Swaps Postage...

Just want to know what you think girls. This new postage is not good. I'd hate for it to put the kybosh on our swaps, but I think we're going to be limited in what we make and send.

I posted the Bingo swaps today and most were OK for postage, but....although Billie's box only weighed 57gms, because it was a packet (due to depth) it cost £2.20 to post and that was 2nd class!!!!
Now, I think that's bloody disgusting although there's nothing we can do about it, but I wanted you to be aware that if we make anything remotely thick or deep..it's gonna cost.
The box was only about 3 x 2 x 1½ inches or thereabouts.

What d'ya reckon girls? Shall we still keep the swaps going? It would be such a shame if we didn't, but I hate being limited like this.

And Billie, before you offer...the answer is NO! lol.

I knew this was going to happen when I saw the new packet rates: think I mentioned it on one of the threads several weeks ago. The problem is that they've lumped the 1-750grams together as the first weight on packet rate, so anything that's thicker than 25mm will cost £2.20/£2.70 irrespective of weight. Six years ago - in May 2006, before the new pricing came in in August 2006 - Billie's box would have cost 23p second class to send. (I've kept all the pricing leaflets since then to show how much it's gone up each year.)

Definitely think we should keep the swaps going. Maybe we could do more swaps where we send direct? That way, it would only cost us one lot of postage. The swaps that are done through you must be on the proviso that when we send to you we put in (a) the swap item; (b) a self-addressed label and (c) the postage that it cost to send to you, separately. The packaging we send should be re-usable as far as possible, so that the item can be posted on in the same packaging to save you having to supply anything other than sticky tape. Most of the time it won't matter, as we usually do ATCs or inchies or something and send a large letter stamp, but when it's free-form the item could be anything. We must also be careful to anchor things down when there's several items, like say 3 ATCs, as if they shift in the jiffy bag and pile up on top of one another they can change the item from one pricing rate to another. Maybe if you repeat these rules each time you post a swap then it will avoid problems in the future.

Lynda

Completely agree with Lynda, on all counts.

It would be a real pity to stop them, agreeing with Lynda, liking the direct swap idea, the only potential problem being if someone drops out at the last minute. Given notice things can be asily rearranged.
It might be advantageous though if we know who we are making for as most of us have an idea of what other's like, or can check the likes/dislikes thread before we make, and woe betide anyone who hasn't put butterflies or owls in there, or snakes, perhaps I'd better go off and do that right now LOL
I would like to say a big thank you to Lorraine for organinising them all and getting the photo's up for us too, that's another consideration.

If we did direct swaps, we'd have to photograph our own item or arrange for our recipient to do so - think we've done this in the past (and we have to for the Secret Santa). We could have Lorraine to allocate our "swapee" for us and it could be a secret: that way, we could make specifically as Karelyn suggests but it will still be a surprise.

Hear, hear about Lorraine organising it all, too.

Lynda

It would be nice to continue doing the swaps. I know two of the groups I also swap on have all started sending just the pages round for the CJ's leaving the covers off to reduce the cost. That seems to work well as you still get to see the other work without the bulk.

Art journal/tip in pages being done the same way so direct swaps.
I am sure it would take a lot of stress from Lorraine too.

You're right, Cynthia: Lorraine could probably do without any more stress at the moment. But there's also the other side to it: Lorraine gets to see everyone's work first hand - and gets her pick of the items!!! Of course, that's by way of recompense for all the hard work it takes, lol.

Lynda

Awwww, thanks girls. I don't have a problem hosting the swaps, or sorting, or doing the photos or anything, it's just the postage I was concerned about.

Also, I don't think that some swaps would work so well on a one to one basis. The ones where we make more of one thing and I split them will still have to come to me. I/we'll have to rethink to get some direct swaps sorted. It's still easy to keep them a secret from your recipient mind.

Most of what we have planned should still go through the large letter slot.

Would hate for the swaps to swap - I love them. However you want to work
things because of the postage rates is fine by me. I really think we all have to help
here.
I got Billie's box and it's lovely but was shocked at the postage you had to add Lorraine.
Personally I will pay whatever as long as I can - don't know what the answer is.

Can appreciate that the multiple-item swaps won't work ad a direct swap, Lorraine - unless they're a set - but the Bingo swap would have been fine direct, for example. Secret Santa is direct, so that's December dealt with: just another 11 to go!

Lynda

I can't understand why it cost so much, I'm sure it didn't cost as much to send to you Lorraine, and the screen is surely the same size and much heavier, has the charges just changed since I posted to you, so sorry it has cost you so much, and I'll bet I forgot to put in any money again, the problem of putting the same amount in as it costs to post, is that you don't know how much till it is posted, I'm happy to go with everyone what every is decided and I will try and remember to put postage in

I often take the parcel and sellotape up to the post office and stick the return postage in before sticking down, a slight nuisance, more in remembering to do it than actually doing it.

Yes, Billie: because Lorraine couldn't get the swaps sent before she went to Cyprus the postage prices went up before she got back.

Karelyn's idea is the best if you are the slightest bit unsure: if there's time, you can always go to the PO in advance of the posting date and then finish the parcelling up at home with the return postage in.

Lynda

I do it at the counter LOL

I have a pair of electronic scales, a RM price list and plenty of small denomination
stamps for odd amounts.
LOL @ Karelyn.