Postal Delays

[cessna152towser]

I am wondering how long is reasonable given the current state of the post before going down the route of Item Not Received and refund?
A job lot of 00 which I purchased on eBay was posted second class signed for at Keighley, Yorkshire on 17th November and still hasn't arrived.  When I enquired at our local post office this morning I was told it has not arrived yet and that there are delays all over.  I got the distinct impression the post office official probably thought I was being impatient.  Reported on eBay as Item not Received and seller has replied "hi,its a nightmare at the moment, please give it a bit longer and hopefully it will arrive"

Equally there are a couple of items of rolling stock which I sold during the second half of November, and sent second class signed for and still showing as in transit to the buyers.

Edited December 5, 2020 by cessna152towser
typo

[Johann Marsbar]

There has been no mail delivery by Il Postino Pat to the (urban) estate I live on for 3 out of the last 6 days (Tue/Fri/Sat) which is a bit of a joke. On Tuesday even the Royal Mail parcel delivery didn't appear either. Rather annoying when you are waiting on specific items, but at least my overhead wire masts/wires for the OO layout turned up on Wed.

He normally drives past my house twice to get to/from his parking place and my workbench, where I've been sitting during the day, gives a good view of the road and an awful lot of his round, so it's not a case of him sneaking past unseen!

Others have noticed his absence too......

[Crosland]

Official guidance https://www.royalmail.com/retail-compensation-policy-loss is 10 days for normal post. I have claimed on line (albeit for international items) and found them very quick to pay up (cheque within a few days, far quicker than what they stated could be the maximum, which was something like 3 months for international!). It's up to the seller to claim, however, so you are at their mercy unless/until eBay take action.

 

Parcels are all hand sorted and there have been some delays in the system. 

[Jonboy]

An item I ordered was posted on 2nd November on a 24hr service and turned up on the 18th. This seems to be typical at the moment talking to relatives here in Oxfordshire and colleagues in Suffolk.

[caradoc]

We have had a post delivery, since Monday this week, just once, on Thursday. Given that there will be no post tomorrow (Sunday), that will mean one delivery in six days ! While I do live in Scotland, I am 10 miles from Glasgow, so not exactly remote. And I know post is expected as I have not yet received an eagerly-awaited magazine which others here have. My wife is also expecting post so tried ringing our local sorting office (as it wouldn't be as bad if we knew what was happening) but, of course, got no reply. Royal Mail today seems to be a pale shadow of a once great organisation. 

 

[Oldddudders]

I think lockdown has taken a huge toll on postal services, which had seen a gentle decline since we all started using email etc, with matching staff economies. But now Amazon is recruiting worldwide and their suppliers are having a very good time, at a cost to the high street. I also suspect that during Covid the postal unions are still very effective in protecting members, in a way some other unions have long ceased to be after various privatisations, so sorting offices are a nightmare to manage.

 

Anyway, the item I ordered from Amazon.uk three weeks ago is not yet here, while the Digitrax battery packs I ordered from the USA last week have already reached Paris. Francine, my skinny, smiley postie in her electric van, will deliver them early next week. 

[Pete the Elaner]

32 minutes ago, caradoc said:

We have had a post delivery, since Monday this week, just once, on Thursday. Given that there will be no post tomorrow (Sunday), that will mean one delivery in six days ! While I do live in Scotland, I am 10 miles from Glasgow, so not exactly remote. And I know post is expected as I have not yet received an eagerly-awaited magazine which others here have. My wife is also expecting post so tried ringing our local sorting office (as it wouldn't be as bad if we knew what was happening) but, of course, got no reply. Royal Mail today seems to be a pale shadow of a once great organisation. 

 

 

Sadly it does.

If a parcel was undelivered because I was at work, I used to be able to collect from the collections counter at the local sorting office later the same evening.

A couple of years ago, they changed this so items could not be collected until the following day.

Earlier this year, they shortened the opening times of the sorting office to mornings only then only 4 mornings a week, including Saturday.

If nobody is at home to accept delivery on Monday, then it is likely they are at work. If they work Mon-Fri, then they can't collect it until the Saturday..& if there is a chance of overtime on Saturday, the choices are turning this down or waiting a further week to collect the parcel.

First class post used to mean next day, but this is no longer the case & many homes no longer get daily delivery either.

