Royal Mail offers free parcel pick-up as delivery war looms
29/03/2021
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news
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business
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The company offers free pick-ups from home for the next few weeks as it tries to boost its delivery business.
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Blue_sky_sea
29/03/2021 15:21:20
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3
bbc
Collection would be wonderful in cases where I have to drop the parcel at the post office where, there is always, always a queue and some customers seem to have very long transactions!
Yeah, and some long transactions are because so many high-street banks have closed (customers told to use the PO - very slow for depositing cash takings of small businesses), or they're applying for passports, or driving licences or taxing vehicles, or returning unwanted on-line purchases (probably ordered 3 to try on, and return 2), and all the documents have to be checked.
The reported scam has been going on for some months now. The way to deal with it is to check the parcel number quoted on Royal Mail's own website. If their trace system rejects the number then you know it is a scam.
This scam is also being conducted for other delivery companies such as Hermes and DPD. I have also received e-mails allegedly from these businesses but I buy from the High Street.
This scam is also being conducted for other delivery companies such as Hermes and DPD. I have also received e-mails allegedly from these businesses but I buy from the High Street.
It has been long overdue for Royal Mail to exploit its dominance in `last mile' delivery.
They even gave my local postman a bigger van to do all this, so this is getting serious.
They even gave my local postman a bigger van to do all this, so this is getting serious.
The last mile is a requirement of Royal Mail service - not imposed on other companies. Nor are other companies required to cover the whole of the UK,
The amazing service from Royal Mail in delivering to people now has collections, great news. As for criticism of Royal Mail over Christmas. 20% of the work force were off due to sheilding or Covid risk, which Royal Mail paid it's employees in full. The 'self employed' delivery drivers from other firms get nothing if they don't show up for work, so would they stay at home if sick?
Ha ha ha,,,what about all the casuals it treats with such disrespect? Low wages, zero hour contracts, uncertain shifts...Not the rosy picture on covid either with lots of workplace infections and poor preventative measures/systems. You an HQ troll? lol
Amazing service
Agreed amazingly bad
Completely messed up several deliveries
Then the complaints process a complete joke
After 2 months delay on a parcel - multiple correspondence finally a refund of postage was offered as a “goodwill” gesture
Agreed amazingly bad
Completely messed up several deliveries
Then the complaints process a complete joke
After 2 months delay on a parcel - multiple correspondence finally a refund of postage was offered as a “goodwill” gesture
Royal Mail will need to improve their parcel tracking offering if they want to compete with the established collection/delivery companies.
I ordered a small item some years ago but the company was reluctant to post it to me as they had a carrier contract with someone else and I was told that it would take someone about 1hr round trip to the post Office +parking fee + waiting time. I did get my item but this pick up plan would surely be good in a similar situation.
Good keep it British
Very generous of the Royal Mail not to charge for picking up parcels till the end of May, NOT, when other companys are giving the same service of free collection already, I had a quote from the R/M to deliver a heavy package, the cost was over £50, Parcel Monkey collected it and delivered it within 24 hours for £13.50
Excellent news from Royal Mail. Time to provide serious competition to the other parcel delivery companies who exploit their workers. And Royal Mail should advertise to encourage more mail to be sent eg Easter cards. Have recently sent Easter cards to a number of friends and relatives celebrating this important Christian festival.
Excellent news.... probably one of the only businesses that Mrs Thatcher privatised that’s been a success.....
Except she didn't. It was privatised in 2013 under the Cameron government.
For heaven's sake. Royal Mail was privatised THIRTEEN YEARS after Margaret Thatcher left office.
And far from being a success, Royal Mail Ltd has been in a slow but steady decline for most of its existence.
And far from being a success, Royal Mail Ltd has been in a slow but steady decline for most of its existence.
If your postie were to collect parcels when doing his normal delivery round, surely the Royal Mail could keep this service free.
And you believe that the postman hanging around or completing paperwork should be done as a free service. Most companies do charge for time.
On the contray surely they should deliver free when collecting!
