Posting items

[deskjet640c]

Bit new to all this.

I was reading the Post office website and looking at all the options when I noticed that you can now pay for and print off your postage online. Great I thought, that will same me queuing up at lunchtimes. However:

"If you are sending an item using a service which offers tracking, or require a Certificate of Posting you will need to take your item into a Post Office® branch"

So if you want to insure your item for lost or damages (certificate or posting) you still have to queue anyway. So what's the point?

M.

[MASSEY]

I completely agree, there are many discussions about this over the internet.

The thing is when you purchase the postage online the money goes direct to royal mail. When you take your item to the post office to get the certificate stamped they get no profit from it.

its something that needs re-thinking big time.

[JohnGrove]

You will also find that you pay £5 per month plus the stamp cost for the priviledge. The stamps will be at consumer rates as well rather than business rates.

Not the best of deals in my opinion.

Depending on the amount that you post it could be worth looking at a business account and OBA.

[deskjet640c]

Right, thanks Massey, I'm not just being stupid then...

Another thing

I want to offer my product at £9.95 including standard P&P. This gives me a decent profit and makes it a attractive price. Now I can achieve that with second class (which I'm guessing most people will choose) and add an option of extra £ if they want it next day.

What I want to know is do people recommend I use "signed for" as well for another 75p? Obviously this eats into my profits if I want to keep it sub £10er.

What's the sort of ratio of customers who "lose" them and demand another one? Are the UK public pretty honest? Do most people just rely on the "Certificate of posting" and the £39 insurance that comes with it to cover their loses - although I have a feeling that pursuing a claim would be more hassle than its worth.

M.

[JohnGrove]

Sounds like you need to get an online business account (OBA), that way you will get busines rates which are better.

Ring 0845 950950 (I think) and ask to talk to a business advisor to see what is your best option.

If your volumes are regular and substantial enough then it could also be worth talking to people like TNT.

[glass]

use a delivery service, unless your volumes are very low

For me there are swings and roundabouts, some stuff would go cheaper by post office, some by courier, but then the courier collects and always gets a receipt so I send everything by courier.

I would not send stuff not recorded del. I have had people try it on even with signed for delivery

[Christiane]

Re Signed For, it depends on the type of items you sell. I've stopped using Signed for a few months ago and not noticed any difference in the number of lost parcels.

I used smartstamp and it's great if you get a collection (no trip to the PO) as the online record works as proof of posting (I used it when claiming).

I'm now on Packet Post and would recommend it if you have a good number of parcels a day - talk to RM.

[deskjet640c]

Cheers guys.

Haven't started selling yet, just sorting out options and costs to imput into the website.

I can only hope that one day I will be selling enough to warrant having a postie come round and collect parcels each day. I could possibly give up the 'real' job then.

M.

[Alicatt]

I'd certainly not bother with Recorded Delivery - It will cause more problems than it solves.

And if your items sell for under £10, then I'd just use normal post for now and aim to get your volumes up so you can switch to packetpost.

[Matty5487]

If you have a Royal Mail business account you can order the proof of postages pads in bulk, fill them out. Then when you take them to the postoffice just get them to stamp the pads.