Australia Post - Sending small items with Express Post Envelope

Anyone have experience with sending small items, i.e. small, flat, light, but stiff with Express Post Envelope?

I mostly send my items as a regular letter with $1.10 stamp on a 11x11x0.5cm pouch.
So far I've sent 2 of these items with Australia Post's Small Prepaid Express Post Envelope $7.50 - ish, and they went through just fine.
Though the Australia Post lady in the counter told me that I'm not supposed to send anything with the Express Post Envelope other than documents.

I'm thinking to just send it anyway, but maybe use Medium size express envelope, to do this. Will it be okay? Other alternative is to send it as a small express parcel at $11.50, but that is really too pricey and I don't think it is sustainable. Anyone have any insight on this?

Edit: Item is handmade acrylic keychain

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Comments

  • +1

    Whats the item.. hard to comment otherwise… the sorting machine may squash it.

    • Item is homemade acrylic keychain, something like this:
      https://5.imimg.com/data5/QH/DN/MY-5036647/acrylic-sheet-key…

      It is definitely durable, i.e. difficult to break it into half with human strength

      • +1

        https://auspost.com.au/sending/send-within-australia/compare…

        Rigid or inflexible items such keys, pens, USBs or CDs should never be sent in a regular paper envelope as they could easily be damaged by our sorting equipment or torn from the envelope and lost. Items like these should always be packaged correctly and sent as a parcel

        • So Express Small Parcel at $11.95 is the only option I have to send my items express?

          • +1

            @zawarudo22: I think based on that as it is from austpost’s site (fine print). This explains why the staff told you not to use it.

            Based on comment from Axelstrife below, The decision rest with you, if is a risk you may want to take.

  • +1

    Thousands of ebay sellers send things as a letter/large letter every single day.

    I post things every day like this and have never had any issue, my local Post office is really good as long as it's the correct thickness then there's no issue.

    • what is your strategy with sending express items?

  • +2

    Drop it in a post box …however you don't get a lodgement receipt. Second option would be to cover the keychain with a cardboard or something that makes it feel like a document.

    • I'm fine without the lodgement receipt, but wow! I never thought of covering the envelope with cardboard internally. Thanks for the tip!!!

  • +1

    Send this in cd mailer box

  • Aupost dont care if its the occasional letter, but commercial volumes will have people knocking at your door

    • +13

      Auspost knocking on doors would be a first.

  • Historically had no issues sending things like DVDs in standard large envelopes (later switched to rigid mailers that looked like these with no problems applying standard large letter postage, keeping within the size and weight limits). However, haven't done much sending of such items recently, and their current pre-paid "domestic latter with tracking" envelopes carry a warning not to post rigid items such as USB sticks and that it may result in loss, damage, delays or missed scans.

    The large (C4) "domestic letter with tracking" envelope seems to be one exception - it's cardboard and doesn't have that warning. Have the express equivalent which is just a paper envelope though.

  • 100% the envelopes are for documents only.

    If envelopes are found to have other than documents in them they can be sent to revenue protection and you will be charged the difference between the envelope and the appropriate satchel.

    The difference can be collected from the sender or receiver.

    You also go against the term and conditions of using the envelope and void your next day guantee (currently not offered anyway).

  • it worked for me before. I got the envelop from counter and just dropped it in the post box. cover it with hard cardboard and you'll be fine

  • Auspost doesn't have the manpower to run down every mail article. They're already losing $190m on their letter service and won't spend millions more to try to collect a few dollars.

  • +1

    Just remember that Australia Post simply isn't delivering at all at the moment. If you overnight or same day a package with Startrack today, they say you can expect it to arrive AFTER Christmas. Even regular post isn't delivering like normal, it was meant to be every second day but it's like Australia Post doesn't even exist for this past week as far as my letterbox is concerned. You should consider using a non Australia Post courier.

  • I had a parcel sent from Melbourne last Friday via express post, still don't know where the parcel is.
    Tracking hasn't been updated since Sunday.
    They are happy to charge full price for express postage but can't delivery even a week later!
    Bloody ridiculous

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