Royal Mail to scale back 2nd Class deliveries from 7th July

[the-layer-laboratory]

The following post appeared on channelx.world a couple of days ago. Ebay forum policy prohibits posting external links, so I have copy & pasted the contents below:

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Royal Mail have announced changes which will impact 2nd Class, Economy letters and Large Letters, basically meaning that there will no longer be a daily delivery and Saturday deliveries for these products will be scrapped.

Royal Mail have given retailers advance notice that 2nd Class, Economy letters and Large Letters will be delivered 5 days per week on alternate weekdays (Monday – Friday) from the 7th of July 2025 (or the date Ofcom agrees changes to the Universal Service Obligation (USO) is this is later).

From current experience, I won’t even notice this change. Royal Mail are brilliant at delivering my parcels on time, but have consistently failed to deliver 1st Class letters on time to me and honestly they appear to treat them as 2nd Class anyway.

However, regardless how poor Royal Mail’s recent performance has been, this will doubtless impact ecommerce retailers, especially for low value goods shipped with economy services – large letters are the biggest likely impact.

Royal Mail say that they will phase this change in from the go-live date. Service speed for these services remains unchanged. This change reflects the Ofcom proposal to redefine the Universal Service Obligation to support the financial sustainability of the USO.

The changes will impact Business Mail, Subscription Mail, Publishing Mail, Advertising Mail including Catalogue Option Partially Addressed, Sustainable Mail and Response Services.

Delivery of First Class letters will remain unchanged.

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Is somebody from ebay able to comment on this change and provide detail on how this will affect the 'expected delivery date' (EDD) shown to buyers?

I noted that RM48 is not mentioned, so I assume that this service will not be affected in the same manner.

[ruby*ryan]

Still not sure how this bit works:

Royal Mail have given retailers advance notice that 2nd Class, Economy letters and Large Letters will be delivered 5 days per week on alternate weekdays (Monday – Friday) 

If they are being delivered 5 days a week , Mon-Fri, then that's every day. Or does it mean 5 days over 2 weeks, i.e. Mon, Weds, Fri, Tues, Thurs?

Whichever, it will be an improvement on our weekly (if we are lucky) letter delivery , regardless of whether it's 1st or 2nd class.

[moldosgifts]

I had it on my business account last week so they have notified at least one retailer, others will find out when they go post office. And trader with an OBA will get a message on their account.

My local have put a sign up at the counter, and where pointing people towards the sign.

For me what are ebay going to do now with economy posting delivery times, they have struggled getting the times correct as it stands, so another disaster on the horizon,

I have pointed out endlessly that 2nd class do not take 1-2 days it takes officially from royal mail website 2-5 working days.  I will believe people who actually process it rather than ebay who can't even get their SD correct.

[suelel1968]

I think my local delivery team have been doing this for years. Never get post 2 days in a row. Never. Perhaps my area ran the pilot scheme. 

[thetimetower]

Thing is  this will just be open to abuse. Royal Mail when i worked there did this anyway. Now they can prob just leave it a whole week knowing not much will happen. Thing is i dont really care either way, as long as ebays estimated arrival updates to accomodate...which it wont

[kath3735_wxmjn]

depends if our regular postie is on holiday or off sick!  I have often noticed that when that happens we only get the odd delivery and then a bundle when we do get one.

[wyntersemporium]

My regular postie didn’t come and collect a pile of post from me today. I only use second  class.

if they have a dodgy address I then sent 48.

[bzmotman]

This is subject to Ofcom approval which as far as I am aware has not yet been given. RM original advice says something along the lines July 7th or later date as approved by Ofcom. They have to give notice before implementing so they are getting in early hoping no doubt to put a bit of pressure on Ofcom.

As to Ebay altering EDD I suggest we will see the reappearance of the phrase "working as designed" & no changes.

[gjalp]

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@suelel1968 wrote:

I think my local delivery team have been doing this for years. Never get post 2 days in a row. Never. Perhaps my area ran the pilot scheme. 

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Mine also and I only live up the road from the delivery office. Like today, its Monday, we didn’t get any mail, instead we get a heap on a Tues. Generally we also don’t get mail on a Weds or Sat either. Exceptions are tracked parcels or special delivery.

[insidethe93]

If/when RM implements this, please would more sellers who use RM consider adding an automatic extra option at check-out for 1st Class post. Adding the automatic extra options of RM Tracked 48, and even RM Tracked 24, would be appreciated too.

Often I don't mind paying a bit extra, even on low-value items. I've occasionally paid more in postage than the item cost. It depends not on the item's face value/price but on its value to me  e.g. it's a retired item or is exactly what I want for a project I'm doing.

A seller won't necessarily know or imagine why a buyer wants something faster, and a seller shouldn't be expected to second-guess. Not every buyer wants things ONLY sent by the cheapest means, nor ALL the time.

Or maybe consider adding automatic extra options at certain times of year such as the run-up to Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Father's Day?

The first leading craft die manufacturer launched its major Christmas collection on 2nd June (late 1st June actually; I bought mine then). Craft manufacturers start launching their first Christmas ranges, not just dies, in June and July. That has a knock-on effect for those selling ribbons, envelopes (for homemade cards), gift-boxes, packaging materials, adhesives etc.