Purchasing Royal Mail Postage Online

GadgetGuru

I usually purchase my postage labels via eBay and then drop off to the Post Office.
However, having sold an item through an online forum, if I go to the Royal Mail website in order to purchase postage, while going through the steps I only get an option to arrange a free collection. 

While a free collection is great, I'm at work throughout the day and am close to a Post Office, so generally go during my lunch break - hence I don't want collection. However, on the RM site, although it states I can drop off at the Post Office, or a Post Box etc,  the only option is to organise a collection - I cant seem to uncheck this option.

Is this normal?
I guess I can organise a collection and then just drop off anyways, but this just means the postie wastes his time knocking on my door to find no-one home!

moonpenny

I too had a problem with this but someone advised the option to untick is right at the end.
Can't remember exactly but carry on ignoring the "collection bit and you will see the option to untick at the very end bit.

I think the form is badly laid out in this respect.

se2020

When you get to checkout you will see 2 items in the basket.
One is the parcel you just added, the other is the free collection.
You can delete the collection there I think 

GadgetGuru

Ah cool - thank you!!

mirko

se2020 said:

When you get to checkout you will see 2 items in the basket.
One is the parcel you just added, the other is the free collection.
You can delete the collection there I think 

This is the answer!

Took me ages the first time I did it to work it out. It's an awful user interface. It feels like they want to arrange a collection.

Printing my own postage and popping it in the parcel box has been a godsend over the last few years for me. A great service. Going into Post Offices that aren't always open when they say they are, and when they are open the queue stretches out of the door is not fun.

se2020

mirko said:

se2020 said:

When you get to checkout you will see 2 items in the basket.
One is the parcel you just added, the other is the free collection.
You can delete the collection there I think 

This is the answer!

Took me ages the first time I did it to work it out. It's an awful user interface. It feels like they want to arrange a collection.

Printing my own postage and popping it in the parcel box has been a godsend over the last few years for me. A great service. Going into Post Offices that aren't always open when they say they are, and when they are open the queue stretches out of the door is not fun.

I'm sure they do want to arrange the collections to get people into the habit.
According to my postman they are only free until the end of this month then they start charging.
It's only something like 70p so enough to keep people choosing collection but not enough to make them drive to the post office.
Postman says it should be a good earner for them, we are in a rural area and he collects about 120 a day.

soolin

se2020 said:

mirko said:

se2020 said:

When you get to checkout you will see 2 items in the basket.
One is the parcel you just added, the other is the free collection.
You can delete the collection there I think 

This is the answer!

Took me ages the first time I did it to work it out. It's an awful user interface. It feels like they want to arrange a collection.

Printing my own postage and popping it in the parcel box has been a godsend over the last few years for me. A great service. Going into Post Offices that aren't always open when they say they are, and when they are open the queue stretches out of the door is not fun.

I'm sure they do want to arrange the collections to get people into the habit.
According to my postman they are only free until the end of this month then they start charging.
It's only something like 70p so enough to keep people choosing collection but not enough to make them drive to the post office.
Postman says it should be a good earner for them, we are in a rural area and he collects about 120 a day.

The current ending for the scheme is 31/01/2024 but it has been extended twice before so it's possible it may well continue being free going forward.

If it is chargeable I suggest that the take up won't be as high as they hope as if it does turn into something like 50p -70p per item then that will price a lot of people out of the market as they will be competing with those who can still drop off at the PO. Buyers do look at costs, and if I can pay just £3.39 for fully tracked RM48 then I am a lot more competitive than someone who has to add another 70P + onto the cost (need to allow for ebay fees as well).

A lot of people on Vinted use collection by RM as for many it is the only service that collects (Vinted don't offer courier collection) , as the costs are fixed on Vinted, it is currently £3.49 (I think) for a small RM parcel, those sellers will also struggle if they choose collection. 

Incidentally If you have already bought postage then there is a form you can use to book the collection separately


Collection step 1 - Your items - Royal Mail Click & Drop | Send an item - Click. Save. We Collect

martindow

mirko said:This is the answer!

Took me ages the first time I did it to work it out. It's an awful user interface. It feels like they want to arrange a collection.

Printing my own postage and popping it in the parcel box has been a godsend over the last few years for me. A great service. Going into Post Offices that aren't always open when they say they are, and when they are open the queue stretches out of the door is not fun.

The disadvantage of popping items into the parcel box is that you won't have a proof of posting that you would get with a collection or by going to the PO.  You will still have the reference number which should show it has been delivered, though.

RedImp_2

martindow said:

mirko said:This is the answer!

Took me ages the first time I did it to work it out. It's an awful user interface. It feels like they want to arrange a collection.

Printing my own postage and popping it in the parcel box has been a godsend over the last few years for me. A great service. Going into Post Offices that aren't always open when they say they are, and when they are open the queue stretches out of the door is not fun.

The disadvantage of popping items into the parcel box is that you won't have a proof of posting that you would get with a collection or by going to the PO.  You will still have the reference number which should show it has been delivered, though.

I’ve never used it but RM always state you can get proof of posting for prepaid services if using a parcel post box ( I assume they scan them at the point of collection?)

moonpenny

When I have bought RM postage online (whether picked up or taken to the Post Office) I always get an email so assume that is as good as proof of posting.

jon81uk

martindow said:

mirko said:This is the answer!

Took me ages the first time I did it to work it out. It's an awful user interface. It feels like they want to arrange a collection.

Printing my own postage and popping it in the parcel box has been a godsend over the last few years for me. A great service. Going into Post Offices that aren't always open when they say they are, and when they are open the queue stretches out of the door is not fun.

The disadvantage of popping items into the parcel box is that you won't have a proof of posting that you would get with a collection or by going to the PO.  You will still have the reference number which should show it has been delivered, though.

You can get a form of proof on the Royal Mail app, you scan the item and scan the postbox location. Then one the post is collected and scanned by a post worker it updates and gives a proof of postage PDF in the app.