Royal Mail delivery times

elsien

Second class item marked as expect within 5 days. It finally turned up on about 7 days after despatch. 

I’m also getting deliveries late afternoon instead of my usual 9 am time. 

charlies_mum

Just had a message from a buyer to say her item posted 1st December, arrived today.     She hadn’t opened a case, but 12 others have and she is the only buyer to acknowledge receipt.

I’ve  gone over to first class as the six working days for second class won’t work for my buyers and I’m not convinced eBay will reflect this change.  

[Deleted User]

I was in PO today. Heard one member of staff say to someone 1st class is the only guarantee to get there by Christmas and another tell someone only SD would guarantee by Christmas. No idea what they were posting. 

Spoonie_Turtle

MarkN88 said:

I was in PO today. Heard one member of staff say to someone 1st class is the only guarantee to get there by Christmas and another tell someone only SD would guarantee by Christmas. No idea what they were posting. 

Or to where (domestic / international).

custardy

elsien said:

Second class item marked as expect within 5 days. It finally turned up on about 7 days after despatch. 

I’m also getting deliveries late afternoon instead of my usual 9 am time. 

If 9am is your 'usual' time then you are in a pretty good position.
In most offices running current delivery designs they would still be in the office at 9am with delivery norms being past 3pm finish.

soolin

WLM21 said:

I was in my local PO today and the chap told me there are serious delays. I expected that really but was surprised to learn it is taking up to 2 weeks for 2nd class parcels to arrive now and a week for some 1st class parcels.
If a buyer opens a case for no delivery of goods what should the procedure be regarding refunds etc.
A few months ago I refunded an angry buyer after about 2 weeks just so they wouldn't leave me a 'negative' About a week later I saw that the parcel had eventually been delivered. I sent a message and even contacted eBay on the matter but never got a payment.The buyer therefore got the goods and the money. I did block her but it was annoying

There is nothing we sellers can do really to protect ourselves. If we don’t refund in a timely manner once a case is open we lose all of our fees and get a defect, so all we can do is wait until the last minute and then refund. When item arrives later then all we can do is hope the buyer will repay, I've only ever had one refund as far as I can remember. 

mimi1234

I had a few bits and pieces on eBay but I've taken the lot off.  All these stories of items going missing or taking forever to reach their destination is freaking me out a bit. 

I sent a gift card to a friend 1st class 2 weeks ago.  I was going to send it signed for but completely forgot when at the PO.  I know if it went missing, RM don't cover gift cards.  Anyway, it took a whole 2 weeks to get delivered and that was a first class letter!  

Another item I sold about a month ago, I sent signed for.  The buyer opened a case a week later and I refunded them.  The RM website is saying the barcode I am trying to track is not known.  I wonder what that's about?  I sent it at a PO and they gave me a receipt with the barcode on.  Why would it say not known?  I will have to put in a claim to RM at some point.  

KxMx

I sent a Signed For letter last month on a Friday which recipient confirmed arrived on the Monday. 

Royal Mail never gave me any updates beyond "we've got it" so while I understand signatures are not being taken, no delivery confirmation either as their should have been. 

Wasted my money, currently awaiting a reply from RM as to how I claim the fee back.

Lack of signature claims are disallowed and the only other option on their forms is lost. 

[Deleted User]

KxMx said:

I sent a Signed For letter last month on a Friday which recipient confirmed arrived on the Monday. 

Royal Mail never gave me any updates beyond "we've got it" so while I understand signatures are not being taken, no delivery confirmation either as their should have been. 

Wasted my money, currently awaiting a reply from RM as to how I claim the fee back.

Lack of signature claims are disallowed and the only other option on their forms is lost. 

The post man/woman should still be putting something into their pad. Mine had no signature but showed “XPI” in the signature box. 

soolin

I do appear to be getting delivery confirmation on both parcels and large letters but looking at dates it appears that parcels are taking around 5 -7 days on average but large letters 8-10 days - and that's a huge worry. I currently have a 3 day dispatch on, and looking at one of my items ebay show that with that 3 day dispatch and 2nd class postage the item is estimated on or before the 21st - which is barely possible. I suspect anything sent large letter after today is unlikely to be guaranteed by Christmas unless things improve.

I am as usual dithering and trying to decide whether to just slam a 5 day dispatch on (which of course no one reads) or close entirely.

It isn't just ebay buyers either, sold something on etsy yesterday and despite already having a 4 day dispatch on there someone asked if they would definitely get it by this Friday as they needed to post it on as a gift in with other items- and the last posting date was Friday. Facebook buyers are marginally better, but not much, I sell a lot on there but proportionally get fewer complaints, although I do get the occasional person who buys at 4pm and wonders if it will arrive next day!