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Royal Mail Adds on New Service but Is It Too Pricy

Nov 13, 2020 | Other News

royal mail prices

Royal Mail Adds on New Service but Is It Too Pricy?

The Royal Mail has added on a new service that has the postman picking up parcels from homes to deliver. The new service is called Parcel Collect and makes it possible to have the postman pick up five parcels for delivery.

In addition, Parcel Collect requires that you book pickups online via the Royal Mail website, and you must designate a safe collection place. Then you’ll need to pay at the time of booking; they accept PayPal or a credit card.

Once you’ve paid, you’ll need to download a paid-for label, which must be placed on the letter or parcel. You can book services up to 5 days ahead, though pickups can be made as soon as one day after booking.

Letters and parcels are allowed to weighs up to 20kg and must fit these dimensions: 46x46x61 cm.

While the service is new for the Royal Mail, this type of service has already been around for years. Companies such as DHL, DPD, Hermes and others all offer this service.

 

How Does the Parcel Collect Service Stack Up?

The service charges 72p per item, which is added on to the normal postal charges. For returned items (from online Amazon sellers, for instance), the return of parcels is 60p.

Let’s say you have a letter that needs to go out for fast delivery. The normal second-class charge is 65p; however, to send the same letter via Parcel Collect, it will cost £1.37. A medium package that weighs about 10kg will cost £17.52 for Parcel Collect but would normally cost £16.80 if you sent it from the post office.

Now compare these charges with the rival courier services:

  • 10kg parcel: £6.47 (sent via Hermes), £7.86 (DX), and £7.98 (DHL)

As you can see, the Royal Mail’s pickup service is quite a bit more expensive than the other courier services.

 

How to Save Money on Courier Services

If you need to send parcels on a regular basis and would like to save money, then you may want to consider using a courier comparison website such as these:

You’ll find services that offer home pickup options that save you time and money. You’ll save even more money if it’s possible to drop them off at a local shop. Another option is to directly visit courier service sites such as Hermes or DHL. There, all you need to do is type in your postcode and find nearby drop-off points.

Courier comparison sites can really save you money, instead of dealing with the courier service directly. That’s because of the comparison sites by postage slots in bulk. This makes it possible to offer you lower prices that are enjoyed by large companies. So, you can take advantage of bulk prices, while enjoying the savings, too!

Another way to save is by checking with specific couriers. The reason is that each one generally uses its own calculations to determine the cost, based on the speed of delivery, parcel size, and weight. You might save money that way, depending on how fast you’d like to send the parcel.

 

Don’t Forget to Buy Insurance for Valuable Items

If you’re sending a valuable item, there’s always the chance it may be broken or stolen while in transit. For this reason, experts advise buying additional insurance protection.

The insurance is pretty reasonably priced. For instance, insurance coverage for an item valued up to £500 generally costs about £10. This is of course charged in addition to delivery fees, but it’s well worth the cost of the item is valuable.

 

Summing It Up

While Parcel Collect is a great service to help people working from home, it’s always a good idea to shop around for the best prices before choosing any delivery service.

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