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Postal Deliveries and Model Shops


Widnes Model Centre
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1 hour ago, John Harris said:

 

The report on the BBC this morning suggested no letters on Saturdays, but parcels "as normal".

 

jh

 

As our postie delivers small parcels (under 2kg) with the letters, so I won't expect to see them on a Saturday.

 

Not a problem to me.

It arrives when it arrives. 

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I use this website to organise couriers:

https://www.parcel2go.com/

 

- it seems to cover all/many well-known services (DHL, Hermes, RM etc.) and gives options for drop-off, collect, lockers etc. as well as insurance.  Is courier collection from your home address possible?  (the recipient might get to see your home address though - worth checking). 

I'm sure the following will be obvious to anyone running a business, but a few thought:

1. Will goods be insured when in transit from the shop to your house,  and if the vehicle doesn't have cover for business use then the Insurance Company could refuse payout in the event of an accident. 

2. A check of the Courier T's & C's is a must, as some couriers won't cover damage for many items (incl. those which could fall into the model railway bracket) - only covering for total loss.

3,. Also, I've found to my cost that some couriers will only attempt delivery a certain number of times (Hermes is 3 I believe), if unsuccessful they return it to the sender - so the cost of sending is lost.  This happened to me once, and I got it back broken :( and not covered by insurance :(  :(

 

It goes without saying that in the current circumstances proof of delivery is a must, since delivery can be a somewhat flaky; sadly there are also a few scrotes who'll try it on....

HTH

 

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Really Depends where about in the country you are in. Most is getting through ok, but of course expect delays.

 

For the change on Saturdays. It is only standard Letters/ Small Letters/ Small Parcels. If the item is Special Delivery (Which it's self, by 1 isn't for certain, but will arrive same day) Signed for, recorded and so on. will still be delivered on a Saturday (Going by print off, working at a post office/ coop)

 

Know is annoying from both sides sadly, just got to wait. Few of the local posties who collect the stuff, have said it is busier then Christmas as well to.

 

Parcelforce so far is fine ish, so are DHL etc. 

 

 

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I received goods sent on a tracked 48 hour service on the 28th, sent on the 14th...a couple of colleagues had the same.

 

i have suspended the work eBay sales because 50% were being chased as not arrived a week (or more) after sending. 
 

on the flip side the wife had a second class parcel within 3 days of ordering last week.

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On 30/04/2020 at 13:12, Jonboy said:

I received goods sent on a tracked 48 hour service on the 28th, sent on the 14th...a couple of colleagues had the same.

 

i have suspended the work eBay sales because 50% were being chased as not arrived a week (or more) after sending. 
 

on the flip side the wife had a second class parcel within 3 days of ordering last week.

Delivery services seem patchy at the moment, depending on where stuff is coming from.  I already received yesterday from Manchester a wagon which I bought on eBay last Saturday, but a Peco point sent Royal Mail 48 by Frome Model Centre on 22nd April has just arrived this afternoon (9 days in the post).

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Couriers all seem as usual here, but Royal Mail are even worse than their typically awful selves here in deepest South London.

 

In the last few weeks I've literally had DHL parcels from China quicker than its takes RM to get a jiffy bag here from Essex. 

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13 minutes ago, newbryford said:

Now is not the time to criticise delivery services.

 In fact we are so very fortunate in being able to use their services. Consider the circumstances in which they strive to keep us all going..We simply could not manage without them,be it RM,DPD,Hermes,Yodel and yes even the much unfairly maligned Amazon.I have used delivery services of all kinds for all sorts of merchandise for the last seven weeks.....from tinned tomatoes to Hornby Princesses .....and not once I have I had the remotest cause for complaint. I am so grateful.

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4 hours ago, justin1985 said:

Couriers all seem as usual here, but Royal Mail are even worse than their typically awful selves here in deepest South London.

 

In the last few weeks I've literally had DHL parcels from China quicker than its takes RM to get a jiffy bag here from Essex. 

