Royal Mail delivery times

soolin

RFW said:

I've sent about 1000 parcels in the second lockdown and am not seeing anywhere near as bad as the first time around, so far only one complaint. That said I have longer estimates on delivery and send everything first class when it's listed as second.
On mail being received it's erratic, 2 or 3 deliveries per week seems to be the norm. Oddly, Saturday saw us get 3 RM deliveries, 2 separate parcel deliveries and regular post.

This is something we've noticed as well, some days every week with no post, then occasionally two deliveries on the same day - it's very weird.

custardy

soolin said:

RFW said:

I've sent about 1000 parcels in the second lockdown and am not seeing anywhere near as bad as the first time around, so far only one complaint. That said I have longer estimates on delivery and send everything first class when it's listed as second.
On mail being received it's erratic, 2 or 3 deliveries per week seems to be the norm. Oddly, Saturday saw us get 3 RM deliveries, 2 separate parcel deliveries and regular post.

This is something we've noticed as well, some days every week with no post, then occasionally two deliveries on the same day - it's very weird.

In RMs defence. They are adapting and implementing new parcel delivery processes.
So a 2nd parcel delivery could be accelerating parcels that were late into the pipeline and traditionaly wouldnt have made delivery that day.
Eg in Edinburgh the days mail is in delivery offices by 0730/0800. If I get a DPD parcel,they are still getting parcels into their depot after 11am.
So Rm are bringing in later runs to mop up traffic or (for example) offer Amazon direct injection to RMs network later in the day.In the Edinburgh area we have the large Amazon warehouse in Dunfermline and the large mailing depot in Wishaw.

molerat

Small parcels here delivered in OK time from all over - quicker than the Hermes ones !.  Sent a 1st large letter from N Scotland to a CT post code and arrived next day even though the RM site was showing as delivery delays for that post code

soolin

soolin said:

charlies_mum said:

For the first time ever, I am about to drop from Top rated to Above Standard as I have so many Late delivery defects.   11 for this month so far.    Beginning to wonder why I pay so much postage to Royal Mail every month.   I understand they are struggling, but why not be honest about it.   

I know your volumes are vastly higher than mine but might you have issues with your local office who take them in? I am still showing no late defects at all (although that does of course tempt fate to slap me down and no doubt this time next week I shall be on here lamenting I'm at 3% or something  ) despite my incoming post being poor. I don't know why I'm showing no lates, I know some of my stuff must be late, and as I always upload delivery confirmation numbers at point of despatch, ebay must know that as well. I am showing a 2 day dispatch on my business account but posting same or next day, but the past couple of weeks I haven't even been doing that- my mid week sales have been so poor that I haven't gone to the PO every day, I tend to only go daily when I have a lot of facebook items to post. 

As per my bit about fate slapping me down- I have just had an INR opened, package sent 2nd class on Monday and buyer seems a bit cross as my 'tracking' number doesn't even show it has been taken to the PO yet. I don't use tracking, my numbers are delivery confirmation and as he is a high feedback user I would have thought he might realise that- before accusing me of not posting. 

So this was an item, sent a day early, 2nd class as per the listing and in these times hardly 'very' late.

My sales are so bad as well that I will end up making peanuts this week if I end up refunding this one, all I can say is thank heavens for facebook sales.

ballisticbrian

RFW said:

I've sent about 1000 parcels in the second lockdown and am not seeing anywhere near as bad as the first time around, so far only one complaint. That said I have longer estimates on delivery and send everything first class when it's listed as second.
On mail being received it's erratic, 2 or 3 deliveries per week seems to be the norm. Oddly, Saturday saw us get 3 RM deliveries, 2 separate parcel deliveries and regular post.

Thats the thing RFW, you've made some pretty big changes there that will effect (I assume) every single listing you've got. But the changes to dispatch time will also eliminate from your catchment of buyers everyone looking for things ultra quickly and the most likely to complain.

charlies_mum

I’ve had a parcel arrive today that was posted by first class on 4th November !     I have spoken with eBay several times about Delivery times but they are adamant that there is no problem and I need to improve my shipping times.     

molerat

I suspect larger business customers may be prioritised over general mail as they are the ones likely to go elsewhere.  My Amazon marketplace order - the same supplier has over 247K ebay feedback so not too small a business - posted yesterday from S Wales and arrived this morning N Scotland.

custardy

molerat said:

I suspect larger business customers may be prioritised over general mail as they are the ones likely to go elsewhere.  My Amazon marketplace order - the same supplier has over 247K ebay feedback so not too small a business - posted yesterday from S Wales and arrived this morning N Scotland.

Unlikely. Outwith collection mail getting direct injection into mail centres it doesnt really work that way.
However often large sellers do have clear easy to read labels. leading to easy 'quick win' sorting in MCs.
So if they are struggling,human nature will gravitate to the easy sort.

molerat

Looks like 5 days a week delivery has been given the nod by OFCOM. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/nov/26/royal-mail-closer-to-ending-saturday-letter-deliveries-after-ofcom-review

Spoonie_Turtle

molerat said:

Looks like 5 days a week delivery has been given the nod by OFCOM. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/nov/26/royal-mail-closer-to-ending-saturday-letter-deliveries-after-ofcom-review

It talks about letter delivery, then later on says parcel delivery is only obligated for 5 days yet they do 6. So if they scrap letter delivery, does that mean the 6th day of parcel delivery goes with it? Just checking that I'm understanding correctly.