Royal Mail delivery times

custardy

vacheron said:

custardy said:

Spoke to someone in an office I know well today. 
Mail was busy but okay. however Special Delivery were through the roof.
The are always busy in the run up to Christmas but think more 3 to 4 times volumes year on year.

Probably a lot more people sending expensive gifts to relatives they would have normally seen in person.

Could be sending SD more for the insurance coverage than for the speed of delivery (thought that could certainly be a bonus given the current issues with the standard services). 

The days running up to Xmas SDs rise as people use it to get stuff there for Xmas.
Its generally a mix of everything. However volumes are massive this year.
Given Xmas eve is usually slaughtered with SDs,the volumes today hint it will be a doozy.

Silvertabby

misterthrifty said:

RM have suspended deliveries to Europe, couriers are struggling to get anything through but ebay still don't feel it is necessary to extend the delivery times! I'm guessing that just about anything that has recently been sent abroad (apart from Ireland) is going to be late so the INR's will start shortly....

Only if the buyers don't apply any common sense!

I bought a small item from a UK seller that e-bay reckoned should have arrived by last Saturday.  In view of what's going on, I intended to leave it until the last possible day before INR'ing it -  but it arrived safely today.  I said in the feedback that it had arrived on time, as the delay obviously wasn't the sellers fault.

soolin

Silvertabby said:

misterthrifty said:

RM have suspended deliveries to Europe, couriers are struggling to get anything through but ebay still don't feel it is necessary to extend the delivery times! I'm guessing that just about anything that has recently been sent abroad (apart from Ireland) is going to be late so the INR's will start shortly....

Only if the buyers don't apply any common sense!

I bought a small item from a UK seller that e-bay reckoned should have arrived by last Saturday.  In view of what's going on, I intended to leave it until the last possible day before INR'ing it -  but it arrived safely today.  I said in the feedback that it had arrived on time, as the delay obviously wasn't the sellers fault.

Many buyers are not using common sense though, I have had buyers asking about refunds on items sent 2nd class only 4 days previously. 

My post today arrived at 6.15 pm by someone in civvie clothes using what looks like a private car ! 

charlies_mum

Another two INRs today, to go with the two from yesterday.     I’m just refunding as they are Christmas related.    The good news is all my late delivery defects have been removed 

gt94sss2

custardy said

Given Xmas eve is usually slaughtered with SDs,the volumes today hint it will be a doozy.

Probably one reason why RM suspended the SD guarantee for anything posted today

soolin

Out of interest I have just done a quick check of items posted in December. It looks like nothing that I sent on the 7th or 8th December either parcel or Large letter has been delivered as none show delivery confirmation. 

EDIT:  I have also gone back and checked feedback received, and I do have a few items sent on the 7th and 8th which don't show as delivered but for which I have feedback left. 

I shall just have to wait to see if I get any more INRs

hermante

I posted 4 items on Monday in 2 different postboxes 2nd class and at least 3 of them arrived today Wednesday. London to the far ends of the country (Inverness, Cornwall, north Wales)

These days 70% of my buyers do not leave feedback, so it was a nice surprise to get confirmation so soon.

Items I bought last week sent 1st class have taken 5 working days to arrive here though.

charlies_mum

I have been left feedback for something posted yesterday by first class, so maybe Royal Mail have caught up now, or the new stuff is getting through and earlier items are still buried 

custardy

charlies_mum said:

I have been left feedback for something posted yesterday by first class, so maybe Royal Mail have caught up now, or the new stuff is getting through and earlier items are still buried 

Its not always so simple. 
Often with backlogs, mail can leapfrog items already in the network 

snooloui

If a buyer opens an INR case, I refund them and then the item subsequently arrives, is my only option to ask the buyer to make payment again and hope they do?