postage FAQ - heres your postage answers!
I’m ready to mail my package, what do I need to know?
because of the high volume of packages coming in, we ask that you follow specific instructions when you are ready to mail your squares. The squares are opened, sorted and processed by hand and every single square is noted and logged. This is a time-consuming process and needs to be streamlined in order to remain possible.
To reach our 'postal instructions' page, visit
http://www.knit-a-square.com/postal.html
How many squares should I send at one time?
Since the squares are very light it is cheaper and more economical to mail your squares in bulk, so try to save up your squares until you have enough of them to send all together in one larger package. talk to the postal workers at your post office because the size and shape and price of your package will vary depending on where you live, and they can advise you as to what will be the best and most economical method to send your squares.
What type of packaging should I use to mail my squares in?
We ask that you first try to send your squares in a yellow paper envelope, not a white, plastic bubble wrap envelope or a box. In South Africa, yellow postal envelopes are recyclable and the white, plastic bubble wrap onesare not. The South African government has put a hefty duty tax on packages that arrive in boxes, and this tax needs to be paid by our volunteers in South Africa when the box is picked up at the post office and is usually paid out of their own pockets. If for some reason you cannot mail your squares in a yellow envelope than we prefer that you mail them however you can rather than not mail them at all. Some of our members who have mailed squares in large boxes have also made donations to help cover the cost of the taxes on boxes, which is very much appreciated.
How should I pack the squares?
Please pack the squares flat with their tails neatly ‘butterflied’ and laid on top. Squares that are folded or rolled or tails that are tangled take much longer to flatten and sort. And as always, please sew in all your ends – loose ends contribute to a longer sorting process and may cause a blanket to unravel.
What informationshould I include with the squares?
Include a piece of paper with you name, address and the contents of your package. For example:
Name
Address
32 squares
4 hats, etc.
Also, please note what type of yarn your items are made of as woollen squares will be paired with woollen squares and acrylic squares will be paired with acrylic, cotton with cotton….
What address do I send the squares to?
Knit-a-Square
SowetoComfort Club
Private bag X900
Bryanston 2021
South Africa
how will I know when my packages arrive?
Since we have so many packages coming in from all over the world and it takes so much time to sort and process them, we do not have the time to get back to each member individually. We do track the packages that have arrived and you can find out for yourself if your items have arrived safely in South Africa by referring to our square lists. These lists are not a comprehensive background of all the squares that have ever arrived, but they do cover the packages that arrived within a one week time span. You may have to check a few of the weeks before you locate the week in which your particular package has arrived. Keepin mind that many packages can take up to six weeks or more to arrive.
You can view or square lists here:
http://www.knit-a-square.com/squares.html
If you subscribe to the ezine, you may also be lucky enough to see your squares in action! Occasionally our members spot their squares in the ezine photos, either sorted and stacked or made into blankets and wrapped around children.
Tags: FAQ
Views: 73
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Christine Johnson on -
This was Ronda's comment on the Revised Wish List last year:
DELIVERY
LABELING - Very soon, we hope to have up our new system which will allow you to enter your name, email address and what you have sent. You will be able print out a label to attach to your parcel with a barcode which we will be able to scan and prompt an automated response to be sent to you to let you know your parcel has arrived. It will also automatically update our database saving a great deal of time. We hope that you will all take up this option for labeling as this is truly a win-win for everyone. We will keep you posted as to the launch date.
DUTY - please ensure that NO VALUE is placed on your custom labels. We only have to pay a small mandatory handling fee on any box, so if your squares will fit, please send them in a package rather than a box.
-
Permalink Reply by Donna Radu on -
Thanks, Christine! Big envelope for me next time, instead of a box!
-
Permalink Reply by Christine Johnson on
-
I believe that it also said somewhere else that the handling fee was not very large and they were prepared to pay for larger quantities. If anyone is sending hundreds or thousands obviously it wouldn''t be possible to send in packages but Ronda knows that.
