Royal mail consultation on increasing small parcel size

ballisticbrian

Collect + and MyHermes were merely following the leader. You can't blame them for that. It's just rational market behaviour.

Why would a business undercut by 2x when they can undercut by 0.5x for a similar market share. That would be idiotic.

I think the issue there is firstly, people viewed these budget services as a bit of a real alternative, if not a revolution, and then it turned out their prices were just pegged on RM. And secondly, in a press release, My Hermes were asked, "are you just cashing in on RMs price hikes?" and they resoundingly said "NO". So, were they honest with us, or will they just adjust their prices again following RMs size changes?

After all, My Hermes customers don't like being jerked around just like RM customers don't.

soolin

ballisticbrian wrote: »

I think the issue there is firstly, people viewed these budget services as a bit of a real alternative, if not a revolution, and then it turned out their prices were just pegged on RM. And secondly, in a press release, My Hermes were asked, "are you just cashing in on RMs price hikes?" and they resoundingly said "NO". So, were they honest with us, or will they just adjust their prices again following RMs size changes?

After all, My Hermes customers don't like being jerked around just like RM customers don't.

The time frame of notice for the MyHermes price rise really upset people as they announced the increases with about 7days notice. many of us had auctions running with bids and it was too late to change the prices.

anotheruser

£10 with RM - 2nd class.
£4.50 with My Hermes (through Parcel2Go) - 2 day tracked.

I know which one I will pick.

RM need to reduce their prices or they will end up going out of business.

joshgeake

Something to remember is that the Small Parcel dimensions are not changing, it's the Small Parcel *Exception* size that's *hopefully* changing.

So where before you could fit a strangely wide but shallow box, now you'll be able to send a shorter, narrower but deeper box.

Putting aside the fact that plenty of us will be able to save money on postage, I'd argue that they're making their tariff more complicated. So as with now, if you're selling a board game or puzzle (something that's large and light), you're still going to be better off using MyHermes or Collect+.

Royal Mail used to be good because it was simple, people could go to the post office and send a parcel reliably, cheaply and easily. Pensioners could say they 'knew where they stood with Royal Mail'. This is progressively becoming the opposite.

martindow

joshgeake wrote: »

Putting aside the fact that plenty of us will be able to save money on postage, I'd argue that they're making their tariff more complicated. So as with now, if you're selling a board game or puzzle (something that's large and light), you're still going to be better off using MyHermes or Collect+.

Assuming it is under 16cm thick these will go by RM for £2.60 for up to 1kg if the new sizing starts on 28th. I don't think My Hermes or Collect Plus will match that.

soolin

Unfortunately a lot of my items are more 'square' and none of the sides are less than the 6 inch limit that will still be in force on at least one side. However, I do have a new line that will be perfect for the new exception as it is almost exactly shoe box size....

Road_Hog

anotheruser wrote: »

RM need to reduce their prices or they will end up going out of business.

RM are being privatised by the EU. The EU wants to take control of all major services. 80% of all UK legislation comes from the EU.

Like other service industries, such as energy supppliers and telecoms, the EU wants pan European wide companies that it can take control of. It doesn't want independent sovereign nation industries.

There is an EU directive that the RM must be sold off, and then either Deutsche Post or TNT will buy it. The EU wants trans-national corporations that control most of the EU market, which they in turn can control.

paulofessex

My postmaster told me today that the new sizing means that anything up to the size of a shoe box up to 1kg will go as small parcel. He was reading the info from a white internal booklet, he didn't get a chance to tell me when it comes into force.

thebestnameshavegone

My local post office asked me yesterday if I'd heard anything 'from the ebay forums' as they haven't yet been told an official date - apparently ebayers usually know before they do!!

luvvlyjubbly

The lady in my post office says it comes into effect on Monday....so just come here to check....all a bit slow of the mark for letting us now but fantastic news if it is.