Sending gifts by mail? Postage deadlines apply
POSTING Christmas parcels off in time can be stressful so gift givers are being encouraged to “get in early”.
Australia Post has prepared for a monster December when Australians go on an online shopping blitz and will also send off parcels in droves.
Last December, more than 40 million parcels were delivered – up 11.7 per cent on the previous year.
And the bumper day was December 17, when three million parcels were delivered, followed by 2.7 million parcels on Christmas Eve.
Australia Post’s executive general manager of community and consumer, Nicole Sheffield, said people should remember deliveries could be delayed if there were bushfires or unseasonal weather.
“It delays flights, freight doesn’t get out, so get in early,” she said.
“We’ll do everything we can to get everyone’s gifts to them. We know what an important time it is but some things are out of our control.”
Ms Sheffield said parcels sent through ordinary post should be sent by Monday, December 16, while express parcels within certain areas
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could be sent as late as Monday, December 23.
International parcels or letters should be sent by Tuesday, December 10 using standard delivery to ensure they arrive at their destination before December 25.
Australia Post also has
350 parcel locker locations throughout Australia that are available 24/7 and some post offices have extended trading hours.
“There is no reason why you can’t get organised and get sending,” Ms Sheffield said.
Australia Post also rolled out in October “If it packs, it posts”, which allows people to post
●International sending (standard): Tuesday, December 10
International sending (express): Tuesday, December 17
●Domestic sending (standard): Wednesday, December 18
●Domestic Express Post*:
Monday, December 23 parcels weighing under 5kg within Australia, starting from a flat postage rate of just $8.95.
There are other alternatives to posting parcels, including a new postage service rolled out by 7-Eleven, called ParcelMate. It allows customers to post parcels at more than 400 7-Eleven locations nationally using the Toll delivery service.
7-Eleven’s head of strategy and innovation, Stephen Eyears, said the new way to post goods was a result of being unable to get to a post office.
“We’ve all been caught in those situations where we are trying to pick up or send a parcel and we can’t do it within business hours,” he said.
Standard postage starts from $11 for 1kg parcels and $14 for 3kg parcels.
A locker system is used in store, from where customers can post their items.
“We are not making you weigh items – if it fits in the bag, it goes,” Mr Eyears said.
“Once it’s in the bag we will send it anywhere in Australia.”