when does special delivery start to track?

soolin

Sent a parcel yesterday via standard (before 1pm) special delivery. It was going to a Scottish Isle so I am aware that it will take longer and is not guaranteed for next day however I thought it would show as being in the sytem now 24 hours later. However when I do an enquiry on track and trace I just get this:

Special Delivery™ 9am items are first tracked when they reached our mail centre. This may be late in the evening on the day the item was sent.
Information on your item is not yet available online.

Which is exactly the same message that I get when I put in a new unused special delivery number from my stock.

Is this right? I thought I should at least have something to say the number is logged or in the sytem or something..not just basically unused :eek:

Hintza

You should see a message such as "Your item is progressing through our network" Obviously their internal system will give more details if you were to phone them. I wouldn't sweat it until late tomorrow to be honest.

StaffsSW

Just out of interest, which Scottish Isle was it going to?
There was a large fire at a sorting office in Stornoway that has pretty much stopped the postal service in the islands.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7093997.stm

custardy

the fire is irrelvant as the SD items are scanned when they hit the mail centre
might be a glitch in the system soolin or even a failed collection from the post office.
unfortunatly the post office having a system not compatible with the RM tracking system doesnt help

soolin

OK just checked again and it still says exactly the same.

It is the Shetland Isles BTW. getting a wee bit worried now actually as it was an expensive item and I declined to use a courier as I thought paying RM would be the safer option.

soolin

incidentally, am currently holding for RM and their recorded message says that all backlog of mail has now been cleared except for London and liverpool.

custardy

load of rollocks they may have cleared the main backlogs from storage/mail centres but there is still (packets mainly) back logs in delivery offices

RM seem to be making a habit of brushing over cracks,manipulating information and figures and downright lies of late

soolin

I'm doomed and I'm sitting here shaking like a leaf..I can't decide if I am more upset or more angry.

I have just phoned RM cs re my special delivery item as it is still not showing in the system. I was told that RM have no record of it at all! I reasonably suggested that maybe I should just give it a while longer and maybe call back later today..and they were quite sure that this item is not traceable. I kept saying maybe I am too early (I was getting desperate) but they insist they have no record at all of this item and assuming I actually do have the stamped SD slip (which of course I do) then it can only mean that the package has been removed from the system before it was ever signed on to the tracking system.

They are going to send me a form out so I can supply full details of the item and packaging so they can start a search and an investigation..and then if it cannot be tracked I could *try* applying for compensation.

I know I have had problems in the past with RM and they are not my favourite people but I have always trusted special delivery..I was obviously wrong. Custardy if you are there..surely there is a chance that customer services are wrong isn't there and this is just delayed? What do they mean by never recorded on the system..does that mean that between me handing it in at my local Post office and it being received at the sorting office this has been lost or stolen? This is a large heavy item worth a few hundred pounds..it isn't something that could fall out of a mail bag as it is far too big and bulky.

I was also not amused when as a throwaway comment when I asked about compensation if item was deemed officially lost and was told that compensation is a long way off yet and is never guaranteed when using the SD service so shouldn't automatically assume it will be forthcoming....What?

Tea3

From Royal Mail Website:
If you use Special Delivery™ Next Day then your mail is automatically covered for up to £500 compensation. If you’re sending an item that’s more valuable then we advise that you increase your cover to £1,000 or £2,500, in the unlikely event that it is lost or damaged in transit.
http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400026&mediaId=22700558#13300264
(is section 4 on that link)

I think the person you spoke to was being careful just incase for some reason you could not claim - they did not want to commit themselves. I am sure that so long as you keep the proof of postage/special delivery slip safe and can provide proof of the value of the contents then you should be fine. Please keep a copy of all items sent to RM as they often request originals and it would not be the 1st (or 100th) time they've lost the paperwork and requested a copy.

soolin

Well it gets odder..RM still show my tracking number as not in the system but my buyer has just contacted me to say goods have just arrived and he is very very happy. He has also left positive feedback so I am happy it has arrived. I'm still concerned though that just in case paypal ever do a random check this item will show up as undelivered.

We appear to be running out of reputable carriers that can be trusted with heavy goods over a few hundred pounds in value, I'm not sure I will be as happy to trust RM again.

Tea3

Just as well you are an honest customer of RM - some others may have still gone ahead with the claim as royal mail claim to have lost the item - they must lose a fortune with non-tracked items like this!

At least your customer has the item now - its awful when it goes wrong with post as buyers nearly always seem to forget that its RM who caused the delay and not the seller lol - and dont get me started on the amount of buyers who think recorded means next day delivery..arghhh lol