Royal Mail Tracked Services

[lexussteve]

Could anyone explain how RM 48 is claimed to be a tracked service when it only says”An update will only be provided when we attempt to deliver your item” This is not tracking it is simply proof of delivery.

I know Evri have a bit of a poor reputation but their tracking is generally spot on with updates from collection to the national hub to the local hub and then out for delivery with a time slot.

[jonatjonatjonat]

Who is claiming it’s a tracked service?

[brainuk]

Tracked 48 is er........ tracked.

[style_wise]

Theoretically T48 service is scanned upon sending, again at your local sorting office, at Buyer's local sorting office, and upon delivery (or attempted).

[c_of_e84]

Thats weird with RM48 sometimes you get end to end tracking and sometimes not, if I buy it online I get it but over the counter I dont, when I buy stuff online from a proper website and its inbound on RM48 its end to end or like you say, update on delivery attempt, suppose it depends on how much they sender is paying for the service as to how much added value royal mail strip out to offer a lower price. As with all delivery services its pot luck what happens, the only dead cert is theres very little comeback when it goes wrong.

[c_of_e84]

Royal Mail Tracked 48®

Get parcel collection for a small fee – just 30p per item when you buy your online Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 postage
Tracked to delivery point
Photo on delivery
SMS or email notifications to recipients
Aims to deliver in two to three working days

[jonatjonatjonat]

They are talking about Royal Mail 48.

I can’t see Royal Mail refer to it as tracked anywhere, so not sure what the OP is referring to.

[jonatjonatjonat]

To clarify for the op. There are two services

Royal Mail 48 (which is basically 2nd Class) and Royal Mail Tracked 48

Royal Mail 48 does indeed only have a doorstep scan (and that’s only about 80% of the time) while Tracked 48 has various scans.

[brainuk]

Even on the RM website it refers to it as Tracked 48 and Tracked 24.

[jonatjonatjonat]

I imagine they do refer to Tracked 48 and Tracked 24 as Tracked 48 and Tracked 24

However…

https://www.royalmail.com/business/shipping/uk-services/royal-mail-24-48

[retrogam3s]

It would appear that not everyone is aware of the difference between Royal Mail 48 and Royal Mail Tracked 48 (an easy mistake! These are two different services - one is tracked and one is not).

Royal Mail 48:

https://www.royalmail.com/business/shipping/uk-services/royal-mail-24-48

Royal Mail Tracked 48:

https://www.royalmail.com/business/shipping/uk-services/tracked-24-48

So to answer the question, Royal Mail 48 is not fully tracked. You would need to go with Royal Mail Tracked 48, a different service with a very similar name.

[brainuk]

Yes but that's Business Parcels only. Hardly any sellers in the UK would warrant that amount I am guessing.

[brainuk]

And the RM 48 is for Business users only spending a specific amount of revenue with RM.

[jonatjonatjonat]

I am literally going on what the OP asked.

which is…

“Could anyone explain how RM 48 is claimed to be a tracked service when it only says”An update will only be provided when we attempt to deliver your item” This is not tracking it is simply proof of delivery.”

That is absolutely a Royal Mail 48 parcel they are asking about.

[lexussteve]

Thank you that clarifies the situation. It would appear that it is eBay that is misleading by stating RM 48 is tracked and providing a link to RM when it is only a confirmation of delivery service.

RM 48 Tracked does provide full tracking.

[jonatjonatjonat]

Where do eBay state it is tracked sorry? Technically it’s still got a tracking number, it’s just all that tracking number can give customers is a confirmation of delivery.

[lexussteve]

Thank you, I think it was due to the fact that eBay provide a “tracking” link for RM 48 which is not a fully tracked service and basically proof of delivery only and I was unaware of there being 2 RM 48 options.

[custom-giftsuk]

RM48 is (kind of) tracked. 
The way its supposed to work, is as on the attached file, which I've taken from Royal Mail Click & Drop for an order back in July.
Buyer buys item on Saturday the 19th July at 00.12am
Label is created on the 20th at 2.34pm
Dispatched on the 21st at 4.06pm
Scan occurred on the 22nd at 8.05am (probably at our main sorting office)
Ready for Delivery Scan on the 23rd at 6.47am (probably their local delivery office)
Doorstep Delivery Scan on the 23rd at 2.59pm

Now this is how its supposed to work.
Myself and RM are the only people to have access to this information. 
RM will only give eBay the Delivery Scan. 

I spoke to RM staff at the eBay Open this year and was told that they cant called it fully tracked because providers like eBay cant take all the data. Whether or not I believe that.... well I dont as some of the time, the only scans happening are up to the "We've got it" bit and that's it - and  sometimes an "In Transit" scan. 

Certain areas of the country just never produce a delivery scan. Whether that's down to the tech, the signal or just the militant posties who refuse to be tracked themselves.... thats another question.