Anyone using the Royal Mail app for Proof of Postage?

[the-gasman-cometh]

Hi

Is anyone using the Royal Mail app to collate Proof of Postage for Ebay-purchased shipping?

RM package loss claims require "evidence of posting" and I can't stand the frustration of waiting for ages at the Post Office for a Certificate of Posting receipt while someone who has rocked up with zero preparation fumbles around taking up all the counter assistant's time.

The Royal Mail delivery office is usually much quicker to drop off parcels but they don't print out proof of postage receipts.

https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/367/related/1

says to use the Royal Mail app.

I found the app's "Proof of postage" function has a "Show me how it works" which proceeds to do nothing of the sort! It just says "Follow the steps to add proof of postage" but then nothing else.

Then I tried to do it for real with postage bought via Ebay. I tried to scan the "Royal Mail QR code" sent by Ebay but the app says it's not recognised. However the QR code does appear distorted through the app  (the square code becomes distinctly rectangular). So I tried scanning it with my normal camera app and that managed to translate it OK (but of course that is no good for the Royal Mail app).

Anyone have a clue as to how this is supposed to work?

[tommystrezures]

We use a drop and go account so you can goto your post office drop your parcels off and leave. Royal Mail will accept electronic proof eg from your drop and go account on line in the event of any claim but also our PO are very good and print them manually and keep them in a file for us to collect ad hoc.

Your online account for large letters above 100gms the 16 digit or if its been sent as a special so you can copy the data on to your ebay account for the relevant buyer.

[the-gasman-cometh]

Tx, yes I tried DnG a while back but my local PO closed temporarily and then when they reopened they'd ceased to offer the service. I recall it was rather an involved paper-based process as an occasional sender, having to fill out a manifest form and then having to remember to (queue to) collect the Proof of Postage receipts every month.

I was hoping the Royal Mail app could do all that online with no more scraps of paper to manage.

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/dng/purchase-history

says that Dop and Go PoP is not available online.

Ebay automatically sort out all the tracking info if you purchase postage through them (and they often have promos on various services).

I'll see what the RM office says about the app tomorrow.

[the-gasman-cometh]

Update - at the Royal Mail Delivery Office I tried out the RM app on the QR code label once they'd printed it out. The image was very blurry at first but it focused after I tapped on the image and then the app translated it into a Proof of Postage doc which I could then save. Great, no more receipts to handle!

Thinking about it, I think the "Royal Mail QR code" "Delivery Label" that Ebay sent looked larger to the one that RM printed out for the actual parcel label, and so it makes sense that it is the only one that the RM app will scan.

[10-louielouie]

Yes , I have the exact same problem , purchased label through eBay and took parcel to delivery office . When I asked for proof of sending he said ,they don't give them and I could get a digital one on the royal mail app . Problem is you can only get that if you purchased the label on the royal mail  app . The only proof I have is the tracking saying that it was excepted . 

[the-gasman-cometh]

The RM app does this fine now, you select Services, Proof of postage, and add, select "no" for Bought on app?". Then scan the printed out label.

[10-louielouie]

Thank you , I will try that next time .  Fingers crossed that todays parcel arrives safely and I won't need it . 

[elltingle]

I tried this yesterday but when I tapped to scan the code, the camera was very blurry so it was unable to focus on the code to scan it. The light was good and I tried holding it closer, further away, different angles, etc but nothing helped. My phone camera isn’t blurry any other time, only with the RM app. Has anyone else found this?

[the-gasman-cometh]

Yes I have had this exact issue with a Galaxy S21 Ultra. Usually it works after a few retries but it's very annoying. Have you tapped on the image to focus it?

At least one app reviewer reported the same https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.royalmail.app.droid&hl=en-GB&hl=en-GB

The developer contact is appfeedback@royalmail.com.

[cosmeticsandmisc]

bump

the royal mail app used to allow us to download a legitimate proof of postage if a parcel was scanned on route. So for example even though you cannot get tracking on a RM Standard parcel, if it was scanned on route the proof of postage would be available with specific time/date and location info of the last scan. This helped me deal with argumentative customers who would doubt I even sent it and the info of the last scan would also give them some reasurrance it was either on the way or lost close to them and therefoure not my fault.

They have since removed this and replaced it.  Now if i scan the label from home it'll give info as if it was posted at the local post box. It also means i would have to scan every single barcode, which would make it very difficult to keep a track record of which is which on the app. The old way which worked great, allowed me to just go ahead and scan it on a need basis.

It's disappointing. Royal mail just ruined something that worked great and was helpful and yet no one really talks about it.

[10-louielouie]

Hi, thank you for replying, I have recently tried the app for proof of postage , scanning the QR code on the label as I post the item in the post box , it then come up in the app as pending proof of postage until it is scanned again by the sorting office then it will change to proof of sending . This is ok for me as I only have one or two items and can now go to the post box instead of a journey to post office .
You can find proof of postage in the history by tracking numbers in the royal mail app, but I can see that it would be difficult if you have a lot of items to check .
Regards Louise
Sent from my iPhone