Odds and ends back to UK!

Hi all!


I am unexpectedly having to leave HK and have a few small things to ship back to England. I haven't quite totted up all of it, but it amounts to about 20 books, a digital camera, a kettle (I'm very attached to the kettle...) and a holdall's worth of clothes.


I've looked at a couple of threads and found some helpful advice, but then was amazed to find the discrepancy in price between relocation firms and the post office! I feel desperate to get to the bottom of this situation as I am a totally peniless student and will probably end up having to pack myself in a box in order to avoid exorbitant plane fares. Anyway:


The cheapest I was looking at for a decent-sized box (12 cuft) with companies such as The Baggage Company was 2200HKD. No weight limit - but there again I'm not exactly transporting plutonium, so I'm not too bothered about that. Then I checked how much a 30kg box would cost with the post office (max size of 3m length and girth combined, max length of 1.5m) and found that it would cost cost 599 according to this chart: http://www.hongkongpost.com/eng/postage/overseas/parcel/surface/index.htm#u.


Now, my maths isn't all that hot at this time of night, but I reckon the HK allowance is basically for a 150 x 37.5 x 37.5 box. This makes for just over 0.21 cubic metres. The 12 cuft from the baggage company works out at 0.34 cubic metres, so about 50% more space. I think.


In sum:


Baggage company - 2200 HKD for 0.34m3; no weight limit. - Price per cubic metre - 6470.59 HKD.


Post office - 599 HKD for 0.21m3; 30kg limit. Price per cubic metre - 2852.38 HKD.


Discount for using the post office - a highly suspicious 55.9%.


(this is turning into quite a sad way to spend my Saturday evening...)


The questions: have I got my facts wrong? and if I haven't, why the discrepancy in price? Does anyone have experience of this miraculous HKPO shipping service?


Definitely now time for a cup of tea from my yet-to-be-packed kettle.


Any advice appreciated!

Just my $0.02 I think you are looking at it from the wrong end. That is, the Post Office is not miraculously cheap. The shipping companies are ludicrously expensive.


Two points though:

- Check insurance. The shipping company price might include it while the PO price does not.

- Moving companies aren't typically geared towards small packages and the setup cost is the same. The PO, on the other hand, is built around envelopes and small parcels and can process these very efficiently.


For the record, I have used the PO for dozens of packages big and small, by air and surface. Never had a problem. But that's just anecdote and shouldn't be taken as hard evidence of anything.

Thanks for your advice - that's encouraging! Friends have mentioned that the moving companies are less hassle, but I'd put up with a fair amount of stress for 1.5k. Also I need to check that the UK post service will receive parcels over 20k, apparently! Your rationale makes good sense, so I shall give the PO a go and post here if any problems arise. Thanks again!