I discovered something yesterday that maybe everyone else knows but just in case….

[CurlewKate]

…if you want to post something and you go to the Royal Mail website and print a postage label, for an extra 30p they’ll collect it from your house. Or from a designated safe place if you’re not in. For some reason I am insanely impressed by this!

I posted something first class signed for on Thursday - it still hasn’t arrived.

And I posted two items together, Tracked 48, both going to the same address - one arrived within 48 hrs, the other one took 10 days to arrive,

And my postie put the signed for letter I was expecting through someone else’s door (it had a cheque for a large amount in it).

Ive tried this in the past. 5 times. 3 of those times they didnt turn up.
I go to the post office now

@MauriceTheMussel I'm really tempted to throw my home printer in the recycling bin 😂😂

Unfortunately no-one has ever turned up when I've chosen that option, so it clearly doesn't work in my area.

No you don’t, it’s a self adhesive label they bring.

Even if you selected “bring my label”? I find they turn up if they are bringing the label, I think it serves as a reminder.

They definitely don’t always turn up within the time estimate though. Usually later.

I felt the same OP. Unfortunately, the postman came to collect it, I saw him stick on the label but he didn't give me a receipt. Went to the website and there was no trace of the transaction. It never arrived and I can only think they think I didn't pay or something, but then I obviously paid because it was collected...

I use this service a lot, and they will also pick up Amazon returns from your house!

I spoke to the postman about it and he said they have relatively little mail to deliver these days, so since they’re doing the rounds anyway they may as well get paid a few pence per collected parcel for other companies. Makes sense.

If you use it frequently and you're happy to print your own at home buy A4 sheets of labels. Much easier to print and stick rather than using glue.

Is it? That's news to me! How do you know how much postage it requires though?

It’s still cheaper than going to the post office and doing it there.

It’s very very easy. You just weigh and measure your parcel - you soon learn and can judge before you even go to do it.

It’s easier for them to bring the label for you. No need for a printer, paper, glue or labels,

Are these services only good if you can stay home all day or do they actually give a time slot?I find royal mail very difficult for delivery lately as you have to stay in all day.

Collection used to be free until quite recently

You can choose a safe place to leave your parcel. They give you a 3 or 4 hour time slot, but tbh they collect parcels while doing their usual rounds so it’s not an exact time really.

It was free while they were trialling it .. which was a VERY long time tbf 😁😁

me neither it just sits there smugly taunting me

thanks op I am really impressed with this

They give you a time slot. But I put my parcel in a bag and hung it on my gate.

You must live somewhere with less scallies than me I think.

Thank you - I didn’t know about this!

Not when I often send several almost identical packages or envelopes. It's a pain to stand at the door trying to work out which label goes on which package or risk something going to the wrong address.

TBH I find it perfectly easy with a Pritt stick. In any case, when you print the label it comes up on an A4 sheet with 2 items - address label plus the proof of posting with the recipient’s address, too. AFAIk it’s not possible to print just the address label, or at least I’ve never felt the need to try.

I write the postcode on each parcel, no confusion then 🤷‍♀️

A delivery company called E* have just 'mislaid' my Vinted parcel (11 days and counting) and messaged to say another is 'delayed' so I'm really interested in this OP.