Australian carriers have announced their 2025 peak season surcharge structures, with increases ranging from 8-15% across major providers.
Carrier-by-Carrier Breakdown
Australia Post
- Surcharge period: October 15 - January 15
- Parcel Post: +$1.50 per item
- Express Post: +$2.00 per item
- StarTrack: +12% on base rates
Toll Group
- Surcharge period: November 1 - December 31
- IPEC: +10% on all domestic services
- Priority: +15% on express services
CouriersPlease
- Surcharge period: October 20 - December 24
- Standard: +8% on base rates
- Express: +12% on base rates
Aramex
- Surcharge period: November 1 - January 5
- Flat increase: +$0.85 per parcel
- Oversize: +15% on dimensional items
Shipper Strategies
To manage peak costs, shippers should consider:
- Earlier promotional calendars to spread volume
- Carrier diversification to optimise rates
- Customer shipping fee adjustments
- Inventory positioning closer to customers
Comparison to 2024
Overall, surcharges are modestly lower than 2024, reflecting improved capacity planning and slightly softened volume projections.