Royal Mail - Almost all orders not arriving

[Synchronium]

For the past couple of weeks or so, I've had a huge number of large letters & parcels go missing in the post.

Is the Royal Mail currently experiencing problems or delays?

I just tracked a first class recorded parcel posted on 27th August and it still says "it is being progressed through our network for delivery" today.

I assume all my other packages (most not sent recorded) are also being held up somewhere?

Is anyone else experiencing anything similar?

 

[deadgoodundies]

I can't say a huge number but over the past 6 weeks I have seen a higher than what I would consider normal amount either go missing, take longer to arrive or no information appearing on the website.

 

[Chris34]

Doesn't sound good.

I was speaking to a RM driver (truck driver) a few weeks ago about all the privatisation and the recent price increases for over the counter customers. He was saying that they have let quite a few staff go over the past few months and he reckoned that the 'you know what' was going to hit the fan when the silly season kicked in. If they are struggling now then that really is bad news.

My own packets seem to be taking about average time to get to their destinations. The loss rate has increased but at the moment it's still acceptable (about 3 in 400).


Chris.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

They have managed to lose at least two large letters recently, one being sent out, one being sent in. Both A4 and with printed address and correct postage on them. This is out of about 20 letters, so too high as far as I'm concerned.

Piss poor for such a large company.

Makes us look bad too as how many times can 'lost in post' be used as a reason for delays!

 

[roydmoorian]

I still have one of those from Feb 2012

 

[Anonymouse72]

i don't know if it's down to holiday time at the moment but we've had a different postie nearly every day for the past 2 weeks. we don't have many delivery problems but when we do, it always seems to be times when our regular postie isn't on this round. deliveries tend to be later too & i know when i asked once, the poor postman said he was shattered as he was having to do his own & someone else's round due to staff shortages.

 

[fisicx]

Everthying we order turns up. Everything we post arrives as it should.

Not experienced any issues. Ever.

It's the couriers that cause us grief...

 

[Homer J Simpson]

Everthying we order turns up. Everything we post arrives as it should.

Not experienced any issues. Ever.

It's the couriers that cause us grief...

Opposite for me. Royal Mail alway lose stuff. Couriers alway delivered properly.

 

[noo81]

I was wondering if this was just a local issue but it seems everywhere is experiencing problems with undelivered or late post. I am still waiting for two letters which were susposed to reach me by the 31st August, but I have had others arrive early. Although this is two out of twenty again a high rate.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

Late I can cope with (within reason). Lost is what cracks me up!

 

[dedwardp]

For what it's worth, I've not received one or two things ordered from Amazon recently via the Royal Mail either.

 

[DJW76]

I have had a couple go missing recently the worst part though is that the 2 customers instantly filed a PP dispute without trying to contact me.

 

[jake the peg]

I have had a couple go missing recently the worst part though is that the 2 customers instantly filed a PP dispute without trying to contact me.

Ditto.

 

[musicfever]

Oh YES, My 3 tracked parcels are still on processing althrough posted out a month ago. 1 UK 2 EU. Refunds offered

 

[Alan]

Same here, for what its worth, never had an item not turn up before, but ordered something on ebay which was apparently sent parcleforce 48, didn't arrive.

Something is going on I think. Don't but those shares

 

[simon field]

Maybe the (already) angry posties think shares are not enough

 

[Deleted member 178167]

I've had international post not turn up and a couple of Amazon orders, our post is usually ok here in Liverpool. But then noticed all the privatisation stuff recently.

Think it's happened too much lately to be a coincidence.

 

[e-vulture]

You're not using recorded delivery are you ? About 60% never track or update, complete waste of money.

 

[deniser]

The postal service is really poor at the moment. Our local depot has closed and our stuff is being taken to and delivered from another depot much further away which must be causing some of the problem.

We are having to quote up to two weeks for a second class parcel at the moment which is utterly ridiculous.

