Why does my Post Office always try to upsell postage?

Mindless_Clone

Just letting off steam and trying to see if this is a common problem.

Every time I go to post something through my local post office they always try and upsell the postage.
I took advantage of ebay's free listing last week to have a clear out and today have posted 6 parcels, ranging from a jiffy bag/large letter up to a 1.9kg parcel. None of them particularly expensive (all well under their £46 insurance limit) so none particularly need to go recorded or anything special. I listed them with 3-5 days postage and 2 day dispatch and all going to normal mainland UK addresses so there's plenty of lead time on the delivery. I'd already checked them on the kitchen scales so knew how much they should go for.
I get to the counter and start with the largest, stick it on the scales the conversation then goes:


Me: "Can I send this standard parcels please"

PO Assistant; - "First class recorded will be £9.somethingorother"

Me: "No, just a standard parcel. Should be £5.30 isn't it?"

PO Assistant: "Yes, but what's the value of the items? you really need to cover yourself in case of loss or damage."

Me: "Less than £46, I don't need additional insurance, nor recorded or tracking or anything else, jusr need to send them the cheapest option possible with proof of postage."

PO Assistant: "Well you know standard parcels can take a long time, are you sure. Might not get there for over a week?"

Me: "You're website states delivery aim is 3 days?"

PO Assistant: "Yes but it's not guaranteed. it often takes longer. If you send it first class..."

Me (interupting): "No, it's ok I want to send all these by the cheapest option please. How much for this one?"

PO Assistant: "£5.30"

Me (puts the next item on the scales): "Cheapest option again please."

PO Assistant: "First class?"

Me (through gritted teeth) "No The CHEAPEST option. All of this the cheapest option."



Lather, rinse and repeat for the next 4 parcels.

It's not the first time either. Every time I post anything it's always a battle to get them to just sell me the postage I ask for and I have to go through this "are you sure that's what you want" dance.

I'm just wondering, is it just my local post office that do this? Do the counters make some kind of commission out of the postage and, therefore, it's in their interests to upsell it or something?

elsien

They don't do it at my local post office, they just check the value then let me get on with it.
Clearly you've just got lucky with such helpful motivated staff.

Azari

I can say I have experienced the same thing, even though it's just a letter.

In that case asking for a COP seems to trigger the upselling.

It doesn't always happen, though.

Mindless_Clone

elsien wrote: »

They don't do it at my local post office, they just check the value then let me get on with it.
Clearly you've just got lucky with such helpful motivated staff.

:rotfl: I like your "glass half full" approach to it.

Good to know it's not just mine that do it. It's most irritating. I wonder how many people they catch who go to post stuff and don't have a clue what it's likely to cost.

mattyprice4004

That would really annoy me, the staff in my local hardly speak.

fluffnutter

Because the PO is a business motivated by profits and, like all such businesses, will try to sell you more than you want. Capitalism innit <shrugs>

pinkteapot

Mine does this and it drives me up the wall. I always ask for a specific service. Last week, I had to return a cheap item to an online shop and said "Please can I send this second class with proof of posting".

Cue 20 questions - Is it valuable? No. Is it urgent? No -second class is fine thanks. Do you want it to be signed for? No - or I'd have asked for recorded delivery.

I always have a dilemma when the person at the counter next to me is somebody who doesn't know the PO services and gets bamboozled into sending things by special delivery when they don't need to. It seems so rude to butt in and explain the differences in services clearly to them, but the tellers don't do it. :eek:

KxMx

I usually get this, but have never considered it upselling but them checking I am sending via an appropriate service, ie value not over £46.

pinkteapot

I wouldn't mind if it was like that KxMx, but the staff at mine are very vague and explain things poorly. I've heard them suggest to people that they need to use special delivery to have any insurance. That it won't get there next day unless they use special delivery...

HeadAboveWater

Yup. POs drive me up the wall too. Can't remember the exact date, but it was a Friday. Monday and Tuesday were bank holidays. Wanted to post a pressie to my friend in Glasgow (I'm NI). They said they could guarantee it to be there for Wednesday (after the bank holiday days), signed for and all that jazz, for some ridiculous amount - nearly £10.

I went for bog standard 2nd class for a couple of £.

My friend got her parcel the next morning (Saturday).

Lou67

LOL your post made me laff mindless clone :rotfl: This happens to me too. AND I keep getting asked if I want bloody insurance from them too, and when I say 'NO thank you,' they keep telling me about it. I SAID NO! :mad: