I'm confused.. I buy lots of crap on Ricardo .. The boxes arrive and the cost is printed - 7chf I look online at post.ch and it says the cost is 7chf .. Great..

But then I go to print my own label to send a package, the cost is 5.50chf no signature or 7.50 with signature..

What am i missing here.. Is it simply 1.50 cheaper to print your own at home??

Short answer.......yes.

Are you sure that that is not the price for a pre paid return label? That is, you send good to someone and they, for some reason, want to return the goods to you. So you send them this label.

https://www.post.ch/en/sending-parce...ostpac-economy

They must have some method of stopping misuse, I imagine.

I suspect it is part of the thinking that Big Yellow wants to close more and more branches. If they can encourage more and more customers to do it themselves then they can ‘prove’ they don’t need to maintain all the smaller branches.

I continue to use our ‘local’ office, in the next village. I’d hate to see them close.

The Post also has a special rate for small packets, which I tried to use on Monday. The allowed dimensions are 17.6cm x 25cm x 5cm. I measured the box to check that it conformed to those dimensions and took it to the post office.
I was expecting to pay CHF 2.60 . Anyway, the guy behind the counter got out a sort of caliper device and probed around the edge of the box until he found a point where one of the cardboard lugs protruded, making the box 5cm plus a few microns deep and said I had to pay CHF 9.00 (next day delivery). I was in a hurry and didn't want a long argument so I accepted it more as a lesson for the future.
Anyway, using the tracking reference number on the receipt, I went to check up if the parcel had arrived. It had and with the following information:
Zugestellt
24. November 2020
Zustelladresse
8003 Zürich
Sendungsinformationen
20 x 16 x 5 cm, 0.16 kg

That is exactly 5 cm deep, which would have qualified for the much cheaper rate.

Attached Images

packet.JPG (48.7 KB, 590 views)

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Are you saying the post charged you 9- but put it through as 2.60- and pocketed the rest?

Do you have a receipt for the 9-? I'd print that page if you do and take it up with the post.

They will also charge you 3 chf extra for filling out the customs declaration for international packages.
Can be printed out or filled in online at home, free of charge.

Is it a difference between A and B service? You got charged priority?

No. I was charged CHF 9.00 and got a receipt for CH 9.00. The screen shot (CHF 2.35) shows only what someone would have been charged for a packet with "conforming" dimensions for a 2-3 day delivery deadline. I included it also because it may be useful for others including the OP. The service I wanted to use was that, but with next day delivery which would cost CHF 2.60. The counter clerk disqualified the packet on the grounds of its dimensions.

I could still take it up because I have (a) the receipt and (b) the information from their tracking system about the dimensions. However, I regard that now as a lesson for the future.

Incidentally, I've just noticed that the screen shot shows an anticipated delivery date for the cheaper service of 27.01.2021. I guess another system glitch.

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This happened to me twice, I own a small online shop and send small packages from time to time, this small consignment thing is new, before it was either standard/midi/grossbrief (all max. 2cm thick) and anything thicker are considered packages... 7chf B post and 9chf A post in shelter, 1.5chf cheaper when you print the thing online.

Once my item was like 2.1cm thick or so the lady used this caliper thing and charged me 9chf instead of 2chf (B4 grossbrief) on the spot. From that on I just print my own labels, and toss into the yellow briefkasten, never had problems since then.

I'm happy they now have the kleinsendung option.

On the post calculator page the Kleinsendung is considered (B-Post Midibrief) with (Formatzuschlag bis 5 cm), so it's still a "Brief", I wonder if one can also toss them into the Postbriefkasten with the other letters... I'll ask next time I go to the post...

I do like to print my labels online before going to the post because I always had to line up, now they also have the self-scanning package deposit kiosk thing in the post office, which I find really convenient.



Edit:
I just found out the formatzuschlag bis 5cm was already in the Jan.2020 booklet "Das Angebot im Überblick", so my bad not seeing it, but it's hard to find and the word "Kleinsendung" was not on the Format list...

I'll have to look for this yellow box at my post office, where you can throw in any ready labelled packets. That sounds good.

I've just looked the the standard range of "PostPac" boxes which are on sale at their shop. The smallest one available is just 3cm too wide to qualify for their "small consignment" rate. ( I suppose they will not be in a rush to make smaller ones available)
https://www.postshop.ch/shop/de/fran...oko-0/p/730834

If you send small consignments often RAJA has good options (min. quantity 50 pcs):
https://www.rajapack.ch/de_CH/karton..._PDT00302.html

I'm talking specifically parcel up to 2kg , B post.. Like a shoe box..

I login..
Goto : Online Services > Sending Mail > Domestic parcel labels > Create Parcel Label

Postpac economy is 5.50 chf without signature, that costs another 2chf.


I've used it many times without issue .. But as i say, stuff I receive normally has the 7chf price tag on it.. And when i sell something people generally automatically pay me me 7chf. If i use Ricardo to generate the label it also changes 7chf. Other online shops often charge 7chf..

So if you are paying 7 each time you are doing it wrong .. Or supporting your local post office.. Whichever you choose.

The deal on printing the label yourself is only valid in 2020. Don't know whether they will extend it.

"Selber online frankieren und als Privatkunde von einer Preisreduktion zwischen CHF 1.50 - 3.00 profitieren (gültig 2020)"

But the label always shows the official amount, not the reduced amount.

We send quite a few parcels and were having some difficulty with the thickness. My "friendly" (she actually was not generally that friendly) local post office manager gave me some calipers. I would go into the local post office and ask, maybe you'll get lucky!

Which is funny as online, if you opt for the pick up option, you can also have them print the label for 50cts and bring it. Total cost 10:50 CHF for Bpost and I don't go anywhere, just leave package outside for pick up.