From the context, and from recollection, I'd say it means "put stamps on it". If you don't send it via franked mail, they ain't gonna accept it.

"unfrei", of course, is the opposite: without the proper postage.

Thank you very much!

Do you think LEO should have a translation for these words added in the dictionary?

miamibremen - That got me mixed up, too, way back when. Read "freimachen" and naturally thought "This doesn't cost any postage, the receiving party is going to cover it" :-)

Wie würde ich jetzt also auf Englisch fragen "Kann ich Ihnen das Paket unfrei zurücksenden?"
Es kursiert ja auch immer wieder "carriage forward"... wobei das bisschen unlogisch erscheint.

Danke für Ideen ;-)

Markus

From a website selling plants:"Air Freight (F.O.B. Prepaid or Freight Collect Basis)"

From a haulier:"LTL (Truck) shipments of 1000 Lbs or more are sent Freight Collect."

From an airline: Charges Collect/Freight Collect/Charges Forward (see : www.cal.co.il/glossary/)

I tried without success to find an equivalent in the UK Royal Mail's (Post Office)website. May not exist of course.

COD (Cash on Delivery) is something different. This is where you order goods by post and pay the value of the goods (eg: books, a jacket) when you pick the parcel up at the P.O., in other words the Post Office is ensuring, on behalf of the seller, that you pay before you receive the goods.

free of charge

Langscheidt - unfranked

Ich hätte jetzt einfach das genommen.
Oder ist das unpassend?

they clearly state that they do not accept returns without stamps ....

Ohoh, ich sollte lesen, bevor ich irgendwas poste...sorry. =)

... und ich hatte übersehen, wie archäologisch dieser Faden schon ist ...