Paypal postage - can I drop at sorting office rather than Post office?

spookylukey · 18 May 2011 at 9:31PM

I've sold an ebay item which is being sent by Royal Mail standard parcels, I've printed a postage label through Paypal and the next step is to drop off at a Post office (too bix for a letterbox).

Does anyone know if I'm able to drop this off at a sorting office rather than a Post Office as the sorting office opens earlier than the Post office and is on my way to work so would be very handy. I would also need the proof of postage stamping.

adam2484 · 18 May 2011 at 10:15PM

You can but don't expect them to be happy chappies. They can accept and give you a cop. They should too.

Just out of interest why don't people use the PO. I enjoy the conversations I have with the postmaster and usually get some useful info especially on currency rates. The PO usually know tomorrows rate at about 3pm. They also sell me my sterling travellers cheques commission free etc.

soolin · 18 May 2011 at 10:21PM

My local mail centre is absolutely delighted to accept my items, I take a bag or sack full each day all pre stamped and with pre printed COPs, they just take the sack and stamp my cops.

Adam I can't answer for everyone but I always used to use two or three different post offices. However none of them have any parking at all so I struggle on 'good ' days. Then the nearest one refuses to send anything over a sliver as a large letter so it was costing me a fortune to send everything as a packet. My Crown PO relocated to WH Smiths, has technical break downs on regular occurances and 40 minute queues. They dislike 2nd class mail and lecture me every time i go in about how it is worthless and i need 1st class recorded.

So my local mail centre are wonderful, I buy them booze at Christmas and chocolate at Easter, I can park outside and they are friendly and welcoming. My items go straight into the sorting cages and most of my 2nd class gets there next day, what more could I ask?

spookylukey · 18 May 2011 at 11:04PM

Thank you both, I will update tomorrow whether they accepted it then!

adam2484 wrote: »

Just out of interest why don't people use the PO. I enjoy the conversations I have with the postmaster and usually get some useful info especially on currency rates.

In general I do use the Post office but as they don't open until 9am and the sorting office is open from 7am I will be able to drop my parcel in before work. Also as I have pre-paid the postage a half hour wait in a queue for no reason doesn't appeal

There are two PO's close to me, in one of them all the staff are always happy and friendly, no matter how long the queue. I would never take Paypal postage to them out of courtesy as I know they don't get commision from PP postage.

The other one is run by a dragon and a dragon in training, I am a person of firm nature and am never rude to people but they way they bark orders at you and shout at you if you don't know their procedures has me frightened to go in there! If I was rude or stroppy I sort of expect it back but I'm alays polite and friendly so really don't expect to be treated like dragon's prey!

Eg asking for proof of postage for an Australia bound parcel AFTER I handed it to them - never again :eek::eek::eek: I know to ask for UK proof of postage in advance so they can print it from the machine but as the Australia one was sent Airmail I presumed there would be some sort of print out for it automatically so when I realised there wasn't and had the audacity to ask for a proof of postage the dragon nearly burnt my eyebrows :eek:

On the same visit I also heard them shouting at an OAP who was looking down trying to find the money in her purse whilst asking for a book of stamps as they said they couldn't hear her if she wasn't facing them. Fair comment maybe but they way the dragon shrieked at her was full of venom

adam2484 · 18 May 2011 at 11:18PM

I don't understand why some people have experiences like this. Do the po's not understand that being evil to customers is a sure fired way to lose custom which is what they complain they need so desperately to survive.

Lol @cop ... How could you not know that!!??

adam2484 · 18 May 2011 at 11:21PM

Also they may not be able to accept if they are a delivery office. sorting offices accept mail for postage

spookylukey · 18 May 2011 at 11:28PM

adam2484 wrote: »

I don't understand why some people have experiences like this. Do the po's not understand that being evil to customers is a sure fired way to lose custom which is what they complain they need so desperately to survive.

Lol @cop ... How could you not know that!!??

But the problem is that they know their services will always be required, no matter how rude they are to people. I know it must be a pretty thankless job but, and I had to resist telling the dragon this after the Oz incident, it's actually much less stressful being pleasant and not getting angry at the slightest thing. I do feel a bit sorry for them really as their whole day is spent being so bitter and angry, it must take it's toll on them!

The dragons den used to be the closest one to me and pretty much every time I was in there I witnessed surly and rude behaviour (from the dragons), if not always directly to me so it's not like they were just having a bad day

The other one is now closest to me and the man that runs it is always so cheerful and never gets stressed or flustered evn if there's a massive queue. They also started opening through lunch time as they said that by the time they put the little sign out and worked their way through the queue it was almost time to come back!

soolin · 19 May 2011 at 6:55AM

adam2484 wrote: »

Also they may not be able to accept if they are a delivery office. sorting offices accept mail for postage

Wait for custardy to confirm, but they are now all mail centres .

spookylukey · 19 May 2011 at 5:11PM

spookylukey wrote: »

Thank you both, I will update tomorrow whether they accepted it then!

It all went according to plan, walked in 10 mins after they opened with only one person in front of me. The guy behind the counter stamped my proof of postage and wished me a good day.

I also sold another item during the day (I had all the items I'm selling on buy it nows packaged up and in the boot of my car) and sorted out the online postage on my lunch break. I dropped that in on the way home from work, nobody in the queue and again taken from me with a smile. I think sorting/delivery offices, whatever they're called nowadays, are definitely the way to go for online postage.

AMO · 23 May 2011 at 1:46PM

Are sorting offices open on Sunday? I know they no longer collect from post boxes anymore. I mainly want to know because if there is one near me and its open on Sundays and they accept post, can't I drop off my LoveFilm DVDs there on a Sunday to get them turned around faster?

easyhost · 23 May 2011 at 5:18PM

i use the royal mail online postage print service to print labels, all recorded delivery which you still need a printed receipt for these. i order rols of rec del labels and postage books from the RM site and just place the small number label in the postbook and take these to my sorting office and they stamp the book page to say the items have been recieved

Paypal postage - can I drop at sorting office rather than Post office?

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