How accurate are PO scales?

highlighter

I've just been to my local post office to send an item to a buyer. I weighed the item on my home (kitchen) scales and the envelope came in at 50g, now just because i was next to be served and waiting to buy stamps i just weighed it again on the PO scales and it read about 82g :eek:.

This is the first time ive used that particular PO and the scales are prob correct, however no way what i was posting felt like it weighed over 80g- I dont think my phone weights much more!! :rolleyes:

Anyone had any similar experiences with PO scales being inaccurate? I could be major cynical here but ill wait for some replys first :rotfl:

katiepops_2

As far as I know the post office scales are meant to be recalibrated once a week so that they are always accurate. Before I got my franking machine I used to take all my parcels to the post office for weighing. On several occasions after the franchise on that particular post office had been taken over by someone else, I noticed that when I put anything on the scales the weight indicator would go up, then stop, then jump up even further! We started weighing parcels at home just to check, and sure enough, some of our parcels weighed less than the post office scales said they did. I wrote to Royal Mail and complained, and they 'investigated' and said that the owner of the post office was adamant that the scales were calibrated every week and that they were right.

However, you've got to remember that kitchen scales aren't necessarily the most accurate of things to weigh parcels on.

Kate

brantwood150

When I started to sell stuff that was sold by weight I bought some digital postal scales because I didn't want to fall foul of the Weights and Measures laws. Pretty cheap considering - I paid about £15 including postage on ebay for them.

They are always in agreement with the Post Office scales as well.

highlighter

katiepops wrote:

However, you've got to remember that kitchen scales aren't necessarily the most accurate of things to weigh parcels on.

Kate

yup totally agree, which is why i'm giving the benefit of doubt to the PO this time. However, i would be less reluctant to do this if the PO scales had say, weighed it at 10-12g more.

1jim

I sell childrens clothes via my website, we have special offers frequently and when we do we tend to sell a lot of the same items, i posted an identical t shirt (on consecutive days) in the same packing (a plastic mailing sack) and was charge different postal amounts at the same post office on each of the days, the post office could not explain it but assured me the scales were acurate!!!!!

Hermia

I did have some problems with a post office in my area. I regularly use about 4 different post offices and the parcels always weighed more at one particular post office. I was sending DVDs and CDs in DVD/CD packaging so the prices were always the same, except at this one post office (this happened over a period of a few weeks). I mentioned it to the girl behind the desk, but she said the scales were accurate. I never went back so I don't know whether it was a temporary blip.

Jellicle

I use digital scales at home ("Salter Electronic", about £40 new) - in fact I've got two of these electronic scales (should I sell one on eBay?) and they agree with each other perfectly.

I have noticed that the (4) scales at my main PO always tell me my packages are 20g less than what my home scales tell me.

So either the PO scales have been calibrated wrongly or both of my electronic scales have been calibrated wrongly at the Salter factory, (which I think quite unlikely).

So I think the PO are calibrating their scales incorrectly but since it's in my favour at the moment I'm not going to bring it to their attention just yet...

elvis_bloggs

I only have bathroom scales and no matter who stands on them they weigh 12 stone.

LongDongDave

1jim wrote:

I sell childrens clothes via my website, we have special offers frequently and when we do we tend to sell a lot of the same items, i posted an identical t shirt (on consecutive days) in the same packing (a plastic mailing sack) and was charge different postal amounts at the same post office on each of the days, the post office could not explain it but assured me the scales were acurate!!!!!

I use the main PO in Leicester City center and this week was charged £1.45 one day, and £1.25 the next day for the identical item, with the same packaging, and was offered no explanation why i was conned out of 20p the previous day! Once the dweebs undercharged me for an item THEY weighed and the buyer had to pay £1 plus the extra postage, which i had to refund. While i'm on the subject of the PO, last year i sold a mobile to someone in the Republic of Ireland. I sent it to them Special Delivery due to the value. It was accepted at the counter. Next day it was returned to my address, with a notice saying Special Delivery is for UK only. I took the package back to the PO and was eventially given a refund (manager intervention) as the dope on the counter should have informed me the service is for UK only!

LongDongDave

Jellicle wrote:

So I think the PO are calibrating their scales incorrectly but since it's in my favour at the moment I'm not going to bring it to their attention just yet...

Only until someone picks it up at the other end (delivery) and imposes a surcharge on your buyer, which i doubt they'd be happy about.

Jellicle

LongDongDave wrote:

Only until someone picks it up at the other end (delivery) and imposes a surcharge on your buyer, which i doubt they'd be happy about.

Since the package will have a PO printed ticket on it from their weighing system the PO at the other end will not weigh it again to check it. And if they do it will only show that the PO at this end is at fault.