Royal Mail’s changes in their service as of August 21st 2006 mean that postage prices will increase as items are charged for their weight AND size.

The change is also bad for buyers because they will have to pay more in postage, especially for small inexpensive lightweight items. Many items that post for 32p now will go up to £1 a throw. Nearly 3 times more expensive.

The danger is that it may make online shopping in general and ebaying in particular less attractive. There are plenty of high street shops who would like to see some distance shoppers coming back to the real world.

Some people hold the suspicion the change is aimed directly at eBayers, whom are probably the biggest single group of 'package-senders' in the UK. It's significant that the letter format fits nicely with the guff sent out monthly by probably their largest mailers, the credit card companies, and yet even a single watch battery in the smallest (000) Jiffy becomes a large letter. Lightweight items in boxes will approx double in price.

If you are a seller dismayed at the Royal Mail service, you may decide to give your business to a different postal company. There are 18 licensed operators in the United Kingdom:

ANC Limited (trading as ANC Express)
Parkhouse East Industrial Estate, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 7RB. Tel: 01782 563322 (customer service enquiries) or 0800 262123 (sales enquiries). Fax: 01782 563633.

Challenger Security Services (Admin) Ltd
PO Box 8572, E3 3SE. Tel: 020 7537 3705 (Customer Service enquiries) or 020 7538 0141 (sales enquiries). Fax: 020 7515 2809.

Citipost AMP Limited (formerly Alternative Mail and Parcels Limited) .
16 Gunnery Terrace, Cornwallis Road, Royal Arsenal, London, SE18 6SW. Tel: 020 8301 8500 (head office & distribution). Fax: 020 8854 5309 (head office & distribution).

CMS (trading name of Royale Research Limited).
Record House, 236 Record Street, London, SE1 1TL. Tel: 020 7732 2000. Fax: 020 7732 2233.

DHL Global Mail (trading name of Deutsche Post Global Mail (UK) Limited) .
4-6 Queensway, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4BD. Tel: 08456 007678 (customer service) or 08081 007678 (sales). Fax: 08456 007679.

DHL Global Mail (trading name of Speedmail International Limited).
Unit 4, Galleywall Trading Estate, Galleywall Road, London, SE1 3PB. Tel: 020 7394 9494. Fax: 020 7394 9493.

DX Network Services Limited .
DX House, Ridgeway, Iver, Bucks, SL0 9JQ. Tel: 01753 630630 or 08705 222324 (customer enquiries). Fax: 01753 631693.

Intercity Communications Limited .
64-70 Vyner Street, London, E2 9DQ. Tel: 020 8923 8080 (customer services) or 020 8981 2828 (sales enquiries). Fax: 020 8980 7222.

Lynx Mail (trading name of Red Star Parcels Ltd) .
St Davids Way, Bermuda Park, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 7SD. Tel: 02476 373737 (customer services) or 02476 586685 (sales enquiries). Fax: 02476 586646.

Mail Plus Limited .
Mail Plus, 28A Centurian Way, Meridien Business Park, Leicester, LE3 2WH. Tel: 0116 250 1632.

Racer Consultancy Management Services .
101 Legacy Centre, Hanworth Trading Estate, Hampton Road West, Feltham, TW13 6DH.

Secure Mail Services (formerly Special Mail Services Limited)
PO Box 390, Northampton, NN3 6YG. Tel: 0870 950 6917 . Fax: 08702 642822.

Secured Mail Limited.
Unit 4A, Bechers Drive, Aintree Racecourse Business Park, Liverpool, L9 4AY. Tel: 0870 41 41 600. Fax: 0870 41 41 700.

Target Express Parcels .
Woodlands Park, Ashton Road, Newton Le Willows, Warrington, WA12 0HF. Tel: 02476 308358 (customer service enquiries) or 07702 313423 (sales enquiries). Fax: 02476 308367.

TNT Post UK Limited (formerly TNT Mail UK Limited) .
Unit 1, Globeside Business Park, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Berkshire, SL7 1HY. Tel: 01628 771232. Fax: 01628 770705.

UK Mail .
Express House, Wolseley Drive, Heartlands, Birmingham, B8 2SQ. Tel: 08452 305050 (sales) or 0121 335 1815 (customer services).