I also wondered about this when starting to buy from Chinese sellers. It simply would not be possible for them to make a profit given the free shipping they offer for many items. It appears the relatively high internal postal charges in predominantly developed countries compensate, in a rather circuitous manner, for the low cost of shipments from 'developing' countries like China.
''A big part of the explanation is a United Nations body called the Universal Postal Union. The UPU helps coordinate rates and standards between nearly every national postal system, and has been a crucial piece of global infrastructure since its founding in 1874 (it was absorbed into the United Nations only in the 20th century). But critics argue that the system now amounts to a subsidy for international shipping from developing countries and net exporters.
Postal services within the UPU agree to carry one another’s international letters and small parcels from their point of arrival—say, a port—to their final destinations. They then compensate each other for this service at rates set by the UPU. These are known as terminal dues, and are amended at a UPU congress every four to five years.
The UPU system is extremely complex, with countries slotted into at least nine different categories, which are based on their level of development and effect the terminal dues rates they pay to each other. These rates are generally far below rates paid by domestic shippers. For example, as of 2012, the terminal dues on items from China to the U.S. were about one U.S. dollar per kilogram. This means that in many if not most cases, the U.S. Postal Service received less compensation for a China Post package moved from a Los Angeles port to its final destination inland, than it would have from someone in Los Angeles who sent an identical package within the United States.
In some cases, terminal dues are below, not just the domestic customer price, but the real underlying cost of shipping. Many developed countries, with higher postal costs in wages, services, or infrastructure, actually lose money on each piece of mail sent to them internationally. Norway Post has stated that its losses under the UPU must be compensated for by higher costs elsewhere in its postal system—meaning that Norwegians sending mail to one another, or out of the country, are subsidizing the price of shipping into Norway from abroad.''
IN OTHER WORDS, POSTAGE WITHIN THE UK IS SO EXPENSIVE BECAUSE WITH EVERY LETTER AND PARCEL WE SEND, WE SUBSIDISE CHINESE SUPPLIERS AND NOT ONLY HELP THEM GROW THEIR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, BUT ALSO DUMP STOCK IN THE UK AND DRIVE OUR DOMESTIC SUPPLIERS TO THE GROUND!!
Rant over.
All comments (22)
crazymonkey
9 May 178#1
Voted hot Gooner! So hot! I am blown away!
nicmall to crazymonkey
9 May 17#10
Not balloon away?
Boom.
crazymonkey
9 May 171#2
I want an inflatable UFO fleet
lesdenn
9 May 17#3
Ordered a few bits and bobs, many thanks
funkeymunkey
9 May 17#4
Heat added op, ordered a Penguin and 2 Dolphins, Thanks :smiley:
Babyflowers44
9 May 17#5
Are these just helium?
crazymonkey to Babyflowers44
9 May 17#7
No that is what your full of.
These are balloons that also require helium if that is your preferred gas
amygillard
9 May 17#6
The 16 inch numbers won't float when filled with helium, the balloon itself is too heavy for such a small amount of helium
muffboy
9 May 17#8
How do they manage to post these?
jeffsmaw to muffboy
9 May 17#12
In an envelope, they are not inflated :smiley:
jinkssick to muffboy
9 May 17#13
:confused:
hcc27 to muffboy
10 May 173#21
I also wondered about this when starting to buy from Chinese sellers. It simply would not be possible for them to make a profit given the free shipping they offer for many items. It appears the relatively high internal postal charges in predominantly developed countries compensate, in a rather circuitous manner, for the low cost of shipments from 'developing' countries like China.
''A big part of the explanation is a United Nations body called the Universal Postal Union. The UPU helps coordinate rates and standards between nearly every national postal system, and has been a crucial piece of global infrastructure since its founding in 1874 (it was absorbed into the United Nations only in the 20th century). But critics argue that the system now amounts to a subsidy for international shipping from developing countries and net exporters.
Postal services within the UPU agree to carry one another’s international letters and small parcels from their point of arrival—say, a port—to their final destinations. They then compensate each other for this service at rates set by the UPU. These are known as terminal dues, and are amended at a UPU congress every four to five years.
The UPU system is extremely complex, with countries slotted into at least nine different categories, which are based on their level of development and effect the terminal dues rates they pay to each other. These rates are generally far below rates paid by domestic shippers. For example, as of 2012, the terminal dues on items from China to the U.S. were about one U.S. dollar per kilogram. This means that in many if not most cases, the U.S. Postal Service received less compensation for a China Post package moved from a Los Angeles port to its final destination inland, than it would have from someone in Los Angeles who sent an identical package within the United States.
In some cases, terminal dues are below, not just the domestic customer price, but the real underlying cost of shipping. Many developed countries, with higher postal costs in wages, services, or infrastructure, actually lose money on each piece of mail sent to them internationally. Norway Post has stated that its losses under the UPU must be compensated for by higher costs elsewhere in its postal system—meaning that Norwegians sending mail to one another, or out of the country, are subsidizing the price of shipping into Norway from abroad.''
