Things to notice in Royal Mail price changes April 2024

[wellingnorth]

I was updating my postage prices yesterday looking at the new Royal Mail and Post Office prices and noticed a few things that might be worth drawing attention to, I wondered if anyone else might have seen anything similar? For instance I didn't look in detail, but I noticed new columns for Ireland, France, Germany, it looks like they may now be cheaper than Europe zone 1, and Canada also looks cheaper than world zone 1 now?

#1 International parcels are really quite a lot more at the Post Office now, for tracked parcels it seems to cost at least £3 more. Parcels to the USA look like the worst case - starting at 250g it's £17.20 vs £11.70 online, by 2kg it's £31.85 vs £20 online.

#2 For online parcels to the USA at any weight over 250g the price for Tracked is less than the price for Standard Airmail

#3 For parcels to Europe quite a big difference opens up between the three Europe Zones at heavier weights - at 1.25kg zone 3 the online price is £3.10 more than zone 1, by 2kg it's £7.40 more. Although zone 3 is largely more obscure countries like Belarus, etc it does also include Switzerland and Norway who I have had orders from occasionally. It would be good if Ebay would allow us to enter different prices corresponding to the different EU zones to cater for this.

Royal Mail Price changes page:

https://www.royalmail.com/prices2024

Online prices pdf here:

https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2024-03/online-price-guide-april-2024-v1-ta.pdf

Post office prices pdf here:

https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2024-03/our-prices-april-2024-v1-ta.pdf

[tommystrezures]

Yes we changed all of ours just over a week ago to coincide with auctions ending this weekend.

There are some interesting anomolies (as always!) Europe they have had the three zones for a couple of years now. However their zone 1's don't tie up with what logically say most couriers use, eg, most other companies in a zone one setting include the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Purely on the fact they are all carried by road! The inclusion of Denmark is odd (t say the least as is Corsica) why then not include Italy and also Sweden (post Nord of sweden own/run the Danish system!)

Canada is a Zone 1 country and always has been (on over the counter but perhaps online its slightly different)

USA since Trump when he was president, pulled the US out of the UPU and the final mile routes changed has always now been odd (and why its so expensive to send to the USA) has been an oddity even over the counter PO prices tracked are now cheaper than standard airmail on anything I think over 1.5Kg.

It would be helpful you are right if ebay actually set postage by European zones, as it would be even more helpful if Ebay recognised that New Zealand is a country...... But to be honest there, you have two hopes, and Bob ain't one of them!

Personally we set our European rates at Zone 2 for everyone and have done with it, it all actually seems to balance out over a year.

[wellingnorth]

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@tommystrezures wrote:

Personally we set our European rates at Zone 2 for everyone and have done with it, it all actually seems to balance out over a year.

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I've done more or less the same but might start adding a note for heavier items regarding Switzerland, Norway, etc.

I haven't looked too closely but It does look like online Canada does have it's own cheaper price. And I think the USA prices have come down a lot now from when they first introduced world zone 3. I like to support the Post Office and have always priced on the Post Office rates and then refunded if I used Click and Drop instead, but I'm thinking the differences are so big now it may be better to just use Click and Drop for anything international and price accordingly.

[maturin.surprise]

I'm sure it's just an error in the PDF, but I notice under International Tracked (online) they removed the Compensation information for small parcels.

Seems like a bit of an oversight to me.

[esoterica_mail]

It seems that the price of 'tracked & signed heavier' parcels 5-7.5kg to Europe Zone 2 has increased from £23.40 to £53.40?!

This is quite comical as I sent something in this category for the first time just last week and was planning to do so again this week... Maybe not now...

[sawjuggler]

UK tracked 24 & 48 hr service doesn't exist on the PO counter service system. 

1st and 2nd class signed for now only £20 compensation not £50.

RM is finally falling to bits.

[wellingnorth]

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@esoterica_mail wrote:

It seems that the price of 'tracked & signed heavier' parcels 5-7.5kg to Europe Zone 2 has increased from £23.40 to £53.40?!

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Wow, that's a big jump, that's a shame as the tracked & signed heavier has been good for pricing in that you don't have to worry about parcel dimensions, will have to double check if I have any of those listed.

Seems like the £250 compensation is still available for international tracked in Click & Drop so that's good news at least.

[lionbooks]

You can book RM tracked 24 and 48 via parcel2go. It's about 5.60 plus vat for the 48. 

They offer a pick up price which is slightly cheaper than the drop off. 

[esoterica_mail]

£19.50 with Evri so might have to go with that, although I don't trust them. Luckily I can check with potential buyer beforehand.

[tommystrezures]

We use ups small business Google it as that it's a slightly different sight from their main one. Book Fridays is 10% off day but generally competitive depending on location. Basic insurance is also £60 included.

[nuggett46]

Yes, I spotted that. Kept that one quiet didn't they. That is what privatization has done, like all other utilities/services. Gone to pot!

[esoterica_mail]

Thanks for tip, £21 for standard delivery not bad, a lot better than RM anyway

[tommystrezures]

And std delivery with UPS is usually 2-3 days, and you get better insurance cover. Also you can actually speak to humans in London or if out of hours it kicks back over to the US. But you are welcome.

[robbtyke132010]

What is a bit bizarre is the the price of a 101g - 250g large letter second class 

has been reduced from £2.40 to £2.10 ( exactly the same price as a first class large letter stamp) - for someone who sells DVDs this is welcome. And I think by sticking a first class stamp on I will cover my second class postage.....

[j-tech_products]

I am a business user for the Royal mail click and drop.

Our new price for a parcel under 1 kg is  £5.82 inc VAT and surcharges, this is Royal mail 24 sending around 30 parcels per day. 

We have noticed that on the website it is £4.19 including all charges and VAT, for Tracked 24 which is a better service. They will even collect a single parcel free of charge! 

Does anyone know what is going on here as this is ridiculous?

Kind Regards

Joe

[wellingnorth]

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@robbtyke132010 wrote:

What is a bit bizarre is the the price of a 101g - 250g large letter second class 

has been reduced from £2.40 to £2.10

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Good to see some good news at least. Also I noticed there's a much smaller difference for International Large Letters between the Post Office and Royal Mail - seems like a pound or less mark up which seems reasonable

[esoterica_mail]

Yes the lower 2nd class LL rate is welcome, however possibly these low prices will be used by RM to help justify its proposal to reduce 2nd class letter deliveries to 3 times per week. Presumably this would include large letters.

[drleaf117]

Its quite crazy these price increases huh, hopefully royal mail will recover eventually and they go back to what they once were.