 

[japancool]

They're voting for strikes on the 3rd of Oct, and could go on strike a week later.

Apparently "privatisation will damage our postal service", the CWU general secretary said, with a completely straight face.

 

[ssim]

We face the same issue. Although our current sales volume is quite low, still it's an inconvenience for the newly started businesses like us as it makes customers unhappy.

Some of them even threatens you by giving a negative feedback although you have proof of dispatch in terms of a tracking code and receipt of postage. And you know what they call you only 2 days after the item is dispatched asking where their item is and more dramatically they are not aware that they did not pay a penny for P&P as on that sales channel we do not charge for P&P although we sell the item with the same price everywhere else.

Still, considering the amounts of delay mentioned here that would be an inconvenience anyways. We cannot afford losing customers especially at this very early stage of our business life.

Can I ask if there are other competitors providing the same service, e.g. delivering small parcel (e.g. 20x10x3 cms) items with prices comparable to Royal Mail?

Thanks...

SSim

 

[deniser]

Can I ask if there are other competitors providing the same service, e.g. delivering small parcel (e.g. 20x10x3 cms) items with prices comparable to Royal Mail?

Thanks...

SSim

No, not until you get to a parcel weighing more than a kilo or exceeding the small parcel dimensions.

 

[frockery]

We have noticed a slight increase in missing mail, including the same (thankfully patient and understanding) customer having two different orders lost (only to turn up two months later in one case and not at all in another).

My big gripe is RM's failure to pay compensation on the full invoice price of the parcel contents they have lost or which have been seriously delayed.

We're currently trialling different couriers and so far all have performed well. They also offer full compensation for loss based on the actual invoice price.

Although we believe strongly in supporting our local post office, the latest price hikes were the final straw for anything bigger than a dimension-compliant medium parcel.

 

[Private Detective London]

I know recently our region has been restuctured, more deliverys seem to be being done with via vans and we've got no set postman anymore so I'm seeing a lot of lost looking Royal Mail empoyes wandering about.

I don't know if this is a country wide thing and while we've had no post go missing we are reciving it at random times...even had our delivery late afternoon the other day.

 

[Chris34]

The Royal Mail are looking at increasing the dimensions of a small parcel for it's over the counter customers. They will decide on 1st October.

http://www.logisticsmanager.com/Art...nsults+on+change+in+small+parcels+format.html


I can only assume that the changes they made were for the worse on their bank balance. Every other change they have made has not been in the interests of the customer and I don't believe this proposed change is in the interests of the customer even though it will obviously please some of the Ebayers.


Chris.

 

[deniser]

That's interesting Chris.

We've really struggled with the current small parcel size and have been sending anything which doesn't qualify, by courier as it is much cheaper than the medium parcel size.

Shoes have been a particular problem but they are proposing to allow a large shoebox as a small parcel which is good.

 

[Chris34]

I can't decide if the change is good or bad for me. At the moment I can send things at the old size dimensions via packetpost 24/48 so the change didn't affect me. But what it did effect was my customers returning the goods. Prior to the change I would get around 3 to 5 returns per week. Since the change I get about 3 to 4 per month and that's despite my volume of sales increasing by around 20%.

What I put it down to is the customers being very savvy with prices and they know it's not worth sending the goods back when they have to pay the return postage on something they don't like. With the recent huge increase in postal rates for over the counter customers, it has put them off returning them. If they purchase something for £10 delivered they are hardly going to return it if it costs £5.65 to return it are they? so I think they just decide to keep it and make do.

I can't stand processing returns, they're just a hassle and the recent changes almost cut out my returns entirely.

So I am not if favour of any changes for my own pure selfish reasons ; )


Chris.

 

[frockery]

Our local postmistress was saying today that a lot of formerly regular customers have switched to courier services for parcels that are medium size and above since the latest price hike. There certainly aren't the queues there used to be and local post office businesses are obviously suffering a significant downturn.