 

Royal Mail's response to competition for parcel collections/deliveries was to suggest the local postie could pick up parcels on their round (I expect for no extra pay). It seems this didn't happen, presumably because the unions told them where to stick that idea.

I am not sure whose fault it is, but the service is definitely declining.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Mail has been variable recently.

 

An important document sent to me by my solicitor on 20 November only arrived on 2 December. That was after two other letters that she had sent a week later.

 

On the other hand, an impulse purchase from another RMWeb member arrived within 24 hours.

[John M Upton]

It's a mess.  I have had items take three weeks to arrive on 1st Class post and one letter than only had to travel eight miles down the road which was posted mid November still has not turned up.

 

The word I hear is that so many people have been hitting the online shopping that the system basically has all but collapsed under the strain.

 

And that is before we have even hit the final rush to Christmas.....

[Bucoops]

It's getting very frustrating. I needed some ends for a curtain rail - it's a strange one so not many places sell them. Ordered two sets from different places on the 21st Nov and neither have arrived despite both being (allegedly) sent 1st class.

 

Ordered some bits from China on the 16th Nov and they arrived 3 days ago.

[Derekl]

Maybe time for something positive - parcel from Hattons, packed 15:15 Thursday 03/12 (and presumably passed to RM shortly after), arrived Thursday 04/12 at around 13:00. 

 

Non railway items (curtain hooks) ordered 11:00 23/11, arrived around 12:30 on 24/11.

 

Can't really complain about that and they can clearly get it right some times, although I do appreciate the frustration when it doesn't work properly.

 

 

[johnd]

It doesnt earn the nickname " SNAIL MAIL " for nothing ! and from recent use of various courier firms I can think of only one whose service is as I find it as bad. 

Edited December 6, 2020 by johnd

[caradoc]

Royal Mail can be very efficient; A couple of weeks ago I posted a magazine down to my Mum in Oxford, second class, and she received it in two days, so they can do it. But standards vary so wildly; Apart from the lack of deliveries this week, another example involved Oxford Sorting Office in August. My Mum had a card through the door saying an item had not been delivered as there was excess postage to pay, so (at the age of 90) she made a three walk/two bus trip to the Office, during the opening times stated on the card, only to find the place closed (due, of course, to Covid); Nobody had bothered amending the card, not even just crossing out the incorrect times. 

 

[cessna152towser]

On 05/12/2020 at 15:26, cessna152towser said:

I am wondering how long is reasonable given the current state of the post before going down the route of Item Not Received and refund?
A job lot of 00 which I purchased on eBay was posted second class signed for at Keighley, Yorkshire on 17th November and still hasn't arrived.  When I enquired at our local post office this morning I was told it has not arrived yet and that there are delays all over.  I got the distinct impression the post office official probably thought I was being impatient.  Reported on eBay as Item not Received and seller has replied "hi,its a nightmare at the moment, please give it a bit longer and hopefully it will arrive"

Equally there are a couple of items of rolling stock which I sold during the second half of November, and sent second class signed for and still showing as in transit to the buyers.

An update:-  My wagons from Keighley arrived at lunchtime today - 22 days in the post.    All's well that ends well.  However one Bachmann coach which I posted to Walsall on 27th November appears to be still undelivered to the purchaser.

Edited December 9, 2020 by cessna152towser
typo

[John M Upton]

I just had an irate purchaser to deal with.  Block capitals message "I have had my payment confirmed, why has my item not been posted yet?" literally five minutes after the auction ended on Sunday afternoon and another abrupt block capitals message at half five this morning demanding to know if said item was in the post yet (it was posted first thing Monday morning as advised to the buyer) so I politely responded pointing out it could be a couple of weeks before said item actually arrives due to the Royal Mail practically grinding to a halt.

 

I await tomorrow's block capital musings with great anticipation.... 

Edited December 9, 2020 by John M Upton

[J. S. Bach]

Let us know.

[Hal Nail]

I've had a number of things delivered to me and that I've sent and had acknowledgment of receipt, which are still showing as in transit on the tracking. As a seller that's a bit worrying as leaves you open to claims.

 

I sent something tracked yesterday - they actually repeated "signed for" back to me. The only other word uttered was a grunt approximating to "Tap!", which I did. When I got home I'd only been charged for normal so am completely exposed on this one if it is delayed.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Hal Nail
Spelling

[teaky]

14 hours ago, John M Upton said:

I just had an irate purchaser to deal with.  Block capitals message "I have had my payment confirmed, why has my item not been posted yet?" literally five minutes after the auction ended on Sunday afternoon and another abrupt block capitals message at half five this morning demanding to know if said item was in the post yet (it was posted first thing Monday morning as advised to the buyer) so I politely responded pointing out it could be a couple of weeks before said item actually arrives due to the Royal Mail practically grinding to a halt.

