Is 'Signed For' worth it

[rab]

Twice recently I've had eBay purchases delivered by Royal Fail,

where the sender has paid extra for signed for delivery,

but no signature has been requested.

 

Having said that, I had another delivery during the same period

where a signature was requested, (same postie)!

 

I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth paying the extra,

when it seems like you're taking a gamble on whether

you'll get a signature or not.

 

Edited July 16, 2019 by rab

[njee20]

Hasn't been requested at all, or the postie has signed for it? Our local friendly postie will do that on signed for items if we're not in and it'll fit through the letter box. If Royal Mail can't provide a signature they can't prove the item was delivered, and you (or rather the seller) can claim a refund.

[rab]

Both items were put through the letterbox.

i have advised both sellers so I'm hoping they will get there refunds

[njee20]

Probably signed for by the postman then, check online.

 

I meant more they could submit a claim for non-delivery if there's no proof from RM that the item was delivered (the point of the signature). I doubt you'll simply be able to claim a postage refund, but then I'd be surprised if there's actually no signature anyway.

[Guest JiLo]

On 16/07/2019 at 16:09, njee20 said:

Hasn't been requested at all, or the postie has signed for it? Our local friendly postie will do that on signed for items if we're not in and it'll fit through the letter box. If Royal Mail can't provide a signature they can't prove the item was delivered, and you (or rather the seller) can claim a refund.

My postie does that too, much rather they do that. as it saves me a trip to the SO on a saturday.  The only time a small item goes back to the SO is when its marked as 'do not bend'

 

When I buy something from eBay, I factor in the postage in my bid/offer so I don't feel cheated if it's put through my door when Im not in.  Certainly not a Royal Fail (why do people do that?)

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by JiLo

[njee20]

Totally agree, it’s great, much easier than going out during their restricted hours to get it!

[YesTor]

Apparently the terms of Royal Mail 'Signed For' changed [fairly] recently, whereby any postman is now within the rules to deliver a 'Signed For' item without actually obtaining a signature - an oxymoron if ever there was one! 

 

Another common misconception is that many people seem to foolishly believe that 'Signed For' (or as it used to be known, 'Recorded Delivery') is a registered service that mythically provides some kind of superior tracked service.  Wrong.  Signed For/Recorded is just that, as in it provides a signature at the point of delivery and nothing more - the package enters the postal system mixed with, and processed with standard mail and receives no additional tracking or superior treatment during its journey than any standard second class item.  

 

For my own business I always use Royal Mail 24 or Royal Mail 48 - it costs a lot less than paying extra for a signature that may never be obtained and for a delivery service that provides nothing above that of bog-standard mail.  The good thing about Royal Mail 24/48 is that if you generate your postage online then a QR Code and reference number will be printed on the label.  The postie then scans the label at the point of delivery (which is why we often hear the postman 'bleeping' a lot these days), which can then be checked online to confirm if and when the package has arrived with the recipient.  In all fairness to Royal Mail this service has proved incredibly reliable.

 

For the reasons above I no longer waste money on 'Signed For'.

 

If anyone wants a true registered service (whereby a signature will be compulsory and also that provides tracking at various points throughout its journey), then Royal Mail Special Delivery is the only option, or indeed a totally separate courier service which may well be cheaper depending upon the level of insurance required.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by YesTor

[YesTor]

I reckon Royal Mail ought to rename 'Signed For' to 'Signed For except for when it isn't Signed For...' or perhaps 'Signed For as long as someone who vaguely looks like they might be the rightful recipient happens to be around...'             

 

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by YesTor

[polybear]

I suspect that, in the event that the ebay buyer claims non-delivery, then a signature from Royal Mail is sufficient to convince Paypal that it has been delivered.  Sadly there are some using ebay who'll falsely try to claim non-delivery in order to get a refund.

I always send signed for, and will often use Couriers which can save the buyer a fortune compared to RM prices for parcels.