:banghead:

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15 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

 In fact we are so very fortunate in being able to use their services. Consider the circumstances in which they strive to keep us all going..We simply could not manage without them,be it RM,DPD,Hermes,Yodel and yes even the much unfairly maligned Amazon.I have used delivery services of all kinds for all sorts of merchandise for the last seven weeks.....from tinned tomatoes to Hornby Princesses .....and not once I have I had the remotest cause for complaint. I am so grateful.

 

Absolutely spot on Ian.

 

The delivery drivers, whether it's Royal Mail, DPD, Amazon or Tesco are some of the less talked about heroes who've kept the country going.

 

While some of us sat at home pondering about which rail joiners to purchase, these guys were the ones shoving them through letterboxes, perhaps not realising what was on that letterbox they'd just touched.  I'm very grateful to all the delivery drivers who made the lockdown much less of a problem than it could have been.

 

I'm grateful to the coronvirus for helping me realise what's important in life and what isn't.  And waiting an extra day for rail joiners really isn't.

 

 

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On 28/04/2020 at 14:11, Widnes Model Centre said:

 

As I anxiously press "Refresh" on orders we have posted out via Royal Mail. I see many reports on here of rapid delivery, is this possibly Regionalised?

 

In an attempt to try and sustain our business we have tried a small amount of mail orders. We are still very mindful of the need to help prevent the spread of this terrible disease but are trying to make a very slow return to some sort of service. We are certainly not fully operational. In our shop which is in a town centre the couriers aren't delivering. The shop mail isn't being delivered, our local, brilliant postie is bringing it to our house on a very infrequent  delivery service. The Post Office is open 9-1pm with very long queues. My wife queued for an hour yesterday to post a couple of parcels. In an attempt to ease the queue the new postmaster came out to the people waiting 2 metres or more apart as they should be. He then went up to them and took the parcels off them to save them holding them!! Any closer would have meant a proposal of marriage!

 

A friend of ours helped us out with some stock, thank you Mike at C and M Models, Carlisle, open for mail order himself, he can be contacted on 01228514689. Excuse the plug but he deserves it for helping a fellow trader out . We needed the items to fulfill an order. He sent me a parcel and paid for Royal Mail Special Delivery guaranteed by 9am. Knowing that we needed them the next day. Royal Mail guarantee that this service will deliver before midday. The track duly arrived and we were able thanks to Mike, to fulfill our order. The cost of sending a pack of standard Peco N Gauge track, yes just one pack was £22.89p. That is a pack of standard straights, not a box of flexi track.

 

My admiration goes out to any shop that is working and doing Mail Order at these most difficult of times. Well done to those shops.

 

Please be nice. As we have found out they are wholly reliant on the variable postal deliveries for your parcel to reach you.

Far easier to set up a parcel up and print service in the shop, then you just drop off at the nearest and most convienient outlet - our local shop takes both Royal Mail and Parcel Force parcels.  Reduces the need to queue and have each parcel processed.  Both Rm and PF have very easy to use systems - do not even need an Account.

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On 29/04/2020 at 03:42, mdvle said:

Be grateful - Canada Post is taking 5 to 10 business days to make parcel deliveries with a book I ordered taking the full 10 days to get delivered a distance of 8km.  Though they say they are delivery a Christmas level of parcels with the social distancing making efficient operation impossible.

 

Some are experiencing a higher level than mere christmas levels!

 

On 01/05/2020 at 18:36, newbryford said:

Now is not the time to criticise delivery services.

 

Most are doing a bl**** good job in the circumstances!

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

Received a letter yesterday, dated the 19th March 2020. It was from our alarm monitoring company stating that there had been an alarm activation at our premises and to get in touch with them. Thankfully it was sent by a computer system in error. :mellow::mellow:

 

I did say that there was problems with the post in our area. Postie apologised, no need to apologise, we know you are doing your best.

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A few days ago I selected DHL as the courier to ship a package from a well known British store enroute to Sydney.  A sign of the times,  tracking shows the item was shipped across the Atlantic to "CINCINNATI HUB - USA" and has now been cleared out of Cincinnati enroute across the USA to Australia.   I am now wondering if my overdue Royal Mail packages may have had a similar detour on their way to me.