Of course if it is a gig economy you want for the postal service then you have a great business idea!
On the contray surely they should deliver free when collecting!
Of course if it is a gig economy you want for the postal service then you have a great business idea!
Another nail in ensuring everyone sits on their butt, never leave the house, and spend all day moaning about lack of service.
I tried it for the first time this weekend. Worked brilliantly! Only downside is if this takes off there could be negative consequences for the future of the high street post offices.
You still have a High street post office? You are so lucky, our Main post office disappeared years ago and is now a counter inside a shop.
I hope they open more branches and reintroduce their current account. I’d bank with them
Collection would be wonderful in cases where I have to drop the parcel at the post office where, there is always, always a queue and some customers seem to have very long transactions!
Yeah, and some long transactions are because so many high-street banks have closed (customers told to use the PO - very slow for depositing cash takings of small businesses), or they're applying for passports, or driving licences or taxing vehicles, or returning unwanted on-line purchases (probably ordered 3 to try on, and return 2), and all the documents have to be checked.
How about realising that a package is not only something you can hold in your hand but can be substantial? Perhaps even considering the merits of pricing it reasonably?
And you believe that the postman hanging around or completing paperwork should be done as a free service. Most companies do charge for time.
On the contray surely they should deliver free when collecting!
Of course if it is a gig economy you want for the postal service then you have a great business idea!
On the contray surely they should deliver free when collecting!
Of course if it is a gig economy you want for the postal service then you have a great business idea!
Typical luck for me - I spent well over half an hour waiting outside my local Post Office this morning to send a parcel - and now I read they'll pick it up for free..........
yes if you have a printer and understand how to do it.
Another nail in ensuring everyone sits on their butt, never leave the house, and spend all day moaning about lack of service.
Yes, but not prior to the lockdown! I WILL NOT SHOUT THIS AT YOU!!
of course you are free to go for a walk, or dear I say it do some exercise which was also another suggestion of the goverment, i can see why you perhaps skipped that bit!!
RoyalMail is far better and the posties are a part of our community infrastructure. Always my first choice ??
So long as Royal Mail have to deliver to everywhere for the same price and other "services" can add surcharges for hard to reach places, Royal Mail will always be at a disadvantage. The surcharges should go.
Hermes offer a doorstep service - Is that where they leave the parcel on your doorstep (for someone to pinch) when you are not at home?
No they ask you to take it to their vehicle. That's not doorstep service.
No, they don't bother to walk to your doorstep, but just lob it into your garden. Sometimes they don't even do that, but take it home for their own use or flog it to their mates or on eBay. Hermes are the worst delivery company, who take on "self employed" drivers who are not checked for criminal records. Do a Google search "hermes driver stole" and see how many cases come up. It's staggering.
Or they leave it on some one else's doorstep, and send a puzzling photo.
Paul
16:54
"If your postie were to collect parcels when doing his normal delivery round, surely the Royal Mail could keep this service free."
Have you even thought that through. Imagine 10 customers giving him parcels. His van is parked away while he walks with a BAG.
That said Royal Mail and posties are a different business to Royal Mail Parcels. They deliver door to door in a van.
16:54
"If your postie were to collect parcels when doing his normal delivery round, surely the Royal Mail could keep this service free."
Have you even thought that through. Imagine 10 customers giving him parcels. His van is parked away while he walks with a BAG.
That said Royal Mail and posties are a different business to Royal Mail Parcels. They deliver door to door in a van.
Just a minor point - Royal Mail posties are not different in some rural areas. I am a postie and I am expected to deliver RM letters/parcels/packages and also ParcelForce (which is a totally different company within the RM group. I am expected to deliver parcels up to 30kg, and my van is frequently full before I start my deliveries, with no room for any collections.
Tbh I'd just like them to stop ripping us off with the price of stamps. When the stamp started to cost more than the Christmas card it was ridiculous, now it's challenging the price of the birthday card. It's ridiculous. Subsidise the letter post with your booming parcel business.