IN OTHER WORDS, POSTAGE WITHIN THE UK IS SO EXPENSIVE BECAUSE WITH EVERY LETTER AND PARCEL WE SEND, WE SUBSIDISE CHINESE SUPPLIERS AND NOT ONLY HELP THEM GROW THEIR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, BUT ALSO DUMP STOCK IN THE UK AND DRIVE OUR DOMESTIC SUPPLIERS TO THE GROUND!!
![Fresh Breakfast Meat Box (Using code) @ Campbells Meat [Haggis / Lorne Sausage / Bacon / Black Pudding & More]](/images/topics/208684_1.jpg)
![[Xbox One] Q. u. b. e: Director's Cut on Deals with Gold](/images/topics/208716_1.jpg)
Opening post
16 inch Aluminum Foil 23p
16 inch Heart / Star Aluminum Foil Number Balloon 26p
16 inch Heart / Star Aluminum Foil Number Balloon 26p
Rainbow Inflating Foil Balloon 66p
18 inch Five-pointed Star Inflating Foil Balloon 50p
Penguin Inflating Foil Balloon 62p
Animal Number Foil Balloon £1.20
Top comments
From a useful post in the Fortune magazine:
http://fortune.com/2015/03/11/united-nations-subsidy-chinese-shipping/
''A big part of the explanation is a United Nations body called the Universal Postal Union. The UPU helps coordinate rates and standards between nearly every national postal system, and has been a crucial piece of global infrastructure since its founding in 1874 (it was absorbed into the United Nations only in the 20th century). But critics argue that the system now amounts to a subsidy for international shipping from developing countries and net exporters.
Postal services within the UPU agree to carry one another’s international letters and small parcels from their point of arrival—say, a port—to their final destinations. They then compensate each other for this service at rates set by the UPU. These are known as terminal dues, and are amended at a UPU congress every four to five years.
The UPU system is extremely complex, with countries slotted into at least nine different categories, which are based on their level of development and effect the terminal dues rates they pay to each other. These rates are generally far below rates paid by domestic shippers. For example, as of 2012, the terminal dues on items from China to the U.S. were about one U.S. dollar per kilogram. This means that in many if not most cases, the U.S. Postal Service received less compensation for a China Post package moved from a Los Angeles port to its final destination inland, than it would have from someone in Los Angeles who sent an identical package within the United States.
In some cases, terminal dues are below, not just the domestic customer price, but the real underlying cost of shipping. Many developed countries, with higher postal costs in wages, services, or infrastructure, actually lose money on each piece of mail sent to them internationally. Norway Post has stated that its losses under the UPU must be compensated for by higher costs elsewhere in its postal system—meaning that Norwegians sending mail to one another, or out of the country, are subsidizing the price of shipping into Norway from abroad.''
IN OTHER WORDS, POSTAGE WITHIN THE UK IS SO EXPENSIVE BECAUSE WITH EVERY LETTER AND PARCEL WE SEND, WE SUBSIDISE CHINESE SUPPLIERS AND NOT ONLY HELP THEM GROW THEIR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, BUT ALSO DUMP STOCK IN THE UK AND DRIVE OUR DOMESTIC SUPPLIERS TO THE GROUND!!
Rant over.
All comments (22)
Boom.
These are balloons that also require helium if that is your preferred gas
From a useful post in the Fortune magazine:
http://fortune.com/2015/03/11/united-nations-subsidy-chinese-shipping/
''A big part of the explanation is a United Nations body called the Universal Postal Union. The UPU helps coordinate rates and standards between nearly every national postal system, and has been a crucial piece of global infrastructure since its founding in 1874 (it was absorbed into the United Nations only in the 20th century). But critics argue that the system now amounts to a subsidy for international shipping from developing countries and net exporters.
Postal services within the UPU agree to carry one another’s international letters and small parcels from their point of arrival—say, a port—to their final destinations. They then compensate each other for this service at rates set by the UPU. These are known as terminal dues, and are amended at a UPU congress every four to five years.
The UPU system is extremely complex, with countries slotted into at least nine different categories, which are based on their level of development and effect the terminal dues rates they pay to each other. These rates are generally far below rates paid by domestic shippers. For example, as of 2012, the terminal dues on items from China to the U.S. were about one U.S. dollar per kilogram. This means that in many if not most cases, the U.S. Postal Service received less compensation for a China Post package moved from a Los Angeles port to its final destination inland, than it would have from someone in Los Angeles who sent an identical package within the United States.
In some cases, terminal dues are below, not just the domestic customer price, but the real underlying cost of shipping. Many developed countries, with higher postal costs in wages, services, or infrastructure, actually lose money on each piece of mail sent to them internationally. Norway Post has stated that its losses under the UPU must be compensated for by higher costs elsewhere in its postal system—meaning that Norwegians sending mail to one another, or out of the country, are subsidizing the price of shipping into Norway from abroad.''
IN OTHER WORDS, POSTAGE WITHIN THE UK IS SO EXPENSIVE BECAUSE WITH EVERY LETTER AND PARCEL WE SEND, WE SUBSIDISE CHINESE SUPPLIERS AND NOT ONLY HELP THEM GROW THEIR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, BUT ALSO DUMP STOCK IN THE UK AND DRIVE OUR DOMESTIC SUPPLIERS TO THE GROUND!!
Rant over.