-
Permalink Reply by P. Jeanne Haessler on -
Just FYI: All together we've had just over 175,000 squares arrive from the end of 2008. I forget who asked where for the totals but I'll post it here too. This is from Kalai. :) Just FYI.
-
Permalink Reply by Enid Mary Shaw on
-
jjeanne, I think it was Dawson who asked
-
Permalink Reply by Dawson on -
I'm just wondering, if I'm sending 100 squares in a cardboard box, is having all the squares in a garbage bag enough?
-
Permalink Reply by Barbara Hawkins on -
Many thanks for that info Christine, your better than Royal Mail!
I put my jumpers, hats, cuddly toy and a small card for the child receiving the goods in a plastic bag. I squeeze as much air out as possible then label it with the size, type of yarn and whether it would be suitable for a boy or girl.
I usually send 2 bags like this in recyclable polythene envelope. Then go to the Post Office and hold my breath.
I know what I need is a good pair of scales.
-
Permalink Reply by Wendy on -
I live in a small country town a couple of hours from Sydney and I have mailed 7 parcels of goodies to KAS now, and thought I would share the information I have gathered from my experience.
I always send them via Seamail. I find that a parcel of up to 500 grams should cost $12.30, and a parcel of up to 1 Kg should cost $21.40. You can get pricing for other weights on the Australia Post website here: http://auspost.com.au/index.html
ALWAYS weigh your parcel and check what it should cost before you head to the PO. I know I have often had a cost quoted to me that is more than my calculations using the Auspost website. If you find this discrepancy tell the staffer you have checked it on the site and it should cost xx amount, and you would like to know why they have quoted more. Often they will just automatically calculate Airmail costs without asking your preference.
Re the declaration form, mark the checkbox that says 'gift' and in the $ amount box write 'NCV'. This means the parcel has 'No commercial value' and the staff here have no problem with me doing this (the lady I spoke to actually told me that was how I should do it).
I have always taken my parcels to the Post office completely sealed and marked that they contain Knitted Acrylic Squares, I have not had any problems doing this.
-
Permalink Reply by Bev Jeffery on -
Thanks for this info and the handy hints, Wendy. I am trying to complete a few items and squares to send and as this would be my first, I was not sure what to put on the outside to ensure that it didn't attract tax at the other end. I am from a small country town in WA and I, too, find the staff quite helpful in matters such as this. Thanks for the site on postage costs as well. I send parcels to a children's home in India, but always send airmail as I worry about them getting lost if I send things seamail because it seems to take forever to get there. However, the postage to South Africa looks a bit more expensive, so I may have to consider it.Have you ever had any losses sending them seamail and do you have any idea of the time it takes for them to get there? Thanks :)
-
Permalink Reply by Wendy on
-
Hi Beverley,
Sadly it seems my first parcel is yet to arrive (I just finished looking up the latest square lists). It was mailed on the 27th April but the Post Office here did say it could take up to 12 weeks to arrive. Hopefully the parcels will start to arrive in SA soon. They were mailed at approximately 2 week intervals, so by the end of July they should start to arrive in close proximity to one another.
I sent them close together as it is more affordable for me to send smaller amounts of up to 1 kg, (between $12 and $20 depending on the weight) once a fortnight on payday.
Unfortunately I also can't say yet if any go missing as they are all still in transit.
Will update here as information comes to hand though.
-
Permalink Reply by P. Jeanne Haessler on
-
Mine go sea mail and take 6-12 weeks and they seem to arrive fine. (just a bit of encouragement!) :)
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
Donations
Or make a one-time donation:
KASBlog - All For Orphans
Make a difference in an AIDS orphans life! Make a difference in your childrens lives! Start here with this 40 page, beautifully illustrated teacher resource, all for a small donation of $12.95. Click here.
You can support our work with the abandoned, vulnerable and orphaned children of South Africa by buying t-shirts, knitting totes, hats and gifts here! Click here.
© 2012 Created by Sandy McDonald.
Powered by