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Here's a postal story that is just short of miraculous.

 

On Thursday afternoon I ordered a custom decal sheet from Precision Labels with artwork sent by email. They were delivered to me in Germany on Monday morning! This says a lot for John Peck's service but also to the speed of the first class airmail that was faster than in 'normal' times.

 

David

 

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At the start of the lock down Royal Mail were still amazingly keeping up their normal service standards, I had not bought anything for 3 weeks, but for the past 10 days the post has been very slow. No complaints with the Posties who are doing a great job, with a far greater workload and I guess staff sickness. unfortunately the second Saturday without service coincides with a Friday Bank Holiday

 

I do have 2 grumbles with the Royal Mail, which is down to very slipshod management practices

 

1/  I bought a click and collect service which stated I could drop off at a Post office, that not the case as the Post Office does not accept this service, I then drove 5 + miles to the sorting office to find the Customer Service section to be closed, an employee who was passing was most unhelpful when I asked what should I do, I gave up waiting on the help line. The solution to me is quite simple if you cannot provide a service don't offer it

 

2/ I paid for a parcel to be sent to me next day delivery by 1pm, it arrived a day late saying guaranteed next day delivery claim if it is late. Only the sender can claim !!!. Now if they cannot provide this service due to the situation that's fine.    But dont offer it stating next day delivery guaranteed, its called taking money under false pretences.

 

This is not a moan about a group of hard working workers doing a sterling job, however some of those in  charge are clearly not up to it     

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8 minutes ago, hayfield said:

At the start of the lock down Royal Mail were still amazingly keeping up their normal service standards, I had not bought anything for 3 weeks, but for the past 10 days the post has been very slow. No complaints with the Posties who are doing a great job, with a far greater workload and I guess staff sickness. unfortunately the second Saturday without service coincides with a Friday Bank Holiday

 

I do have 2 grumbles with the Royal Mail, which is down to very slipshod management practices

 

1/  I bought a click and collect service which stated I could drop off at a Post office, that not the case as the Post Office does not accept this service, I then drove 5 + miles to the sorting office to find the Customer Service section to be closed, an employee who was passing was most unhelpful when I asked what should I do, I gave up waiting on the help line. The solution to me is quite simple if you cannot provide a service don't offer it

 

2/ I paid for a parcel to be sent to me next day delivery by 1pm, it arrived a day late saying guaranteed next day delivery claim if it is late. Only the sender can claim !!!. Now if they cannot provide this service due to the situation that's fine.    But dont offer it stating next day delivery guaranteed, its called taking money under false pretences.

 

This is not a moan about a group of hard working workers doing a sterling job, however some of those in  charge are clearly not up to it     

 

 

Ww were unable to find any of the Post Offices locally  that would accept Drop Off for parcels. It was get in the queue or don't bother.  Gave up on that one.

 

Still not sure why our Post Office is only open for four hours a day. Just means longer queues and despite social distancing outside in the queue it is like a cattle market when you are called in!!

 

Guaranteed Next Day Delivery by 1pm is now guaranteed delivery by midnight. If you pay for Guaranteed delivery by 9am, it is now guaranteed to arrive by 1pm. But the price is eye watering.

 

I agree about those in charge. Have to add our posties have been absolutely great.

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The Post Office is a different business to the Royal Mail, many franchises. Our Local one is fantastic in the Local CooP and was open 7 days a week, weekdays 7am to 10pm. The CooP due to the crisis, shortage of staff etc now open the Post office from 10am to 4pm, I doubt very much if it will return to the previous long opening hours. Mondays are the worst for queues, eBay sales and mail order returns. Can't fault ours  

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RM seem to be running a few days late, but running none the less. However other couriers seem to be pretty much running as normal. I even received an eBay item from Germany in the normal time-frame via DPD. I'm making a point of ordering my usual number of items, as I want the traders to survive.

