Christmas Stamps

Modern Life and the Cost of Postage

37 Replies

Another day, another post to write.

My sister recently told me about a visit to the bank where they now expect you to establish your place in the queue by use of a QR Code. Modern phones have them, as do modern phone owners. I haven’t bothered to connect my five-year-old phone to the internet and still think that the late 19th century had a lot going for it, It’s almost superfluous to add that I have never used a QR Code and intend, if at all possible, never to use one. I have reached 63 without them and don’t see why they are suddenly so popular. I feel the same way about bungee jumping, incense and colonic irrigation too.

We went on the Ashmolean Museum website a couple of nights ago. Not for any intellectual reason – Julia had seen something she liked in the shop. I ordered it and pressed the button for postage. – nearly £9. I swallowed hard, but it was a Christmas present . . .

Then Julia came to life.

“Nine pounds, you’re not paying that. I’ll look for something else.”

It is a bit high for P&P, but having just paid a London Auction £12 for postage and packing I am toughened to this sort of thing.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I searched the internet and found the same item £2 cheaper and with P&P £6 cheaper. Not only have I secured her Christmas present, but I have saved £8 –  a true win-win situation.

Sorry about this turning into a post of postage and packing but we’ve just been told off by an eBay customer for our high postage costs. It’s been a burning topic since I first did mail order, in a time well before eBay. People don’t like paying for it, and they certainly don’t like paying for the materials and time that goes into packing things properly. However, they don’t like it when things get lost or broken either.

And with that thought, I will go and have my tea.

 

37 thoughts on “Modern Life and the Cost of Postage”

  2. jodierichelle

    Ever since Amazon came along, we all think we should get things tomorrow (even if it’s Sunday) – and for free. As a seller AND a buyer, I see both sides. Unfortunately, once you have been spoiled – even by something absurd – you tend to expect it.

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  3. Lavinia Ross

    Postage has gone way up here, too. Our main problem has been mail being delivered to the wrong house, as well as receiving mail intended for others, including bills, medical and legal statements. That seems to have gone down a bit, though I will be calling a magazine publisher on Monday as I have not received their publication in a while. We also had to request packages be held at the Post Office for pickup. Privatization seems to have crippled the postal service and increased rates.

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    1. quercuscommunity Post author

      Yes, I’m afraid privatisation often seems to work that way. Ours is not as good. I have two poetry magazines stuck in the pot at the moment, but that is also due to covid and Brexit. And it used to be so simple. 🙂

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    1. quercuscommunity Post author

      Postage to the USA recently went up when Mr Trump pulled out of the International agreement on postage charges. It now often costs us more to send a parcel to USA than Austyralia.

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  7. Clare Pooley

    I am really pleased you have been able to buy the present Julia wants but at more reasonable price. Postage and packing does cost a lot especially when it is done properly and I pay it without too much complaint.

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  8. tootlepedal

    You are quite right about people not wanting to pay the true costs of postage. A certain massive river based company with its drive to eliminate all competition by predatory pricing may not be helping matters.

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