No Junk Mail Stickers

[smidsy]

I have one of these on my post box since all my mail goes to a PO box and I don't actually monitor the street box except for once every few weeks for RTS mail.
Today having checked the mail box I found some junk mail, rang one of the company's to give them a serve and was told that Auspost are exempt from the no junk mail sign even if the mail is very clearly junk mail.
Anyone able to confirm the Auspost exemption, this was an unaddressed real estate leaflet and very clearly junkmail.

At this stage plan B is to simply gaffa tape over the letter box opening.
Cheers
Paul

[doug3030]

At this stage plan B is to simply gaffa tape over the letter box opening.

Just take the letterbox down, unless its a brick one of course. You don't need one. Save your gaffer tape for another day.

Just watch the postie trying to work out where to put the next consignment of Australia Post authorized junk when there is no post box to put it in.

[Sturdee]

Anyone able to confirm the Auspost exemption, this was an unaddressed real estate leaflet and very clearly junkmail.


Paul

I can confirm this, all mail delivered by Australia Post is not considered junk mail as mail boxes are primarily for taking delivery of mail delivered by Australia Post.

Also all election material is legally not junk mail so the stickers don't count. In addition all communication, pamphlets or circulars from the government, whether local, state or Commonwealth and any of its statutory authorities are also not junk mail and must be delivered, notwithstanding what you put on your letterbox.


Peter.

[Chesand]

In Victoria, at least, Neighbourhood Watch newsletters are also officially not junk mail and therefore can be delivered to ALL mail boxes by the volunteers.

[Timless Timber]

I recall answering this type question once before.

Years ago we had a contract to deliver the local community newspaper.

Our contract stated we were to ignore all "No Junk Mail Stickers", because under Aus Post regs - newspapers periodicals and magazines are categorized as just that - and have their own separate category (i.e. specifically newspapers periodicals and magazines).

The ONLY boxes we could NOT put them into, were those with "Australia Post ONLY" stickered boxes.

In order to "get around" the No Junkmail rules - advertisers PAY the Community Newspapers to "insert" their brochures (read Junkmail) into the community newspapers, (We would get 1c / brochure for inserting).

So really speaking "No Junkmail" stickers achieve nothing - because there's many ways around them, whereas the "Australia Post ONLY" is supposed to be ONLY for mail that Australia Post is paid to deliver (i.e bears a stamp or franking mark).

Of course now the advertisers have got around that by paying Australia Post to frank and deliver their junk mail.

Why do Aust Post take on those contracts?

Coz no one sends letters these days - emails are replacing letters and stamps so Aust Post are desperate for all revenues - so happy to take on junk mail delivery rather than go out of business.

Why is Aust Post going broke?

Well the internet and emails for starters BUT as well as that, you have to go to a post office to buy stamps & you have to go there (or a post box and not many of them left) to post a letter.

The yanks have it all over us!

Their mail boxes are for outgoing and incoming mail... the postman collects and delivers (2 bags on his post bike) - you see the little flag in the UP position - that tells the postman there's mail to collect, when he collects he put the flag down to say the mails delivered.

This "convenience" factor sees their mail system in a more healthy status that Aust Post is.

The whole internet shopping & Postal delivery system thing - is extra traffic for Aust Post, if they were just smart enough like the Yank Postal system to make it a 2 way pick up and deliver...system via the posty - they would probably not only survive the internet email changes - they would profit and grow from it.

Sadly thise running Australia Post aren't that bright.

Imagine if you kept a supply of sheets of stamps and envelopes - you only have to put something in your mailbox for it to get collected and delivered - non of those trips to the post office - take a number, & stand in line...deals to pay your bills etc.

Anyway - apart from remove the post box what are you going to do...?

It seems that the almighty $ rules - if someone will pay anything to get the stuff into your household - someone will do whatever it takes to deliver it... whether it's popups ads on your PC, or junk mail in your newspaper.

Changing your sticker from "No Junk Mail" to "Registered Australia Post Mail ONLY" will more than cut the junk mail volume in half tho (if that's any help).

I've often wondered why no one starts a PRIVATE mail service (like the USA and USPS - United States Postal Service, AND UPS United Postal Service) in Oz, where the guy on the CB130 Postie Bike collects and delivers... probably in time it will happen. (Jims Mail Service franchise anyone?).

