Can you combine a Royal Mail prepaid label + stamps for postage

[mod81]

I wondered if the postage would be valid on a 250g large letter if i purchased a 100g large letter label from Click and Drop / Ebay and then attached stamps to make it up to the value of a 250g large letter? Or even up to a small parcel?

The reason why i would want to do this is because I have a lot of stamps and used to drop off my mail paid for with these stamps to my local PO, but this recently closed so I now have quite a trek to get to the nearest PO. Yet there is a convenience store just at the end of my street which I can drop RM packages off at, but only if they have a barcode/QR code that the shop can scan.
So if I can buy a lower priced RM label from click and drop that the shop can scan and attach stamps to get it up to the correct postage value, I can get the convenience of dropping them off locally plus also use up the stamps.

Does anyone know if this is going to work or will the packaged get marked as insufficient postage paid, even though it will have enough postage on it with the click and drop label plus the stamps?

[technthread]

I think it will confuse their systems and your buyers will get charged. If you're lucky some may get waved through but I'd have no confidence in that happening it will just create a mess for RM to deal with. 

Even if it would work you could end up overpaying unless you had lots of make up value type stamps. 

I'd hang on to them until the stamp prices go up. You could then sell them.

[mod81]

Id rather use them than hold onto them even if i overpaid a little on some postage as it would probably work out around the same cost to me as trying to resell them, as stamps don't go for anything like their face value on the resell market. Hence why ive ended up with loads in the first place from buying them in bulk at a discount price when others are flogging them.

And yes i have lots of stamps in many different values 1st and 2nd plus make up values.

[technthread]

I'd probably sort them into batches of 100g LL, 250g LL etc and then where you are short just go to the RM Shop and buy some more make up value stamps to complete the totals you need. Importantly, based on the upcoming price increase if applicable. It would be counter intuitive unless you knew you were going to have plenty of sales where they will be used up quicky.

I'd also reserve them for trustworthy buyers with good feedback left for others. That's what I did with mine to get rid. Any buyer that had no history would be a sale where I'd buy an RM label for the delivery confirmation rather than risk the stamp. 

[technthread]

Whilst on the subject, I noticed on the RM app that they have a counterfeit stamp scanner now which is a great feature. As you bought them from other sellers, it's always worth checking for that these days. 

[mod81]

I am OK using just stamps for postage, i have been doing that for a few years.
The reason why i want to combine stamps with a RM prepaid label is so i can drop of my mail at the local shop which accepts only RM prepaid labels with a QR code or barcode and not stamped only mail.

My local Post Office that i used to take my stamped mail to has now closed and the next nearest one is 20 mins travel away.

[technthread]

I'd probably just use a Postbox in that case. 

I'd be amazed if it worked consistently with a prepaid label and a stamp top up. Every one would need a person at RM to authorise it which opens up too much risk for the sender. I haven't checked the T&C's but they may even say it's not allowed I don't know but I bet they wouldn't like it. 

It also throws up the issue of delayed parcels. How many times will it get flagged in the system and held up for them to manually check it before it goes out for delivery. Sounds like a nightmare tbh. 

[mod81]

Post box is not really going to work for me, as small parcels and even some large letter sizes don't fit inside any of the Post boxes in my area, and the nearest parcel box is at the depot which is further away than the nearest PO. Plus i wont get any proof of postage if something get lost in transit.

Not really sure how much extra work its going to make for RM compared to sending just stamped mail, as someone has to manually check stamped mail to see that the correct postage has been paid so its just the same only part of the postage is paid with a prepaid label.
But good call on mentioing the RM T&Cs for the prepaid label ill check and see if it mentions anything about it. Or maybe even contact RM customer sevices tomorrow and ask if i can't get a definitive answer.

[zoomingmouse]

To add... you can ask Royal Mail directly your question via their website.

I've done this when I've not been 100% sure about something & wanted their answer written down.

I think it took a couple of days for them to reply via email:

https://shop.royalmail.com/contact/ 

[technthread]

I stand corrected.

I have a mate who works for RM and he says people do it all the time. The parcel machine chucks it out and then it should get manually sorted and be fine.

[mod81]

I have dropped a Email to RM with my enquiry and hopefully will have a definitive answer in a few days and can update this post with their response

[twfan11]

I once did this.  I took my 200g large letter to the PO.  They misread the weight and put a large letter stamp on it.  I queried it and they realised their mistake.  They then printed out a label for the extra postage needed and put that on aswell. I did get a code number which was supposed to prove delivery. 

I was a bit worried about this and it never did get shown as delivered.  But I never got an INR for it so I assume it was.  RM frequently don't get the proof of delivery done so it might not have been because of the combination of label and stamp.

[mod81]

The reply I got back from the Royal Mail was no you cannot mix online postage labels and stamps to make up the value to the correct postage amount.

So i guess if I want to use up my stamps Im back to having to travel to the closest post office and queue up at the counter if i want to get proof of postage for stamped mail, which is disapointing.

[2479sylvia]

I am with yes it will work.  I think Royal Mail are amazingly flexible and want to deliver successfully.  My question is can sellers still use postage stamps to dispatch?  you do not seem to be able to get the address of buyers unless you purchase postage via Ebay?  Does anyone know how to list so that you can use postage stamps?

[zoomingmouse]

I don't use Ebay for postage, but just go 'view order details' to get the buyer's delivery address.

You could also go through the motions of 'send invoice' but not actually click send & that too will give you their address.

When you're back just mark as dispatched, or add the tracking number if you've sent it that way.

If you send untracked <parcel> then you can also add the long number on the receipt from the Post Office that, if scanned, will show as delivered when it is. This can also win an item not received case.

[mod81]

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@zoomingmouse wrote:

If you send untracked <parcel> then you can also add the long number on the receipt from the Post Office that, if scanned, will show as delivered when it is. This can also win an item not received case.

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IF SCANNED is unfortunately the important part of that, as despite me going to the effort of sticking a little label on the packages saying 'please scan on delivery', the RM posties are very hit and miss on scanning anything other than tracked mail or special delivery items.

[technthread]

It is very common unfortunately. I’ve just had a buyer clock this and open an INR case.

I was stuck with no proof of delivery but I sent them proof of postage and called their bluff on it and they closed the case. 

eBay is fun and games sometimes isn’t it.