Postal Services. Seller Guide.

Week 19. 2 Postal Services. Seller Guide.

First never post anything before full payment. Buyer can always buy from another seller and there will always be some seller who willing to sell to them in the future. There is little or virtually no effective way to penalize the buyer.  Since the margin is super thin, you only need one small default and there goes all your yearly profit. However, on the other hand, it‘s very easy to shut down a seller business if there is fraud. For seller reputation is important. It only takes 1-2 fraud cases to be known in some forum, blog etc then your business is as good as dead.

Before you post anything to your customer,

1.      Double check the buyer’s address using wikimapia.org, sometimes the address is non-existence. Happen to me once.

2.      Triple check the quantity you sent. Nothing more nothing less. Any extra oz is sent cost you at least USD40+/oz at current market price on 8^th June 2011. Any lesser amount, the buyer may think that you are dishonest.

3.      For multiple shipments, just make sure you pack the right stuff for the right buyer. Write down the address on the envelope in addition to the courier form. In that way, the courier people won’t get it wrong.

4.      For large shipment, better split the shipment to 2.5kg each so you can reduce the risk. Once the 1^st shipment received, ship the following shipment.

5.      Keep some of the old package boxes you need them for packing goods for your customer. Bear in mind that postal services is not a making $ business for the seller. Most of the time, packaging is subsidized by the seller.

6.      Send them via SMS or email the tracking no once you have send out the item.

7.      Check the online tracking on the fifth day after you have sent the item just to ensure that the goods are successfully delivered.

Better use private courier services rather than normal Postal service because

a)      If you make a complaint and forward all your evidence to any online forum you can do a lot of damage to them. Since courier is one of their core business, it‘s going to reduce their sales significantly. Thus, they will make sure no item is lost and no complaint on delivery. But if you choose a government owned courier then it’s a bit difficult, even though no profit and bad services the company is still there to provide service. Business is not affected at all. If something goes wrong with your package, they will ding dong you here and there. In the end, you just accept it-lah and bear the losses lor. Big pain for you no pain for them.

b)      So far I never hear of any item went missing for private courier services but for traditional courier one I hear lot of stories-lah. Please bear in mind, on and off there may be some late delivery services.

Courier Services

1.      Citylink pre-paid pack. RM15/- per 3kg, RM20/- per 10kg (West Malaysia), RM25/- per 2.5 kg (West Malaysia to East Malaysia). Available at all MBE offices. www.mbe.com.my

2.      Kangaroo Courier Services. Available at many telco&post branches. www.telconpost.com

These two are among the cheapest one. You can engage other courier services but from my experience buyer is unlikely to pay for these services.

Best is always COD, no risk for me and my buyer. Thus, I always give good discount for COD especially those that come and self-collect their goods with me. There are some other issues (unwritten rules) involved in postal services. Due to thief reason, it is not written here. Well, if you do happen to COD with me, just pop that question, I will tell you about it.