Spectos/Royal Mail Monitoring and Posting Panel

silvercar

millie said:

I have posted 2 in 6 weeks back on the panel. I am having loads parcels with books delivered at least 2 parcels a week. Last week I had 2 parcels the same day with 2 books in each. I have had 3 parcels with DVDs in too. Its much easier to receive them than it is to post them though. Its a joke to for them to think the postmen do not know, I go from having maybe one or 2 letters per week and no parcels to suddenly getting a load of mail almost every day. 

Me too! The post man must realise.

I am posting about 1 parcel a week and one letter bundle. I'm receiving about 5 parcels and 6 letters.

kt01

ChotaPeg said:

Are other panellists getting mainly letters to post?  I'm over half way through my second 6-month stint on the live panel with Spectos and, as yet, have had no parcels to post.  I am wondering if this is only me, or whether the monitoring focus has shifted to letters.  Also, I am not complaining - do not miss the parcel post box / post office trips!    

Wouldn't be surprised because the vast majority of parcels are now Tracked (which isn't monitored by the survey). The survey is meant to represent "network volume" so if there are now a lot more letters over parcels (once tracked is excluded) then it probably doesn't need checking as much.

HonestJohn said:

silvercar said:

The difference in price between first and second astounds me, given than more often than not the service is the same.

I have found this for personal mail. I think it is different for business mail.

I think the only reason it's different for business mail is because the business is required to bundle 1st and 2nd separately when handing over. When you stick a letter in a post box someone has to manually separate them (which given low letter volumes, I suspect they can't be bothered to do anymore).

F1Fan said:

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what they do with all their stamps?  

Thanks.

Snozzle said:

I'm wondering when people are using their stamps...... I've just been to the post office to send a letter 1st class signed for putting a 1st class large stamp on it and having money to pay the difference so the post office at least makes a little from me.  Only for the post person to say that if I want to send anything either Tracked or Signed for, the only way is by buying the postage online or prepay for it at the post office and they print a label (paying the full amount).  No stamps can now be used.  I was advised to go home and remove the 1st class large stamp and put on a simple 1st class stamp and get a proof of posting.

They were also saying that I can't send parcels anymore by putting on some of the large 1st class stamps and paying the difference for the same reason that they can no longer enter a prepaid amount for the stamps.  Has anyone else come across this?

Looks like I can only use the 1st class stamps to send letters and large letters.

Beginning to think the stamps we are being issued are soon going to be worthless as everything is being moved online (unless we can eventually cash them in and create a credit balance on a post office online account??

Still using mine send out eBay parcels.

If Post Office is confused, tell them they need to select the service as if you are just posting as normal, and after pressing that, there is an option that says "prepaid amount" on their Horizon terminal. They then enter in the amount you have "paid" with stamps. This will produce a label reduced by the amount you prepaid with a 2D barcode that may or may not be scanned.

You can use stamps towards 1st/2nd (inc Signed For)/Special Delivery/International services - NOT Tracked 24/48.

lesleyb

millie said:

I have posted 2 in 6 weeks back on the panel. I am having loads parcels with books delivered at least 2 parcels a week. Last week I had 2 parcels the same day with 2 books in each. I have had 3 parcels with DVDs in too. Its much easier to receive them than it is to post them though. Its a joke to for them to think the postmen do not know, I go from having maybe one or 2 letters per week and no parcels to suddenly getting a load of mail almost every day. 

I wrap the books, DVDs and CDs back up in the bag or envelope they came in and post them back into the post box just out Spectos Freepost on the parcel.

millie

lesleyb said:

millie said:

I have posted 2 in 6 weeks back on the panel. I am having loads parcels with books delivered at least 2 parcels a week. Last week I had 2 parcels the same day with 2 books in each. I have had 3 parcels with DVDs in too. Its much easier to receive them than it is to post them though. Its a joke to for them to think the postmen do not know, I go from having maybe one or 2 letters per week and no parcels to suddenly getting a load of mail almost every day. 

I wrap the books, DVDs and CDs back up in the bag or envelope they came in and post them back into the post box just out Spectos Freepost on the parcel.

I have a neighbour who is happy to take all the books, she keeps the ones she likes and takes the others to a group she goes to for older people. She says they are almost fighting over them there. I did used to post them back but it involved a trip to the post office as the postbox slot only takes one book. I had 2 more today. I now have 8 to give her this week

ChotaPeg

This is so interesting - we are having really different experiences as panellists.  I am probably posting one bundle a week, sometimes only three in a month and always letters.  In terms of what I receive I am getting two or three test items per week, again only letters.  It makes clocking up points to get to a voucher a bit slow, but at least I am not dealing with piles of post each week.  I feel for those of you getting loads!

Moll

ive recieved a sack to post,  It already has the red PPI label tie wrapped on it , I know i just give this over the counter at  the post office  but do i give them the white printed form too ??? attach it to the bag ??  just hand them the sack and paper over seperatly ?? hope you know what i mean , Thanks for any help

savergrant

Moll said:

ive recieved a sack to post,  It already has the red PPI label tie wrapped on it , I know i just give this over the counter at  the post office  but do i give them the white printed form too ??? attach it to the bag ??  just hand them the sack and paper over seperatly ?? hope you know what i mean , Thanks for any help

Did you receive a cover letter with it, with the qr code to scan when you have despatched it? Instructions are on the back of the letter.

NBLondon

I'm on UA this week and a rare occurrence - the same item came two days in a row so I got to enter it in a whole new section of the app.  (Yes - I get amused by little novelties...)  I'm now waiting for the non-existent Bosch clothes trimmer leaflet again.

MikeyPGT

NBLondon said:

I'm on UA this week and a rare occurrence - the same item came two days in a row so I got to enter it in a whole new section of the app.  (Yes - I get amused by little novelties...)  I'm now waiting for the non-existent Bosch clothes trimmer leaflet again.

I really, really want to get that clothes trimmer too ...

ChotaPeg

CDM invite in the app...