When the new postal tariff was announced one new service was included in the rates leaflet. This was Tracked 24/48.
My contact was unable to say when it might happen, and - until more information was received by them - unable to say whether stamps would be accepted as postage. (A comment on the original post suggested that they would not be.)
If stamps are not accepted - and there is nothing in the rates leaflet to indicate one way or the other - this would be the only service apart from those operated by ParcelForce for which stamps could not be used.
UPDATE 15 July 2024 'Harry' reports that these services have now gone live at all post offices in WHSmith branches. There is no option to prepay in stamps neither the whole nor part of the cost. This is a photo of the screen with the 'Pre-paid' button greyed out.
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| Horizon screen when Tracked 24/48 being purchased - no option to prepay in stamps. |
I collect Signed for labels and usually do a first and second class cover for the new rates. The problems I had posting these at Basildon post office, the womon wanted to know whats in the envelope, told I dont need to used signed for, finally they got done as requested but she was not happy doing them. I was hoping to get the tracked FDC as well, She would not except it was a new service tried to palm me off with something else, would not accept the details as shown in the current list. A very insulting person told me to see the manager. Saw the manager and she was just as helpfull, All I could get its not on the system, basically not interested now go away. Thats the usually service I get in Basildon. I went to another post office located in Basildon hospital what a difference the person checked as far as possible, it would seem the new sevice was not up and running. Person was Mega help full, Also posted a Post and Go signed for on the 2nd. It was charged at the old rate, looks like post and go was not updated I suspect I get a £5 fine for that. mm
ReplyDelete"If stamps are not accepted - and there is nothing in the rates leaflet to indicate one way or the other" - I see no reason why stamps should NOT be accepted.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the price leaflet now really does suggests that "UK Signed" won't last much longer, nor will the new "Tracked with Signature".
For a second class Small Parcel up to 2kg it's
£3.69
£3.89 Tracked, only 20p extra
£5.09 Signed - £1.40 extra
£5.29 Tracked with signature - £1.60 extra
Wouldn't this be a breach in contract or some kind of trading standards dispute; i.e. selling stamps that can't then be used for a Royal Mail service (Tracked 48) at the post office. A lot of us have stamps to use and they still sell stamps and to be not allowed to use them for Royal Mail services (especially if they get rid of signed for), would upset not just a lot of stamp collectors but many businesses.
ReplyDeleteI tried to send a parcel value £110 using Tracked 48 last week and was told that as I had stamped it with stamps, that stamps were not acceptable. I then had to send it Signed For but the compensation is only £20, not £150. If this is right - you can't use stamps as like Parcel Force sendings - then in order to get a higher level of compensation than £20, I'd have to pay much more in postage.
ReplyDeleteIf it turns out that stamps cannot be used for certain services like Tracked 48, as experienced by LondonRobert, this would indeed mark a departure from traditional practices. Stamps have historically been a versatile and straightforward method of paying for postal services. Restricting their use could inconvenience many, not least stamp collectors and small businesses who have accumulated stamps for postal purposes.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of clear information and the inconsistencies reported in different Post Office branches could be seen as a failure in communication and customer service. These issues might warrant a review under customer rights and trading standards, especially if they result in customers being unable to use a legitimate form of payment that is still being sold, or receiving inferior service as a result.
For those affected, it might be advisable to seek clarification directly from Post Office Ltd or Royal Mail, or to lodge formal complaints if the services promised and the terms of payment are not being adhered to. Monitoring updates from both entities will also be crucial as this situation continues to develop.
Ultimately, if stamps are excluded from newly introduced services, there might need to be a broader discussion about the future role of stamps in postal services and how this aligns with consumer rights and expectations.
The use of postage stamps would necessitate the issue of labels for the various 'Tracked' services as are used for 'Special Delivery' and 'Signed For' services.
ReplyDelete[Oops, misspelled my posting name, and can't change it]
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in this subject, and have just (after some obstacles) sent the following to Royal Mail:
"[This enquiry is about the Royal Mail Tracked 24 & 48 services - these did not appear in the drop-down menu, so I had to select 'I don't know the product']
Hello, I have two questions.