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Royal Mail downunder is obviously reliant on international travel being available and so I am not overly concerned that a large box of goodies is now six weeks since being shipped when just over a week had been normal,  however, when two months has passed I will be asking the store to investigate.    There are around six other packages I am awaiting on from the same source but these are less than a month since shipping.  

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1 hour ago, hayfield said:

 

 

2/ I paid for a parcel to be sent to me next day delivery by 1pm, it arrived a day late saying guaranteed next day delivery claim if it is late. Only the sender can claim !!!. Now if they cannot provide this service due to the situation that's fine.    But dont offer it stating next day delivery guaranteed, its called taking money under false pretences.

 

 

You didn't pay the postage.  You paid the seller to pay the postage.  You don't have any contract with the Royal Mail - yours is with the seller who in turn has a contract with the Royal Mail.    You could turn your argument around and say the seller shouldn't advertise next day delivery if he can't promise it.

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14 minutes ago, Ouroborus said:

 

 

You didn't pay the postage.  You paid the seller to pay the postage.  You don't have any contract with the Royal Mail - yours is with the seller who in turn has a contract with the Royal Mail.    You could turn your argument around and say the seller shouldn't advertise next day delivery if he can't promise it.

 

Here we go again with the same old argument with people providing a product, then they dump the problem on the retailer or in this case the seller. The seller was not advertising next day delivery, but Royal Mail was and still is. 

 

The label was computer generated so is easily altered to reflect the service they can provide (but they still missed the 9pm). Sadly the changes to their services are not displayed either at the Post Office or more alarming on their site where you buy the product. There are no warnings when you buy the label that the service has altered. Neither are you directed to the area on the website for service updates. Its not rocket science to change the wording on the site or put clear warnings before / as you buy. Once its in the system and you have paid on the tracking it does say services are delayed, but that's after they have taken your money. If they can put the warning at the end of the process they have no excuses in not doing the same at the front end

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2 hours ago, hayfield said:

2/ I paid for a parcel to be sent to me next day delivery by 1pm, it arrived a day late saying guaranteed next day delivery claim if it is late. Only the sender can claim !!!. Now if they cannot provide this service due to the situation that's fine.    But dont offer it stating next day delivery guaranteed, its called taking money under false pretences.

 

 

29 minutes ago, hayfield said:

 

Here we go again with the same old argument with people providing a product, then they dump the problem on the retailer or in this case the seller. The seller was not advertising next day delivery, but Royal Mail was and still is. 

 

The label was computer generated so is easily altered to reflect the service they can provide (but they still missed the 9pm). Sadly the changes to their services are not displayed either at the Post Office or more alarming on their site where you buy the product. There are no warnings when you buy the label that the service has altered. Neither are you directed to the area on the website for service updates. Its not rocket science to change the wording on the site or put clear warnings before / as you buy. Once its in the system and you have paid on the tracking it does say services are delayed, but that's after they have taken your money. If they can put the warning at the end of the process they have no excuses in not doing the same at the front end

It has always been the case that only the sender can claim, as it is the sender who enters into the contract with RM.  In these days, its not unreasonable to expect the item to be late. 

 

There has been a banner on RM's website for weeks saying that some services may be disrupted, and when you click on it, it tells you next day delivery times have changed.

 

Surely nothing, unless medical, is so urgent that its needed next day?

 

* I have just had a model delivered that I bought on eBay yesterday.  Time on the post label is 14:17.  2nd class, not tracked, from a good 300 miles away.

 

I live in a small town, 20 miles distant to the nearest big town, so I would say that is terrific service from the PO!

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3 hours ago, hayfield said:

There are no warnings when you buy the label that the service has altered. Neither are you directed to the area on the website for service updates. Its not rocket science to change the wording on the site or put clear warnings before / as you buy. 

 

It's a banner across the top of the page when you go to buy postage.  Click on the more info link and it tells you exactly about special delivery.  However it doesn't change the point - you didn't buy the postage.  You have no claim against the royal mail.  Take it up with the seller

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