How reliable has Royal Mail been during the Covid Crisis?

[DevonDamo]

Can anyone beat this. AN item ordered from Ebay 8th september, never arrived, I just got the collect code today from Argos, 22nd October. , 1 1/2 months!!!!!

I can! I bought a jar of Shiphams crab paste in Liptons a few decades ago. Got home and found it was out of date!!!!

[mercalia]

Can anyone beat this. AN item ordered from Ebay 8th september, never arrived, I just got the collect code today from Argos, 22nd October. , 1 1/2 months!!!!!

I can! I bought a jar of Shiphams crab paste in Liptons a few decades ago. Got home and found it was out of date!!!!

Maybe you need to take a faster mode of transport?

seems like I can keep the item though I got a refund, says Ebay. What would you do? It was a blu ray costing £5

[mercalia]

seems like ( some parts of) London is experiencing poor service

https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/essential-supplies-arriving-weeks-late-as-coronavirus-restrictions-hit-royal-mail/

I know from my local Nextdoor there is a thread detailing the poor service

[thirdcrank]

We've had nothing delivered now for around a fortnight. There doesn't seem to be anywhere to check if certain postcodes are having problems or what, if anything, anybody can do.

One of my neighbours said they had heard you could collect it from the local delivery office.

I checked the opening times online and went round. There was an unofficial sign saying that opening hours had been reduced to a two-hour slot from 1 September ie plenty of time to update online info. I had a word with the driver of a Royal Mail van in the yard and they said if I called at the side door somebody would help. Unfortunately, the person who happened to be coming out of the side door when I approached was having none of that and left me non-the-wiser. The wheelchair ramp up to the inquiry office door was blocked with some sort of large wire rack which had several unofficial signs about things like one-at-a-time. (Even in normal times, the place is plastered with unofficial signs, often a sign of low morale in a workplace.)

Very difficult times for everybody.

[mercalia]

I had an item that I bought on Sept 12th finaly arrive late last week. Only 7 weeks.

[ncutler]

We live in a tiny rural hamlet where the daily delivery has always reliably been at mid day.

The service we are getting from RM at the moment is, if anything, better than usual: absolutely superb.

[kwackers]

I post a lot of stuff out all over the world.
Locally I've found stuff is pretty good (both directions).

But sending abroad is a different picture.
Looking at my tracking info I've had stuff "cleared and awaiting international departure" at Langley since October.

Lack of planes and lots of parcels I suspect.

Top tip: If you're sending parcels to relatives abroad I'd get them in the post asap.

[thirdcrank]

We had the first delivery for a couple of weeks on Sunday. The most time-sensitive items were two editions of the Radio Times which were both out-of-date. On Monday we received this week's Radio Times ie three days late. Worse things happen at sea, but it's a measure of the delays.

The pandemic and lockdown have presented huge problems across our society. IMO, Royal Mail could have done more in keeping customers informed about what was happening eg through their website. Our long-term regular postman retired the Christmas before last and it's only since he went that we've appreciated how great was his personal commitment to his customers. You don't appreciate what you've got .....

[fausto copy]

Our service has been brilliant.
We've had a new post-lady since the summer and she's been excellent.
If we're out, she always finds a safe space to leave the items and drops a note to tell us where.

Most things we order online ends up in a tracking service and I get texted or emailed to say it's on its way.
Just had two message from John Lewis and Royal Mail for delivery on Thursday.
We might be out during expected delivery times, so have been able to nominate a safe place to leave those too.
Couldn't be better.

[Elizabeth_S]

Normally it is sporadic, during lockdown it was if they had enough to deliver they might come down our street (so much worse than usual), now it's back to the usual sporadic, going back into lockdown, so probably very few deliveries.

[KTHSullivan]

My local Postie is a real star and goes out of his way to ensure we get the mail. Parcel Farce however are a complete joke. Ordered some gear from a company in Plymouth a few weeks ago on an overnighter. All was going swimmingly until the clowns transported the said article to Inverness; somewhat strange as I am in Lincolnshire. Finally fetched up 4 days later after having a tour of the UK. I don't normally deal with firms that use PF as their only courier, however the equipment is quite specialised and they offered no alternative.

[mercalia]

Can anyone beat this. AN item ordered from Ebay 8th september, never arrived, I just got the collect code today from Argos, 22nd October. , 1 1/2 months!!!!!

I can! I bought a jar of Shiphams crab paste in Liptons a few decades ago. Got home and found it was out of date!!!!

I just bought some from Sainsburys as I seemed to remember it being good. I hadnt had any for a long time. Nope tasteless paste.

[mercalia]

Royal Mail parcels overtake letters for first time

well I wont use them & think twice about any ebayer that does

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54998908

[thirdcrank]

Parcel Farce and Royal Mail Parcels are not the same organisaton. The former was hived off and privatised long before RM

[mercalia]

Parcel Farce and Royal Mail Parcels are not the same organisaton. The former was hived off and privatised long before RM

hmm I didnt know that. Not sure then who is responsible for my dismall experience. Any clues how to tell. P.F only do large ones? If so then my ones still probably R.M