Warning - Royal Mail items are delayed in sorting centres for 8+ weeks, no seller protection

soolin

custardy said:

Im confident RM wont be chartering flights (big talks right now on drops in revenue,extra COVID19 spend,Rico going etc)
So alternatives will be whatever existing flights they can use.

That is my thoughts as well. When this started and both RM and eBay suggested using care when deciding which countries to ship to I mainly removed all non UK options, apart from GSP from my listings. I kept an eye on the announcements and it seemed that more and more countries were going on the warning list so although it cost me some sales I am happy I did so. I am however a naturally cautious person.

I am still selling via GSP, and have already had one buyer ask me where their item was- and was happy to turn it over the ebay to deal with. This week alone I've had 2 people, one Australian and one US ask if I would ship direct, but on the basis they are two of the problematic countries for me where people are 'happy' to wait and then open an INR the 1st day they can- I have declined. 

Pierre_De_Grenoble

Yet another refund to a Japanese customer who waited 40 days from date of purchase before raising a claim. a container could have got there in 3 weeks. its pointless me ranting but the airmail charge is to get it delivered to the destination country not to throw an item into a warehouse somewhere.

custardy

Pierre_De_Grenoble said:

Yet another refund to a Japanese customer who waited 40 days from date of purchase before raising a claim. a container could have got there in 3 weeks. its pointless me ranting but the airmail charge is to get it delivered to the destination country not to throw an item into a warehouse somewhere.

Yup,but the word air indicates flying.
Given theres a minute amount of planes flying then its a global issue
Your customer bought and you sold in a time where it was apparent anything relying on flights or just transit for that matter could be an issue.
Im not even risking basic postal/courier services in the UK right now. RM Tracked at a minimum

KxMx

I had a small box sent 15th from USA, via UPS, USPS then RM which arrived today.
Also had multiple letters posted last Wednesday arrive today. 

Pierre_De_Grenoble

yeah but the point I'm gently trying to raise is that surface (i.e. slow boat to China ) would probably have got there by now. RM would have made more profit shipping by surface (alternative arrangements) instead of waiting for non existent airplane hold space. I kinda think that not shipping at all is just  extracting the urine.

custardy

Pierre_De_Grenoble said:

yeah but the point I'm gently trying to raise is that surface (i.e. slow boat to China ) would probably have got there by now. RM would have made more profit shipping by surface (alternative arrangements) instead of waiting for non existent airplane hold space. I kinda think that not shipping at all is just  extracting the urine.

How do you know thats what happened?
Items could be stopped at various stages including their destination country.
So if its en route then what does RM do?

RFW

custardy said:

Pierre_De_Grenoble said:

yeah but the point I'm gently trying to raise is that surface (i.e. slow boat to China ) would probably have got there by now. RM would have made more profit shipping by surface (alternative arrangements) instead of waiting for non existent airplane hold space. I kinda think that not shipping at all is just  extracting the urine.

How do you know thats what happened?
Items could be stopped at various stages including their destination country.
So if its en route then what does RM do?

True. Every country will be having postal issues and international post often goes through several countries.

Pierre_De_Grenoble

To be honest I really don't know. I know from family experience that a big box boat in the late 70's did Southampton to Japan and back via the Gulf in both directions in approx. 7/8 weeks. I doubt that that timescale has lengthened. a 40ft box loaded in the UK for Japan will not go via other countries it'll be put on in a UK port and taken off in a Japanese port because that is how container shipping works.
Could it be held up by the Japanese postal service, yes of course it could, except that is not how the Japanese do things, 20 years of never ever losing a package to Japan and now 4 lost and a tracked item that took over 4 weeks as per a previous post. 
I just googled and a 40 ft box costs only £1700 to ship direct with a quoted transit time of 29 days.
As I said I'm not ranting but I do believe that RM are not even trying to fulfil their obligations re. mail to Japan

custardy

Pierre_De_Grenoble said:

To be honest I really don't know. I know from family experience that a big box boat in the late 70's did Southampton to Japan and back via the Gulf in both directions in approx. 7/8 weeks. I doubt that that timescale has lengthened. a 40ft box loaded in the UK for Japan will not go via other countries it'll be put on in a UK port and taken off in a Japanese port because that is how container shipping works.
Could it be held up by the Japanese postal service, yes of course it could, except that is not how the Japanese do things, 20 years of never ever losing a package to Japan and now 4 lost and a tracked item that took over 4 weeks as per a previous post. 
I just googled and a 40 ft box costs only £1700 to ship direct with a quoted transit time of 29 days.
As I said I'm not ranting but I do believe that RM are not even trying to fulfil their obligations re. mail to Japan

Maybe they are but any 'experience' you have doesn't really apply to now,does it?

megw

Did eBay shorten the timeframe for when a buyer can open a dispute recently? I have had 2 ignorant buyers open disputes for 2nd Class LL items that are 3 days late this week because eBay has listed the expected delivery time as 2-3 days when it seems to be taking more like 5-6 days from feedback I've been getting.

As a buyer, I'd never open a dispute for an item that is only a few days late, particularly during the pandemic, where I've allowed 2-3 weeks for some items to arrive as I understand there are delays. Frankly don't know what's up with people being so idiotic, but eBay should not allow disputes after only a few days of posting, and Royal Mail need to be more upfront about their true delivery times/delays.