It cost the same price to send a letter from your home to any other address anywhere in the UK including NI, the one price goes anywhere covers this by gaining on short distance sending and using the excess to cover long distance sending. The cost of the stamp is set by the regulator not RM itself.
A first class stamp costs 85p and for that you can post a letter on a weekday afternoon and it will (usually) arrive at its destination, which may be hundreds of miles away, the next morning. I think that's pretty good. Even if it is only going a few miles, it would cost more to deliver it yourself. Plan ahead and second class is only 66p. Where are you buying your incredibly cheap cards?
The penny post started in 1840. In real terms that would be around 43p today. It's actually double that at 85p for first class. However, the employees will have far better terms than they did in 1840 and far better terms than Hermes.
Who's got a printer though, it's the 21st century. I haven't owned a printer for a decade! Everything is digital signature now.
Hermes offer a doorstep service - Is that where they leave the parcel on your doorstep (for someone to pinch) when you are not at home?
It's called privatisation and not being funny but look at countries anywhere in the world and it costs you a lot more money to send letter Royal mail are quite cheap and would be even more cheaper if it was not privatise.........the biggest mistake when the government went ahead with it....
You have a counter inside a shop? You are still lucky.
Why are people on here having a go at My Hermes. They are good value for money, reliable and the local couriers are very friendly and on the ball. Royal Mail are the worst, deliver to wrong address, take longer and charge a kings ransom for rubbish service
Hermes have bad reputation if you pay peanuts expect rubbish workers..... Royal mail have been delivering since 1556 and still going strong because they pay a proper wage....
that is why prices keep going up and delivery times get worse i suppose
You are wrong! You do not factor in all the low paid, zero hour contracts they operate with which add to the inefficiencies in the system. It is still poorly run company which could get better. A lot better!
Royal Mail knocks spots off other delivery companies when it comes to employee integrity.
I hope Royal Mail eventually cotton on to the idea of drop shops - ie. customers can drop a package off at a local convenience store, supermarket etc. I use this service with other couriers and it’s great, I can drop packages off at the local corner shop on my drive to work, (and get a snack). Going to the post office would involve driving into the town centre, no parking nearby etc.
It's about time they did. They have parcel boxes but they're not enough.
I asked my local post office why they didn't advertise to people that they could pre-pay online and simply drop their parcels off or scan their QR code to make service quicker, and was told they'd not make any money as it's specifically their selling of postage that they make money on and not just that items have gone via.
I asked my local post office why they didn't advertise to people that they could pre-pay online and simply drop their parcels off or scan their QR code to make service quicker, and was told they'd not make any money as it's specifically their selling of postage that they make money on and not just that items have gone via.
Another blue party MISTAKE, another privatisation gone badly wrong.
About time the Mail did this
Tbh I'd just like them to stop ripping us off with the price of stamps. When the stamp started to cost more than the Christmas card it was ridiculous, now it's challenging the price of the birthday card. It's ridiculous. Subsidise the letter post with your booming parcel business.
They're still far behind. One of the problems with the system are the negative incentives the post offices have when it comes to service.
I asked the guy who runs my local why they didn't just put a sign up saying "pre-pay online, drop and go" so there wasn't a constant 30+ minute queue, he said they wouldn't make any commission that way. Very annoying when you actually NEED the counter service.
I asked the guy who runs my local why they didn't just put a sign up saying "pre-pay online, drop and go" so there wasn't a constant 30+ minute queue, he said they wouldn't make any commission that way. Very annoying when you actually NEED the counter service.
You do understand that Royal Mail and Post Office Counters are two seperate companies. Royal Mail delivers post and parcels,The Post Office is just a shop you can drop post and parcels off at for Royal Mail to pick up.
Their biggest problem is how many parcels disappear into a black hole.
I hope Royal Mail eventually cotton on to the idea of drop shops - ie. customers can drop a package off at a local convenience store, supermarket etc. I use this service with other couriers and it’s great, I can drop packages off at the local corner shop on my drive to work, (and get a snack). Going to the post office would involve driving into the town centre, no parking nearby etc.
