Royal Mail Tracked 48 20p drop off fee

[springclean024]

I have sold a few items on another account and am used to paying an extra 20p to drop off my parcels at the post office. 

First time I have used ebay to get my postage label. I chose RM tracked 48 but was just charged £3.39. Wasn't an option to select anything else. Got a qr code. Do ebay mop up this normally extra fee? 

[rainbowtrax]

I don't use ebay for postage but RM's new rates kick in tomorrow and the charge is gone from the updated leaflet.

[springclean024]

I previously visited 

https://auth.parcel.royalmail.com

To buy labels because I had it integrated into my ebay account. Doesn't seem worth it for this account as its only very limited items I am selling. 

[station13thirteen · Accepted solution]

We don't get our RM labels via eBay, but we do get our labels direct from Royal Mail's website and we normally get charged the 20p for dropping at the Post Office. However, this seemed to have changed from yesterday, and whereas we normally have to tick a box on their website to say we will be dropping of at the PO, and hence pay the extra 20p fee, the box has now completely disappeared, and the price for small parcel 48 tracked is now showing as £3.39 as opposed to £3.59.  So it looks like RM have changed something in the last couple of days as the 20p PO drop off fee has gone... and we're not complaining. 

It also looks like they might have modified their collection criteria too, someone said you now have to turn over £20,000 of postage costs (ex VAT) to get collections, but not sure how good this info is.

[andyjm37]

Hi, I use tracked 48 and 24 when selling small items. Sent something yesterday and was not charged anything when I took the items to the post office. I use eBay shipping 

[rainbowtrax]

Yes, as I said, the new postage rates kicked in on Mon 7th and this change was just one of the announced pricing changes. The new leaflets were published weeks ago and the drop off fee has been removed.

Price leaflets are here: PO counter Our prices (valid from 7 October 2024) (royalmail.com)

online Our online prices (valid from 7 October 2024) (royalmail.com)

[Anonymous]

Hi

Over the weekend I edited my P&P prices to bring them in line with the Royal Mail price increased.

The PDF in the post above is the same as what I was using, the PDF says Tracked 48 is going up to £3.95

So I changed my Tracked 48 from £3.39 to 3.95 and today I sold an item, booked it via the Royal Mail website and I have only just noticed tonight that I was only charged £3.39.

I've been back on to Royal Mail website and it would still only charge £3.39 if I sent another item tomorrow.

Have I misread it or have Royal Mail made a mistake?

Also, I feel really bad having charged the buyer £3.95 - would it be better to refund them before the item arrives or after?

I'm worried that if I refund it now and for some reason the buyer opens a dispute regarding the item - would it affect me being able to refund them a second time?)

[station13thirteen]

I think you will find that one of the price lists is for over the counter label and posting, whereas the cheaper one is for online purchasing of the label and printing it out yourself.

We always purchase our labels online and print them ourselves so we were not aware of the over the counter prices.  But wow! That is a considerable difference in cost.

If you only paid £3.39 I would just refund the difference now if it concerns you... but how does the buyer know that you did not pay the £3.95 over the counter cost? If they accepted the postage I would not be too concerned.  Some people may not have printing facilities at home so may have to get the label at the PO.

[Anonymous]

It's a shame they don't make things more clear,

I downloaded the PDF, opened it and read 'our prices' and just assumed it was all their prices, like you I only buy postage online so I was under the impression the online and over the counter prices unless paying 20p to drop them off,

My labels have a section at the bottom which says 'postage cost'  I once cut that off so I could fit the label on a small parcel without having to shrink it but the Post Office assistant refused to accept it

[station13thirteen]

I may be wrong, but I think there may be an option to show postage cost or not on the RM label. Our printed RM labels show the weight we inputed, but do not show the postage cost.

[ali402363]

royal mail was sold to a italian company. maybe be good or bad. will see

[1902elder]

Royal Mail has NOT been sold to any Italian company, there is a takeover bid agreed by RM, but will not take place for some time, and maybe never if the government block it. It is not involving any Italian company.