Seller blaming Christmas for delay

theonlywayisup

~~Diane~~ wrote: »

Thanks for the replies and opinions. Although I would have expected an item that is nothing more than a letter to arrive, I would understand if it was a parcel. But I will wait a little longer.

Thanks again.

But you don't know it's route, regardless of size, it may end up/transit through somewhere where there is already a backlog.

campdave

It's two days "late".

As a seller, I ask all buyers to wait at least a week from posting if stuff doesn't arrive. Delays happen year round, not just at Christmas.

First class never is, and never has been next day delivery. You were provided with a delivery estimate, not a guarantee.

ballisticbrian

I might have waited a little longer if I hadn't received an order I placed yesterday posted 2nd class. Everything else ordered since last Saturday (15 items) arrived on or before expected.

There's no point of comparing receipt of one item and marking another by it. They most probably take different routes around the country and go through different sorting and you're making a sweeping assumption that the "mail speed" is the same everywhere like all coming in on homing pigeons.

charlies_mum

Christmas is definitely affecting the post.


I have a parcel which took nine days to arrive by second class, and something in an ordinary letter sized envelope which was posted on 28th November, and still hasn't arrived.

MsBlonde

Not only Christmas, but theres been flooding too... thats surely to effect it?

IsabelleJ

1st class isn't guaranteed at any time of year, I've had letters take almost a week to arrive. I don't think the fact that it's a letter makes a lot of difference - half the things that are posted at this time of year are letters, so they certainly contribute to the slow down.

My Post Office has been absolutely manic for the last 10 days, with queues going out of the door. Lots of people I know get their posting out of the way well before now. So yes, Christmas is definitely in full swing for Royal Mail!

Isabelle

donnac2558

I bought a lipstick last Monday it was shipped second class Tuesday. No sign of it, but I am giving until tomorrow before contacting the seller. My normal post has been arriving on time with no problems.

So wondering if the postie will suit antique pink.:rotfl:?

martindow

Perhaps custardy can explain how it works. Is it possible that when too much post arrives in a sorting office and cannot be dealt with in time, the next day's post will stack up on top of it and will be dealt with first. Whatever is buried at the back of the pile has to wait until the rush dies down. This would explain the phenomenon already mentioned of post arriving either very quickly or taking a week or more with nothing in between.

custardy

martindow wrote: »

Perhaps custardy can explain how it works. Is it possible that when too much post arrives in a sorting office and cannot be dealt with in time, the next day's post will stack up on top of it and will be dealt with first. Whatever is buried at the back of the pile has to wait until the rush dies down. This would explain the phenomenon already mentioned of post arriving either very quickly or taking a week or more with nothing in between.

Depends what you mean by sorting office.
The reality is their is the standard network. Mail flows through its standard process & stops to the Mail Centres & Delivery offices throughout the year.

Then comes Christmas (starting in November in reality for RM)
You add additional packet sorting centres and this is (IME) where most delays occur.
MCs have enough mail for their feeds to DO's,so the packets in the sorting centres arent moved as efficiently or connected as well.
This can be how a packet from a certain date is delayed but one posted after goes straight through.

This year however you have other factors. The floods (for My local area) the Forth Road Bridge is closed and will be for quite some time.
Agency staff in MCs without the same knowledge for sorting.
Then you have the massive staffing cuts.
In Central Scotland(and other areas),Whistl were to hit the ground doing mail deliveries.
So RM pushed through voluntary redundancies and froze recruitment.
Then Whisl pulled out of mail deliveries altogether and RM is left with a very tight operation.

~~Diane~~

Yes it is paper thin and less than half the size of A4, bought the item before from an other seller.

Sorry replying to Custardy, should have been quoted.