It's about time they did. They have parcel boxes but they're not enough.
I asked my local post office why they didn't advertise to people that they could pre-pay online and simply drop their parcels off or scan their QR code to make service quicker, and was told they'd not make any money as it's specifically their selling of postage that they make money on and not just that items have gone via.
I asked my local post office why they didn't advertise to people that they could pre-pay online and simply drop their parcels off or scan their QR code to make service quicker, and was told they'd not make any money as it's specifically their selling of postage that they make money on and not just that items have gone via.
At least theRoyal Mail workers will get paid a decent salary in comparison to other delivery companies who pay minimum wages.
Are you an HQ troll? LOL...HAve you heard about the casuals/agency workers? RM relies on an army of low paid, zero hour contracts! Get your facts right!
I hope Royal Mail eventually cotton on to the idea of drop shops - ie. customers can drop a package off at a local convenience store, supermarket etc. I use this service with other couriers and it’s great, I can drop packages off at the local corner shop on my drive to work, (and get a snack). Going to the post office would involve driving into the town centre, no parking nearby etc.
At least the Royal Mail workers will get paid a decent salary.
Not a minimum one !
Not a minimum one !
You do not know how they operate. Using cheaper casuals/agency to fill gaps and adding to inefficiencies in the operation and the way they are booked on shifts. And not earning a decent wage or having any certainty of shifts etc, Not such a wonderful world of RM. Are you HQ? Ha ha
Them tell Boris to increase the miminum wage, why should posties get more than min wage when the rest of us work longer and have to be on min wage?
Tbh I'd just like them to stop ripping us off with the price of stamps. When the stamp started to cost more than the Christmas card it was ridiculous, now it's challenging the price of the birthday card. It's ridiculous. Subsidise the letter post with your booming parcel business.
A first class stamp costs 85p and for that you can post a letter on a weekday afternoon and it will (usually) arrive at its destination, which may be hundreds of miles away, the next morning. I think that's pretty good. Even if it is only going a few miles, it would cost more to deliver it yourself. Plan ahead and second class is only 66p. Where are you buying your incredibly cheap cards?
Another blue party MISTAKE, another privatisation gone badly wrong.
They're still far behind. One of the problems with the system are the negative incentives the post offices have when it comes to service.
I asked the guy who runs my local why they didn't just put a sign up saying "pre-pay online, drop and go" so there wasn't a constant 30+ minute queue, he said they wouldn't make any commission that way. Very annoying when you actually NEED the counter service.
I asked the guy who runs my local why they didn't just put a sign up saying "pre-pay online, drop and go" so there wasn't a constant 30+ minute queue, he said they wouldn't make any commission that way. Very annoying when you actually NEED the counter service.
Yes I do understand, but the post office wouldn't even exist without Royal Mail, and it's still the Royal Mail's product that the post office is selling under agreed terms that Royal Mail could negotiate changes to in order to improve their service.
This whole "oh they're different businesses" argument is just an excuse for no improvement to ever happen, it's just not valid.
This whole "oh they're different businesses" argument is just an excuse for no improvement to ever happen, it's just not valid.
Royal Mail will need to improve their parcel tracking offering if they want to compete with the established collection/delivery companies.
Tbh I'd just like them to stop ripping us off with the price of stamps. When the stamp started to cost more than the Christmas card it was ridiculous, now it's challenging the price of the birthday card. It's ridiculous. Subsidise the letter post with your booming parcel business.
I'm still waiting for my shirt to be delivered 14 months on they just blame covid the light fingered rats
Removed
If you're still waiting, I would suggest you contact your seller and get the money back.
Pretty sure it's after 28 days that a parcel is declared as lost, so you've either had your money back already and still expecting a free shirt, or you don't know how to process a claim with the seller.
Pretty sure it's after 28 days that a parcel is declared as lost, so you've either had your money back already and still expecting a free shirt, or you don't know how to process a claim with the seller.