Firstly, when will these services be available to buy at Post Office counters? POs were supposed to offer the services from 2nd April 2024, but apparently this has been delayed due to a breakdown in negotiations (which should have been finalised prior to this date). I can find no official statement from either company on the current status of the situation. My local PO branch (including the manager, with whom I discussed this) had not even heard about the change, even a few days before 2nd April - they heard about if first from me, a customer / member of the public. When I asked again last week, the manager made a phone call, but all that could be established was what I had already told her, ie that PO Counters were meant to be offering the services from 2nd April onwards, but currently are not. The facility to use these services had still not been loaded onto their system. The delay in POs being able to offer the services is made more frustrating by the apparent lack of official updates on the matter. Are the plans for POs to offer RM 24 / 48 Tracked still in place, and if so, when will they be implemented?
Secondly, if the plans do go ahead, will customers be able to use barcoded stamps (either purchased at the PO or already in the customer's possession) to cover, or go towards, payment for the two services? Barcoded RM Stamps are a legitimate and accepted means of paying postage costs for all other RM services (not ParcelForce) - if stamps cannot be used for RM 24 / 48 Tracked, both RM services, then this could be a consumer rights issue, as RM would be refusing a legitimate form of payment. I have read posts on eBay seller forums and on a philatelic blog, and there is clear confusion regarding this topic. My local PO had no idea whether the answer was yes or no, given that they were not even aware (until I informed them and they checked) that it had been originally intended for POs to offer the services from 2nd Apri. I have a number of stamps, and would like to use the 24 / 48 Tracked service, but would wish to use my existing supply of stamps for the services (as opposed to ordering the services through RM's website). I am not the only customer in this position. Therefore, assuming that the plans for POs to offer the services do go ahead, will customers be able to use stamps towards the cost?
The current lack of clarity and updates about the two issues above is casting both PO Counters and RM (but mainly the latter) in a bad light, at a time when both companies are already reeling from recent and current reputational damage. I would therefore appreciate a clear answer to both questions. Furthermore, I feel that it would be in RM's own interests to provide ongoing official updates to the public on these issues (e.g. on your website and social media pages), rather than maintaining a suspicious silence.
Thank you for reading my somewhat lengthy enquiries, and I look forward to a response in the very near future.
Kind regards"
Even sending that was a faff. As you can see from my initial comment on the form, there wasn't even an option for 24 / 48 Tracked on their own drop-down menu of services. When I tapped ‘Submit’ I got an error message. I went back to the form, which was still completed, but tapping ‘Submit’ did nothing. I refreshed the page, and, predictably, the fields were blank. Fortunately, I'd copied my text (to paste / post here), so I completed the form again, and this time it was sent successfully.
I'll update here if I get a reply.
If I hadn't been on holiday and tied up with many other things I would have phoned Business Customer Services (who are much easier to get hold of and talk to than the general number) and asked them; hopefull in the next couple of weeks.
DeleteSomeone has just posted an update on the eBay Community forums. According to their local PO, the services are being rolled out in two phases. Some POs will be able to offer them from 14th May, with the rest following suit from 11th June.
DeletePlease bear in mind that this is what someone else has been told by their local PO branch, so I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this information - hopefully it's correct, though, even if the time frame is a bit disappointing.
Just received this reply:
ReplyDeleteThank you for contacting Royal Mail.
I was sorry to learn of any disappointment caused in regards to the availability of Royal Mail Tracked 24/48 at a Post Office branch and can understand your reasons for contacting us on this occasion.
Although we were fully expecting Royal Mail Tracked 24/48 services to be available at the Post Office on 2nd April 2024 this has been delayed.
You can, however, continue to buy Royal Mail Tracked 24/48 postage online via the Royal Mail website using Click and Drop. We can also arrange to collect the items from your address or, if you prefer, you can take your parcel and QR code to any Post Office branch to print labels for postage you have bought online. Or you can buy postage at a Post Office branch please contact your local branch for availability. Alternatively, you can print and apply your own postage label and drop the item at a Parcel Postbox.
I am please to advise that the availability of- purchasing our Royal Mail Tracked 24/48 services at a Post Office counter has now started being rolled out to branches. This became available from Tuesday 23 April 2024 in approximately 115 larger Crown Post Offices. To check availability I would kindly advise that you visit and check with your local Post Office branch directly.
In regards to your query regarding payment for the service, I would advise that the Royal Mail Tracked 24/48 service will be available to purchase at the Post Office counter or online via the Royal Mail website. For this service you would be unable to apply stamps as a method of payment.
Thank you; I'll incorporate these comments and info from other sources into the main post soon.
DeleteI assume we have had zero update on this? Has it been delayed indefinitely?
ReplyDeleteIt was updated on the original news post, and I have added part of that here now.
Delete