If it's worth just a couple of quid or so then I'll use unsigned to minimise postage costs, but always get a certificate of posting.  Then if the seller reports non-delivery I can claim up to £20 from RM for lost in the post.

[Mark Saunders]

Reminds me of LOP on delivery sheets when NCL were delivering parcels!

 

 

[njee20]

I’d be interested to know if the tracking online shows the signature though (even if it’s that of the postie), I’m kind of ok with that, ultimately if a postman is on the fiddle and stealing packages he’s going to get found out very quickly. If they’re not obtaining any sort of proof of delivery then it leaves RM hugely exposed to fraudulent claims of non-delivery, which seems unlikely. 

 

Signed For parcels have the same QR code as Royal Mail 24/48, which needs scanning in the same way, so Yes Tor’s comparison seems moot. 

[YesTor]

1 hour ago, njee20 said:

Signed For parcels have the same QR code as Royal Mail 24/48, which needs scanning in the same way, so Yes Tor’s comparison seems moot. 

 

Hmmm, you are correct in that Signed For parcels do carry the same QR Code, which as previously discussed can be delivered simply by scanning said QR Code and potentially without obtaining a signature.  Royal Mail 24/48 will also be delivered with the same simple scan of the QR Code and in line with the terms of the service, also without obtaining a signature.  Same net result, no? 

 

In short, the sender pays extra for the privilege of affixing a 'Signed For' sticker to the package which in effect has been ignored.  So effectively both services have different costs but potentially the same net result, which was in fact my point.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by YesTor

[njee20]

Yes, exactly the same, but I read your post as saying RM24/48 was superior, where it’s basically just 1st/2nd class for businesses. 

 

If the postman signs for the parcel it hasn’t been ignored. They can provide proof of delivery, unless there’s a suggestion the postman is signing for things and dumping them or stealing them, which wouldn’t last long. 

[Trevellan]

Not quite the same thing, but I was supposed to have received a Royal Mail Tracked item from Amazon yesterday. It wasn't put through my letterbox and none of my neighbours took it in. The Royal Mail website suggests I should tell the sender, while Amazon say I should contact the courier. A report has been submitted to Royal Mail, but I don't hold out much hope.

[YesTor]

2 hours ago, njee20 said:

Yes, exactly the same, but I read your post as saying RM24/48 was superior, where it’s basically just 1st/2nd class for businesses.

 

Yes, I agree it is essentially 1st/2nd Class for businesses (although much cheaper in both cases incidentally).  Still, I would very much regard the new system far 'superior' to the old-fashioned 'stick a stamp on it and hope for the best' method.  Looking at it this way, with the old system I was constantly dealing with customers declaring non-receipt of goods, whereas since the new system has been in place from memory I can recall as few as just two losses/misplacements in 3 or more years - one seemingly 'lost', the other returned. 

 

I suppose the point I am making is that the introduction of newer/digital means of 'proof of delivery' on standard delivery services almost negates the requirement for such Signed For services.  From reading the regular Royal Mail business updates the implication seems to be that fairly soon pretty much anything and everything will likely be trackable - a more than welcome progression in my opinion and would certainly remove the uncertainty surrounding whether items have actually been delivered, or otherwise; and from a business viewpoint save a huge amount of time constantly responding to emails of, "Where's my parcel?!", and thus consequently chasing items that have either been delivered to neighbours or are sitting at a collection/post office somewhere.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by YesTor

[Crosland]

14 hours ago, njee20 said:

Signed For parcels have the same QR code as Royal Mail 24/48, which needs scanning in the same way, so Yes Tor’s comparison seems moot. 

 

All 1st/2nd class items also have a QR code when you pay at the counter (rather than attaching your own stamps). The certificate of posting has a reference number that can be used to see when the item is "delivered".