Have not used this service and probably will not in the future. However, thank you to RM and our team of posties who turn up rain or shine bring joy in cards and parcels, bills not so joyful. Always with a smile. No problems with tracking system and parcels coming over from France and from Scotland have arrived intact. Detractors stop knocking a service many rely on.
Sorry, detractors are quite within their rights to "knock" a service that frequently lets them down, regardless of how many rely on it.
Our posties struggle daily to identify the difference between 4 houses in the road, all with house names clearly posted, I redeliver every day.
If you got food poisoning in a restaurant, would you not complain, because 20 others did not?
Our posties struggle daily to identify the difference between 4 houses in the road, all with house names clearly posted, I redeliver every day.
If you got food poisoning in a restaurant, would you not complain, because 20 others did not?
The Public: Hermes, Yodel are absolutely awful and only pay their staff minimum wage to boot!
Also The Public: Royal Mail are outrageously priced, they're miles more expensive than their competitors
:SurprisedFace:
Also The Public: Royal Mail are outrageously priced, they're miles more expensive than their competitors
:SurprisedFace:
Paul
16:54
"If your postie were to collect parcels when doing his normal delivery round, surely the Royal Mail could keep this service free."
Have you even thought that through. Imagine 10 customers giving him parcels. His van is parked away while he walks with a BAG.
That said Royal Mail and posties are a different business to Royal Mail Parcels. They deliver door to door in a van.
16:54
"If your postie were to collect parcels when doing his normal delivery round, surely the Royal Mail could keep this service free."
Have you even thought that through. Imagine 10 customers giving him parcels. His van is parked away while he walks with a BAG.
That said Royal Mail and posties are a different business to Royal Mail Parcels. They deliver door to door in a van.
Just a minor point - Royal Mail posties are not different in some rural areas. I am a postie and I am expected to deliver RM letters/parcels/packages and also ParcelForce (which is a totally different company within the RM group. I am expected to deliver parcels up to 30kg, and my van is frequently full before I start my deliveries, with no room for any collections.
They're still far behind. One of the problems with the system are the negative incentives the post offices have when it comes to service.
I asked the guy who runs my local why they didn't just put a sign up saying "pre-pay online, drop and go" so there wasn't a constant 30+ minute queue, he said they wouldn't make any commission that way. Very annoying when you actually NEED the counter service.
I asked the guy who runs my local why they didn't just put a sign up saying "pre-pay online, drop and go" so there wasn't a constant 30+ minute queue, he said they wouldn't make any commission that way. Very annoying when you actually NEED the counter service.
Get behind Royal Mail who pay a wage...
stick with only 1 capable delivering to all/remotest ,the PO.-it was never broken so why fix it for leeches,like US Fed EXp, DHL, etc expropriate Royal mail socialist.net
Until Royal Mail offer half decent tracking like all other couriers do (one-hour delivery slots, notifications when your driver is a few stops away and such) then my business will always go to DPD et al.
RM are lagging years behind and clearly not adopters of technology to improve their service, now they're scrambling realising they've been left behind.
RM are lagging years behind and clearly not adopters of technology to improve their service, now they're scrambling realising they've been left behind.
I have just tried to use this free collection only to find, after paying for the postage, that there is no collection in my post code area!
Who delivers your post then?
If you have a postie they will collect it.
If you have a postie they will collect it.
Until Royal Mail offer half decent tracking like all other couriers do (one-hour delivery slots, notifications when your driver is a few stops away and such) then my business will always go to DPD et al.
RM are lagging years behind and clearly not adopters of technology to improve their service, now they're scrambling realising they've been left behind.
RM are lagging years behind and clearly not adopters of technology to improve their service, now they're scrambling realising they've been left behind.
You do understand that Royal Mail and Post Office Counters are two seperate companies. Royal Mail delivers post and parcels,The Post Office is just a shop you can drop post and parcels off at for Royal Mail to pick up.
Yes I do understand, but the post office wouldn't even exist without Royal Mail, and it's still the Royal Mail's product that the post office is selling under agreed terms that Royal Mail could negotiate changes to in order to improve their service.
