Due to the ongoing pandemic situation, I have adjusted the dispatch time to 30 days on all my lots. I am still being ultra careful due to my medical history, but I would expect to be able to post out lots within this timeframe, and usually within a week of your payment. Also, postal services around the World are disrupted, especially in the USA. Thank you in advance for your patience
An explanation of my postal charges.
Over the 20 years that I've been on eBay, I have had only 4 complaints about my postal charges, but especially for overseas buyers, it is still worthwhile for me to explain how I charge.
In the UK, the Royal Mail put up prices from 1st January 2021 for the 4th time since March 2020. Yes, you read that correctly. Letters to Europe have increased by over 75%. First class is now 95p up to 100g and £1.45 for a large letter, then £2.05 over 100g. Very little of what I sell as single stamps and sets will ever get over 100g, but collections can do. An A4 card backed envelope plus about 4-5 leaves will likely just tip the balance over 100g.
For discounts on multiple items, remember that I need to charge for the envelopes and stockcards, and also that I have to drive to the Post Office to get proof of posting, so in talking about single stamps and sets, I add 20p per additional lot, but I now cap it at 5 extra lots. Anything else extra is post free. Also you may hold back payment for a week if I have other stuff running that you wish to combine, but please tell me. I will hold back lots for longer - as long as you pay within 10 days of the first lot ending.
For collections and single stamps - please just wait for the invoice if you buy more than one lot. I will try to use the same principle as above for collections, but it will generally just be based on weight.
Also, if the combined invoice is greater than £25, I expect you to pay for tracking, which adds £1.50.
For overseas buyers - you need to understand that Royal Mail base their delivery costs on size first, then weight, so anything that needs to go in an A5 or A4 envelope will always be more expensive, even if it weighs hardly anything (e.g. sheets that cannot be folded). Even when a lot fits into a standard DL envelope, it's quite hard to make the packaging robust and get the weight under 20g, so the postage cost alone of a 21g letter is £2.55 outside Europe.
For Large letters of any weight, postage charges alone start at £3.25 for Europe and £4.25 to Australia, and jump at 100g to £4.25 and £5.85, and the A4 stiff envelopes cost 80p each.
Also (and this is important) - tracking overseas is very expensive. For invoices over £25, you must assume that postage will be AT LEAST £7.50 to Europe and £9 elsewhere. This is the minimum. Goods of higher value will be more, depending on weight, dimensions, the destination country and the value. There is a calculator on royalmail.com if you are interested.
Please also note, I will no longer post to mainland China, India or Russia (and temporarily, Ukraine).
Hong Kong and Taiwan are still OK.
The buyer is responsible for the payment of all local taxes and duties, particularly in the EU after 1st January in spite of the so called free trade deal, good to and from the EU from the UK are subject to customs duty which eBay now add automatically to your invoice.
Any questions - please ask before you bid. All bidders will be assumed to have read all of this, it's not hidden away, it's in the lot description.
My lots usually finish on a Sunday evening UK time. Anyone who pays by 1200 Wednesday, I will generally dispatch lots on Thursday (that usually covers 80% of my buyers). My next trip to the Post Office may not be until the following week. I may go earlier, but I won't make a special trip for one letter.