Another free zillion $ idea, from us here at "Head In The Clouds, Azz in the Gutter R US Enterprises Inc".

[Master Splinter]

I have a "This mailbox is NOT in use" plate over the slot on my mailbox. That stops the junk mail (and everything else, too).

[Vernonv]

Their mail boxes are for outgoing and incoming mail... the postman collects and delivers

Why would such a thing make AP more "viable"? As you pointed out less people are sending mail, so why start a service that has a shrinking market?

I wouldn't be surprised if the move to online has had little effect on AP, other than to shift it's income stream. Sure there are less letters being sent, but there has been an increase in the number of parcels.

[underfoot]

..A small meander off topic..
I've noticed my PO box is getting more and more junk mail, (although the PO does conveniently places bins nearby to discard this stuff)..
I've also noticed that the back of my PO box is open to the mail sorting area, which is even more convenient for pushing the junk mail back onto the floor inside.
a couple of folks collecting mail at the same time noticed me feeding the box and I explained what I was doing..
..I think I've started a trend..

[doug3030]

I've also noticed that the back of my PO box is open to the mail sorting area, which is even more convenient for pushing the junk mail back onto the floor inside.

I used to do that too years ago when I had a PO Box. The good thing is that it just falls on the floor and they cant tell who is doing it unless they actually see it.

Cheers

Doug

[Vernonv]

I simply dispose of the junk mail in my PO box in the slot provided.

[smidsy]

What amazes me though is that junk mail is allowed at all.
All this talk about the environment and polution, and junk mail would have to be one of the major sources of waste.

[Timless Timber]

Why would such a thing make AP more "viable"? As you pointed out less people are sending mail, so why start a service that has a shrinking market?

Coz if it was more convenient, more people would use it! (i.e the market share would grow).

The problem with our deliver only service is that if its inconvenient to post stuff people tend to only use it as a last resort.....

If you post it at your own mailbox and its collected - its convenient (think about say the disabled for e.g.) - whereas to post something now you have to make a trip to the post office, take a number, stand in line & wait your turn - only on days when the PO is open & only during opening hours - then buy your stamp and then post it as well as wait in line to pay your bills etc at the PO.

Surely if it was more convenient to just pop it in your own letter box to post it - you'd buy a sheet of stamps and a packet of envelopes and just pay your bills etc thru the mail any time or day you chose - by just popping it in your own mailbox?

The postmans going past anyway? Why wouldn't he collect mail? If you have to drive to the PO think of the carbon footprint...when multiplied by every person in the country - the posty on his bikes already there to deliver mail surely it's more cost time and energy efficient if he collects mail as well at the same time?

Imagine if I am a Cabbie and I make your new Kitchen... and just drop it off on your front lawn but don't install it or remove the old one?
Why just do half the job with mail collection... its plain DUMB and Aust Post don't measure up to other nations mail system.

Heck UPS girl can deliver and pick up from my place any day she likes & @ any time!



Do we need a poll on this topic?

[BobL]

I've often wondered why no one starts a PRIVATE mail service (like the USA and USPS - United States Postal Service, AND UPS United Postal Service) in Oz, where the guy on the CB130 Postie Bike collects and delivers... probably in time it will happen. (Jims Mail Service franchise anyone?).

There's probably limited demand because couriers have sort of already got the real money making side (ie urgent material) covered. At work we used them all the time for urgent mail but only because all our mail had to go in and out via a central mail office which would add 1-2 days to the turn around time. In the city centre there are document couriers that work on bikes - take document A from floor B to location C floor D. My son did this for a few months. Small parcel service needs have increased due to the internet which is also why couriers are doing so well.

[Vernonv]

Coz if it was more convenient, more people would use it! (i.e the market share would grow).

Sorry, but I very much doubt that. Using your "convenience" argument, I reckon emails are much more convenient, no matter which way you look at it ... which is why the use of letters is declining.

[doug3030]

There's probably limited demand because couriers have sort of already got the real money making side (ie urgent material) covered.

But if Australia Post had been on their game and had started doing it right years ago then all the current crop of courier companies might not have sprung up like mushrooms after the rain. They are only filling the gap in the marketplace that Australia post could have filled