Post Office no longer accepting parcels
I’m an occasional seller here, selling used books and CDs, and the occasional computer gadget. I had a book to ship today, and I bought a Royal Mail label as usual, and, since it’s too large for the post box on my street, my partner took it to a local post office. They refused to accept it, saying “we don’t accept pre-paid labels.” It took a while for her to get them to admit that they had been accepting them for years, and they finally said it changed last week.
Anyone know what’s going on? The Royal Mail Click & Drop website, where you can purchase labels that are similar to what you buy through Amazon, says you can drop items in any post box or any of 11,500 Post office branches.
The person at the post office said the only place that would accept them was the sorting office; for me, that’s a 20-minute drive. Not worth the hassle for the occasional book.
43 replies
Seller_72Sy9T6sEfmjl
I don’t know but I’d find it surprising if this is correct.
This is the second time now in recent days this has popped up on the forums so may be there is some dispute with sub postmasters.
I’ve not had a problem but my local post office is a Crown office attached to a sorting office.
Local post offices may lose a bit in commissions by taking pre-paid post but they still get paid a retainer based on how much post goes through the office. If they start refusing pre-paid parcels they may find their retainer payment dropping or even the royal mail deciding to close it down.
Seller_EHYOwAkoZV3Hb
Maybe I’m misunderstanding the meaning of the word “Drop”. Drop it where? On the floor? No, surely it means drop it off at the post office!
Whatever next?
Seller_72Sy9T6sEfmjl
Just checked on the Royal Mail site about dropping of pre-paid parcels and there is no mention of the Post Office.
If you’ve purchased postage through Click & Drop, Royal Mail Online Postage, a Franking Machine or any other online payment channels, you can drop your UK and international items off at an Enquiry Office/Customer Service Point. Please note that items must be dropped off with the correct paperwork. You can also drop off items which are being sent to a UK address using postage stamps
So I’m guessing the Post Office can, if they so wish, say no.
Seller_aeuxNKlbUgLUL
The Click and Drop website says:
No sign up required
Pay with card or PayPal
Postbox and Post Office® branch drop-off
No minimum order
Royal Mail replied to a query on Twitter:
Hi Kirk, Post Offices are unable to accept Tracked 24/48 items where the postage has been created online, they can however accept other types of item (1st/2nd/Signed For/Special Delivery
I’m not sending tracked items. So the post office is clearly in violation. Which means yet another complaint. (I had to complain about the post office in a shop near me scamming, trying to treat parcels I dropped off as returns, so they get paid more, and ignoring a couple of signed-for parcels, sending them standard second class.)
Seller_xDtaDZ1Iek9Fq
I will call up Post Office Counter to complain about it. I have had some run in with 4 different post offices and one of them is Crown ones as well! I kicked up a huge amount of fuss over it as it is not acceptable that different branches CHOOSE what they like to do. This is discrimination!! We all pay to use the service and should not have difficulties to be put in the way.
If need be, kick up fuss on FB and twitter as well… Not being “informed” by Post Office Counter is not my problem, Royal Mail and Post Office need to get their act together. Telling me not getting the memo is not acceptable.
Seller_3nYDEKuPvlpTC
This is not true, post office has to accept pre-paid label. Some post offices take excuses not to take them if you have high volume as it time consuming and no benefit for them.
So basically, they are trying to get rid of you.
Seller_podZe5CaY6FwQ
They are not happy if you have prepaid parcel as they do not get any provision. They told me in multiple places that they do not get any money/percentage for processing my parcel. The Royal Mail should do something about it. Eventually they always accepted my parcels. Sometimes they are arguing that I need to take it to the main office. Sometimes they try to joke about it that I want them to work (to give a proof of postage) but I do not pay them or they are making faces…
Seller_Rkf2znCXtSZpI
We have been dropping items at depots rather than high street post offices since we started click & drop. Luckily one is very near our warehouse.
Perhaps this wasn’t nationwide before and is now expanding.
Seller_Fdr3eS4YFoUKj
Look at it from the Post Office’s point of view. You’re giving them extra work to do and they’re not receiving anything for it.
When I used to drop my OBA sacks off at the PO, I would buy Special Delivery over the counter and buy the occasional pint of milk.
Help them out and they’ll help you out.
Seller_uf5r62hlowf86
Hi
Having exactly the same problem here Post Office have been told not to accept Click & Drop and that I can only take them to Depot. Still trying to work out what the hell is going on. I have been told that I have to go back across to DMO.
Sigh
