Does anyone use the Royal Mail "Fast Drop" Service?

supersaver09

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1?catId=95800965&mediaId=95801020

Just found out that this is now free....(i think it used to be 25p per item or something).
Anyway, does anyone use ths service to post their Ebay items?
If so, is it any good and what do you actually receive as a Certificate of Posting?

Thanks for all replies.

custardy

Im pretty sure it was always free?

supersaver09

custardy wrote: »

Im pretty sure it was always free?

Nope, it was 25p per item (see posts 1 and 4 https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2490205)

I also remember seeing the 25p per item cost on the R.Mail website last year (which is why i didn't use the service).
They've obviously clocked that no-one wanted to pay the 25p charge , so are now offering the service for free.

p.s I see you actually posted on that thread (post 3) and didn't mention it being free at the time.

custardy

old age kicking in

Sally22_2

It is a good service as you can skip the queue and go straight to the Fast Drop counter. Basically you pay online and print a slip of paper out which will have buyer/senders address on and a barcode. You also print off your proof of postings, so we take the items from you and date stamp your proof of postings and away you go.

Tigsteroonie

Sally22 wrote: »

It is a good service as you can skip the queue and go straight to the Fast Drop counter. Basically you pay online and print a slip of paper out which will have buyer/senders address on and a barcode. You also print off your proof of postings, so we take the items from you and date stamp your proof of postings and away you go.

Is the Fast Drop counter permanently manned? Or does a member of staff come over to it when they finish serving their current customer (so you queue jump)?

I've noticed that our local PO has a specific Fast Drop point, but there's never a member of staff stood there waiting for custom. I'd like to know if it works as a "queue jumper", as the queues in our PO are horrendous.

Sally22_2

Hmm well in our Post Office it is in Position 1 which is 99% manned all the time. Obviously they are usually serving from the main queue, so the FD customer would 'queue jump' and stand behind the customer they are currently serving or just go straight to the parcel hatch. (Same with the Bureau position in our office, they call from the main queue but if there is a Bureau customer, they are also able to 'queue jump' and they wait behind the customer being servied at that position.)

If there is no one manning the position, the Fast Drop customer still would go to the Fast Drop Position/Parcel Hatch and the next available clerk would deal with you instead. We dont get many FD customers though to be fair, and most of the time they are regulars so we recognise them as being FD customers. We are quite a small office (5 counters and only 7 staff + manager) so we all know who the regulars are.

Tigsteroonie

Thanks for the explanation, Sally. I might start using this facility in future

supersaver09

Sally22 wrote: »

It is a good service as you can skip the queue and go straight to the Fast Drop counter. Basically you pay online and print a slip of paper out which will have buyer/senders address on and a barcode. You also print off your proof of postings, so we take the items from you and date stamp your proof of postings and away you go.

My local PO is on the "Fast Drop" list but only has a regular hatch which is un-manned. (usually only 1 or 2 counter-staff available).
So basically, i'd still have to wait for a Member of Staff to come to me to have the proof of postings stamped [for them to be valid]? Do they still have to check how many packages i have etc. before stamping the P.O.P?
With only 1 or 2 staff on-hand, not sure how that'd work if there's 20 people waiting in the queue.

amcluesent

I tried to use it, but as of a few months back no-one at the PO had a clue about it. This was a central London PO!

custardy

amcluesent wrote: »

I tried to use it, but as of a few months back no-one at the PO had a clue about it. This was a central London PO!

did they offer fastdrop in that branch?