states and territories, and other countries with open transits through the US as listed below:
  o Puerto Rico
  o Guam
  o Marshall Islands
  o Palau
  o Virgin Islands
  o Federated States of Micronesia
  We advise customers sending mail to the United States for Christmas to lodge their items as soon as possible. Australia Post is working hard to meet the demands of the increased security measures, whilst maintaining a focus on timely mail delivery.
  This surcharge has b'een introduced solely to cover the costs of the revised security arrangements required by the United States, and Australia Post reiterates that the circumstances are beyond our control.
  Australia Post apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.
  Date: 22 November 2010