This whole "oh they're different businesses" argument is just an excuse for no improvement to ever happen, it's just not valid.
This whole "oh they're different businesses" argument is just an excuse for no improvement to ever happen, it's just not valid.
Royal Mail seem to pay decent wages plus a pension so I will support them as they diversify.
You clearly are not aware of how they operate. They take on many casual workers/agency workers and the systems are chaotic, meaning many people are kept dangling on whether they have shifts or not, day to day...this means if shifts needed to pay bills sometimes it's an email lottery. This also means the managers have uncertainty as to quality of staff and numbers. Messy. Not so neat as pay well!
First lockdown I brought my husband a laptop on line. The delivery date was uncertain, but we woke up one morning to a card from RM pushed through the letterbox to say they tried to deliver, but no one in. It was a real real early morning delivery.
On going down to collect it from the nearest delivery RM they were closed only open for 2 hours, and closed at 9am everyday except Sunday not open.
On going down to collect it from the nearest delivery RM they were closed only open for 2 hours, and closed at 9am everyday except Sunday not open.
Great plan EXEPT Have you tried using it? More than one parcel(small) forget it!
Oops Except!
Get behind Royal Mail who pay a wage...
Have not used this service and probably will not in the future. However, thank you to RM and our team of posties who turn up rain or shine bring joy in cards and parcels, bills not so joyful. Always with a smile. No problems with tracking system and parcels coming over from France and from Scotland have arrived intact. Detractors stop knocking a service many rely on.
You have no idea what they earn stop trolling even a miserable attempt at humour if that was what was intended
Sorry to disabuse you re your supreme knowledge but you don't know what you are talking about, I'm on a permanent contract and get less that 16k per annum
A first class stamp costs 85p and for that you can post a letter on a weekday afternoon and it will (usually) arrive at its destination, which may be hundreds of miles away, the next morning. I think that's pretty good. Even if it is only going a few miles, it would cost more to deliver it yourself. Plan ahead and second class is only 66p. Where are you buying your incredibly cheap cards?
Royal Mail seem to pay decent wages plus a pension so I will support them as they diversify.
Royal Mail will collect a considerable amount of business from Hermes accounts
from my own experience Hermes where they have such accounts as M&S and
is Lakeland is appalling
How they obtained business from these firms is beyond belief
from my own experience Hermes where they have such accounts as M&S and
is Lakeland is appalling
How they obtained business from these firms is beyond belief
Have not used this service and probably will not in the future. However, thank you to RM and our team of posties who turn up rain or shine bring joy in cards and parcels, bills not so joyful. Always with a smile. No problems with tracking system and parcels coming over from France and from Scotland have arrived intact. Detractors stop knocking a service many rely on.
Sorry, detractors are quite within their rights to "knock" a service that frequently lets them down, regardless of how many rely on it.
Our posties struggle daily to identify the difference between 4 houses in the road, all with house names clearly posted, I redeliver every day.
If you got food poisoning in a restaurant, would you not complain, because 20 others did not?
Our posties struggle daily to identify the difference between 4 houses in the road, all with house names clearly posted, I redeliver every day.
If you got food poisoning in a restaurant, would you not complain, because 20 others did not?
Royal Mail seem to pay decent wages plus a pension so I will support them as they diversify.
You clearly are not aware of how they operate. They take on many casual workers/agency workers and the systems are chaotic, meaning many people are kept dangling on whether they have shifts or not, day to day...this means if shifts needed to pay bills sometimes it's an email lottery. This also means the managers have uncertainty as to quality of staff and numbers. Messy. Not so neat as pay well!
Get behind Royal Mail who pay a wage...
I try to ensure that when someone is sending me something that they know I would NEVER use Parcelforce. They are really unhelpful and don't even provide their drivers with your mobile phone details even if you ask them to.
The reason they give is that they are the drivers personal phones. It would save so much hassle. Give me DPD or DHL anyway.
The reason they give is that they are the drivers personal phones. It would save so much hassle. Give me DPD or DHL anyway.
How would you know? You are probably still in bed after the Postie has posted your giro