Can you be a second class friend? Poll Discussion

V_Chic_Chick

irishwench69 wrote: »

To be fair, I'd probably be in the same camp as most of your friends......

While it *is* the thought that counts, I just end up recycling cards anyway, so a letter in with a pressie, or in fact a call / text then a pressie when I next see them..........

Meh, cards just seem a bit of a waste these days - wait till you get started with the whole xmas cards discussion........ :eek:

IW x

The :rolleyes: emote was because this discussion has happened a couple of times after having been presented with a gift and no card . . . some people seem to think we're made of money (most of my mates have more money than me) when we are most definately not.

The xmas cards that get sent to all and sundree (sp?) are either cheapy wilkinsons / tesco / charity multipacks or slightly nicer ones bought in the January sales

Contains_Mild_Peril

safetygirl wrote: »

I was told a few months ago that there is no differentiation between the different class of stamps i.e. first or second because the post office no longer sorts the letters out between classes. Therefore anything sent either first or second class will both be delivered at the same time, and as first class has to be delivered the next day, then all post is effectively sent first class.

1st class doesn't have to be delivered next day: only Special Delivery (which is much too expensive for a birthday card unless it contains money or something!) is guaranteed next delivery. The PO aims to deliver 1st class mail next day, and claims to do so with over 95% of it.
I've posted 2nd class mail from Scotland late afternoon and had it arrive in London the following morning, but I've also had 1st class mail travellling the same distance take over a week. I'm not convinced 1st class normally gets there faster, but there may have been recent changes to the system because Royal Mail's website used to claim that 2nd class mail took 1-3 days (as opposed to 1-2 days for 1st class), but now it says 2nd class takes 3+ days.
If I received a birthday card on or before my birthday, I'd be unlikely to notice the stamp: I'd just be happy that my friend remembered my birthday and sent me a card.
I might occasionally notice with business mail, e.g. if I apply for a job and get a reply with a 2nd class stamp, I expect it to contain a rejection letter, whereas a 1st class stamp suggests a strong possibility of an interview.
I don' think I have any friends snobby enough to feel offended by a 2nd class stamp on a card which arrives in good time.

Imelda

One of my friends sent me a b'day card with NO stamp on- it cost me £1.30- odd to get it from the post office. What does that say?

nzmegs

I had a word to our business postie the other day and he told me that "tomorrows post was already in the sorting office" and he warned me that there was loads. So I am thinking that the 2nd class stuff had already arrived but they held it back to the next day. So I am assuming all the post goes at the same time and extra effort is made to keep 2nd class back for a day. So actually 2nd class probably costs them more to process.....

When it comes to cards - I no longer buy them. I go to the Hallmark website and they allow you to down load a selection of cards and print them off. I think cards are overpriced and kind of pointless. If you want to say something really meaningful then ok - but just the usual "dear so and so, love such and such". Means nothing at all!

karen_j_2

Hi all
sorry if i make a mistake completely new to all this, as in the last half hour new! Not very good with computers either! anyway I used to work for Royal Mail and i can tell you it is just as likely for first and second class to get there at the same time. I have worked delivering and in the sorting office and all mail is sorted together. Did you also know that recorded mail is also sorted with normal mail, If it gets lost etc you just get compensated. so anything that you really do not want to lose, personal etc should really go special delivery. Believe me as sorters or delivery posties really haven't got time to sort and Royal Mail get more money for the junk that comes through the door and it gets just as much priority sometimes more than real mail

katesohm

I use second class stamps on all my birthday cards because i write them at the begining of the month and place them by the front door with the date of the birthday on a post it note on them with a 3 day gap marked with the posting date so that they arrive on time allowing for the 2nd class stamp.......... had never thought that some one would be offended by a stamp - thought they would just be pleased i remembered and made the effort ---- strange world

isofa

Am I the only one who thinks it's ridiculous that Royal Mail still actually sort and prioritise mail into first and second class? Surely there should just be a single stamp for a given max size/weight - you post the item and it gets delivered as quickly as possible. It must show great inefficiencies in a company that can't deliver everything roughly at the same time. Surely by sorting into first and second class they are adding an extra step anyway? It costs them exactly the same to sort and deliver an item regardless of the class of stamp...

Contains_Mild_Peril

Imelda wrote: »

One of my friends sent me a b'day card with NO stamp on- it cost me £1.30- odd to get it from the post office. What does that say?

You have a very scatterbrained friend?

eyelinerprincess

I don't even notice the stamp tbh. As long as it gets here, I don't care.

mountainofdebt

Personally I thought that there should have been a fourth option for this poll......that if they use a 2nd class stamp and it gets there in time then the card wasn't a last minute after thought.