Local Post Offices don't have printers

[jonathachamberlai-97]

I have just sold something and due to the recent changes I offered Royal Mail 48 hour tracked postage.  Trying  to purchase this through the eBay app I was told that I would be sent a qr code which the Post Office will be able to print.  However I've checked and none of my local post offices have a printer. Does this mean I'll have to visit the PO personally and pay more, and how will this affect the new payment timescales?

[missdollydaydream]

If you use RM's collect service, they will bring a label with them when they collect your parcel.

[technthread]

It is very unusual for a proper Post Office to be unable to print your label off from the QR code. Are you sure? 

A few alternatives would be to either go to the Royal Mail site, book a home collection and tick the option to have the label brought for you or go to your local Royal Mail depot counter during their brief opening times and they will print the label and allow you to post it there. 

[wintersdawn1]

Wouldn't the post office print the QR code using the same label printer they use for all other RM post labels?

[4_bathrooms]

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@jonathachamberlai-97 wrote:

However I've checked and none of my local post offices have a printer. Does this mean I'll have to visit the PO personally and pay more

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If they don't have a printer how are they going to print the postage label you will be purchasing at the counter?

Just to be clear you present the QR code at the counter and they print the label for you the same way they would if you were purchasing the label there and then.

[andha-21]

There are actually 2 printing systems available at some post offices. The normal queue/teller with their printer and then there are standalone printers that you can use by yourself (probably to remove the need for the cashier in the future). As long as the post office is manned, they can print a label from a QR code, but very few post offices have the second system. Perhaps the poster of this thread has been informed about the latter in a misunderstanding.

@jonathachamberlai-97 and if you have a prepaid QR code you won't need to pay more, unless the QR code doesn't cover the weight/size of the package.

[jonathachamberlai-97]

I have found through RM site that I can drop off at a Londis, which has a printer.

Regarding my Local PO not having  a printer I queued for 20 mins behind a couple the other day who had a qr code and they were told forcibly by the woman behind the counter that they couldn't print it because they had no printer!

I live in a rural area and the local post offices are just a counter in a chemists and a sweet shop.

[technthread]

Also worth mentioning there are Collect+ stores that take RM parcels but I’ve never spotted one who have the facility to print a label. Having said that I haven’t asked, the one near me is a Petrol Station.

[andha-21]

Wow, that is surprising. I've never seen that before as they use the same software/printer system for labels and receipts. I wonder how they give proof of postage?

[the-nutwood-collection]

My PO is a tiny booth in a convenience store.  If someone hands in a package, they calculate the price and print a self-adhesive 'stamp' and put it on the package.  They don't use real stamps.  As @andha-21 says, the same machine prints the receipt for the payment.

I think the lady in the sweetie shop needs some training.  

[andha-21]

It sounds like that or maybe they aren't an official post office. 

From chats with my local post office manager, all post offices use the same software/printer systems, whether franchise or official.