 

I await tomorrow's block capital musings with great anticipation.... 

Just a thought.  It might be worth checking your Selling preferences especially the one relating to "posted".  Obviously, if you sent the buyer a message manually then it just confirms he's a d1ck head.

 

(For what it's worth, recent purchases I have made which have been delivered by Royal Mail have arrived at the end of the delivery window or the next working day.)

[Hroth]

Again more positive, my Derails package which arrived yesterday was delivered within the 48 hour tracked delivery period.

 

Perhaps delays are a function dependent on the location of sorting hubs?  Anything that avoids Greater London or similar concentrations will probably arrive on time. Derails - Bristol - Chester - Local DO - Me worked well!

 

 

[Johann Marsbar]

Ordered a rather competitively priced J15 from Bure Valley Models yesterday, along with a couple of wagons and was amazed to have it delivered by Royal Mail about 20 mins ago.

I know it's only got to travel about 60 miles max to get here, but, given the way everything else has been delayed, wasn't expecting it to appear until Monday at the earliest!

[BokStein]

"I placed my order tomorrow; why hasn't it arrived yet?"!

 

Royal Mail are not alone; other couriers are experiencing delays due to high volumes, as they have been since March.

 

It is important to respect that, whilst the sender will get the parcel to the courier in a timely manner, once it is with them it is 'in their hands' to deliver it as best they can (and in a timescale commensurate with the fee paid). A lot of traders with whom I deal are saying that delivery 'should be between xxx and yyy dates', these often being at least 10 days after the date of the sale!

 

Reminds me; must get my beer order in for December 2021!

 

Edited December 12, 2020 by BokStein

[D9020 Nimbus]

There is a notice on Boots' website about a problem at an unnamed Royal Mail office that is delaying orders. Their main warehouses are in Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire. A parcel from Rails, sent 48-hour tracked on Saturday, didn't arrive until Thursday; a parcel from a (business) eBay seller in Magdeburg, Germany sent on Monday arrived earlier the same day (by DHL). Hermes seem to have no delays at present.

 

Given that there are probably less than the usual number of staff available, more restrictions on how they can work and also more demand, it's only surprising that delays aren't even worse!

[Wheatley]

We've done all our Christmas shopping by post this year, including ordering stuff to here and then posting it on to friends and family. So far almost everything has arrived when the sender said it would, including by Royal Mail and most of the courier firms.

 

The only two exceptions were a DHL parcel which arrived a day late after the courier was held up by a pile up on the M62, and a parcel from Smyths which actually arrived 10 days before the date stated on their website. 

 

There are a lot of people working very hard in less than ideal circumstances. There's a box of chocs in the porch for our postie the next time he rings the bell with something else which won't fit through the letter box. 

[hayfield]

 

I think it was worse a couple of weeks ago when items were taking 7 days to arrive

 

I posted 9 items on Monday 1st class, two were recorded and arrived on the 8th and 9th, by Thursday night four of the non recorded packets left feedback. they may have arrived earlier and its not saying the other 3 have not arrived.

 

I won an item on the 6th posted on the 7th 2nd class arrived on the 11th, one day longer than normal. I think at the moment the perception may be worst than what's actually happening 

[Ruffnut Thorston]

9 hours ago, BokStein said:

>Snipped...

 

 A lot of traders with whom I deal are saying that delivery 'should be between xxx and yyy dates', these often being at least 10 days after the date of the sale!

 

Reminds me; must get my beer order in for December 2021!

 

 

It may be worth saying that the delivery estimates that you find on EBay are, in the main, generated by eBay, and not the seller.

 

Ebay’s system works by performing a calculation based on the estimated delivery time of the service selected by the seller, and the stated time before sending, also as selected by the seller.

 

A ten day delay before sending is a common selection when selling, as it lessens the chance of any delay in delivery resulting in a “later than estimated delivery time”, which can lead to bad feedback scores on eBay...

 

Often, items will be sent much earlier than 10 days, but the system penalises the seller if there’s any delay, so they have to cover themselves as best they can...