 

[YesTor]

13 hours ago, Trevellan said:

Not quite the same thing, but I was supposed to have received a Royal Mail Tracked item from Amazon yesterday. It wasn't put through my letterbox and none of my neighbours took it in. The Royal Mail website suggests I should tell the sender, while Amazon say I should contact the courier. A report has been submitted to Royal Mail, but I don't hold out much hope.

 

The advice from Amazon to check with the courier is okay up to a point, but ultimately it is the sender's (Amazon's) responsibility to follow-up if it turns out to be a total non-delivery.

[Gareth Collier]

From an ex postie point of view signed for was always a general waste of time as the postie never had to ask for ID at the door, the recipient could provide any name they wanted and fake any signature they wanted and did! This also is applicable to 'Special Delivery' items. The signature was actually just a symbolic gesture.

Now if the recipient claims non receipt the PDA the postie uses has a very good GPS in it and will show exactly where it was when the 'signature' was made. Far better than a signature and, I know for a fact, has been used to discredit fraudulent claims.

 

 

[Sir TophamHatt]

On 17 July 2019 at 22:57, JiLo said:

Certainly not a Royal Fail (why do people do that?)

Dunno.

Same with Notwork Fail.  I find people's "trying to be funny" (?) actually makes it difficult to read and thus I spend less time reading their content, ergo, no point in posting it.  But that's just grump old me.

 

My postie signs for things for me.

I don't mind as I've never had anything go missing and means I don't have to faff about going to the delivery office.

 

Remember though, Royal Mail class a simple line as a signature so it isn't as easy as claiming non-delivery.  If there's even a dot, it's signed.

[rab]

On 17/07/2019 at 22:57, JiLo said:

Certainly not a Royal Fail (why do people do that?)

 

 

 

Probably the same reason they refer to a certain government department as DafT. Brings a bit of humour into otherwise

serious and oft times depressing threads.

[Crosland]

On 26/07/2019 at 19:19, rab said:

Probably the same reason they refer to a certain government department as DafT. Brings a bit of humour into otherwise

serious and oft times depressing threads.

Parcel Farce

MyHerpes

Sh***y Link (now down the pan )

 

Any others?

 

[J. S. Bach]

Speaking of "missing" packages, this one is "still on its way" as of 07aug19! Note that Greensboro, NC is about 100 miles from Chester, SC.

 

 

Tracking History  9536 1122 5169 9115 5525 32:

 

May 2, 2019 In Transit, Arriving Late Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility.

 

April 28, 2019, 7:47 am Departed USPS Regional Destination Facility GREENSBORO NC NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

 

April 28, 2019, 1:49 am Arrived at USPS Regional Facility GREENSBORO NC NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

 

April 26, 2019, 4:35 pm Departed USPS Regional Facility DENVER CO NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

 

April 26, 2019, 11:46 am Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility DENVER CO NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

 

April 25, 2019, 2:48 pm USPS in possession of item LITTLETON, CO 80123

 

 

If I have to go to the PO to retrieve a package that I was not at home to sign for, it is no real problem as the PO has convenient hours.

 

[hayfield]

On 16/07/2019 at 16:08, rab said:

Twice recently I've had eBay purchases delivered by Royal Fail,

where the sender has paid extra for signed for delivery,

but no signature has been requested.

 

Having said that, I had another delivery during the same period

where a signature was requested, (same postie)!

 

I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth paying the extra,

when it seems like you're taking a gamble on whether

you'll get a signature or not.

 

 

A thought is those not signed for may have been Tracked and not signed for, the cost is much the same and quite often I get confirmation by email it has been delivered.

[Colin_McLeod]

On 27/07/2019 at 19:36, Crosland said:

Parcel Farce

MyHerpes

Sh***y Link (now down the pan )

 

Any others?

 

 

Farce book

The other forum

B*** P******   (archaic)

Flea bay

It's only a toy train

 

etc

 

All of which maintains the perceived age of railway modellers at an artificially low level.