We believe that, aside from those branches that are already selling them, the Business Sheet and Retail Booklets will not be on sale automatically tomorrow as branches will only receive these when the order them to replenish stocks. But you should, from tomorrow, find the counter sheet stamps are available even if the branch still has stocks of gold 1st class Large.
We still have no information about the official position regarding Royal Mail first day covers for this stamp.
Updates
See also: http://norphil.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/post-office-ltd-instruct-withdrawal-of.html
Regarding the FDCs we understand that the official FDC will bear 87p, 1st Large, £1.28 and £1.90 in that order, reflecting the 1st Large new value of 90p even though when issued it's face value will be only 75p!
Update: here is our FDC with the three different Large Letter Jubilee stamps.
When are distribution and Tallents house going to start talking to each other?
ReplyDeleteI think the price rise announced by Royal Mail for 2012 is very steep considering the economic situation. Will this steep increase bring in the desired revenues? Or, because of this increase Royal Mail will lose more customers to the internet and hence a decrease in revenues.
DeleteIn the short term there is iikely to be an increase in Royal Mail's revenues as everybody stocks up with 1st and 2nd class stamps before prices go up. In the longer term, it may be that the downturn in the volume of items posted is not really affected too much - people using alternatives to the post would probably do that anyway.
DeleteTallents House 9.20am 27th. The issue date has not yet been anounced!!!!
ReplyDeleteI had a few Large Letter Diamond Jubilee stamps at work last Saturday. I even cancelled one with a pen. Is it possible some Post Offices were selling them early?
ReplyDeleteWell I've just read your earlier post now, and that explains it.
ReplyDeleteDo you know I long for Scotish independence so we can take the responsibility for UK postal services away from Tallents House, their RM web site is next to useless.
ReplyDeleteHe-he. What makes you think that and independent Scottish PO would not take over the Tallents House operation? :-D
DeleteIn any case, this is not a problem caused by Tallents House, maybe not even by Royal Mail. Dealers were told in mid-February that the tariff-change stamps (and hence the 1st Large Jubilee) would NOT be issued on 27 March, but later when the postage rates were announced. A breakdown in communications between Royal Mail HQ - which is in London not Edinburgh - and Post Office Ltd Supplies dept is the case of this problem.
Royal Mail's website IS still very poor because they are trying to do too much in one place. The philatelic shop should be totally separate from any other purchase area (Post Office already have a separate system), and should be tailored to supplying collectors with what they want, rather than what Royal Mail are geared up to sell them.*
* Note, I did not say "what Royal Mail think they want". Royal Mail have been told on many occasions what collectors want, but at the present time do not have the resources to provide it either logistically or technically.
I agree with the comments. I think the price increase is absurd. People are really struggling. And my bone to pick does not stop there.
ReplyDeleteRoyal Mail issue to many stamps for collectors making it a meaningless and worthless hobby.
1 ) Stamps are not reasonable priced or creative. For example NVI stamps could be used on Large 1st or 2nd with pictures also, registered post could be included in prestige booklets..
2) if you buy most items in bulk it is cheaper but not with the Royal Mail
3) Finally Royal Mail along with the tax authorities a scam. If you buy items from say USA and it is over £15 then you pay 20% tax plus £8 RM fee. For what? Someone drops a custom notice round and says pay me £8 for a package ,outrageous.
a. Most people send very few letters in a month, the increase of 14p isn't going to affect many people, though I admit older people who don't use email and text will be harder hit than many. But using 2nd class instead of 1st will help (only 6p more) and they can economise on smaller greetings cards.
ReplyDelete1. Anybody who thinks the hobby is meaningless doesn't appreciate how it is flourishing around the world. You complain about too many stamps and high prices and then suggest 'registered' (a service which hasn't existed in that name for 10 years or more) in prestige books. The Special Delivery stamp costs £5.45 today - how much are you prepared to pay for a prestige book (bearing in mind they are priced 10% higher than the cost of the stamps.
2. Buying stamps is to enable you to buy a service, ie posting a letter. If you send letters in bulk (ie 10,000) then you get a discount. You don't get a discount simply for buying in one go enough stamps to post all your letters for the year. The cost of handling each of your 12 letters remains the same, so you get no discount.
3. Any imported goods from outside the EU are subject to VAT and may be subject to import and excise duty. If you don't like paying, then buy from UK or EU dealers - who will have had to pay the same duty and will build it into their prices.
Feel free to use our blog as a sounding board, but do please complain to the regulator, your MP and to Royal Mail. Let us know how you get on.