The Price of Stamps

[LadyFelsham]

AIBU in thinking that, with competition from Amazon deliveries, that announcing that the price a first class stamp will go up by 9p to 85p on the 1st January?

I understand that less people are using the mail but surely it is better to attract more people with cheaper stamps than drive away the few they have by charging more.

I think it is short sighted.

Royal Mail also had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the modern world when they lost so much ground to the other couriers when they were so late bringing in affordable post/parcel tracking services. For years after other couriers offered a similar priced tracking service, Royal Mail were still only offering "Signed for" and "Special" delivery which didn't track until final delivery and certainly for SD was far more expensive for an inferior service.

Even now, whilst the likes of Amazon, DPD etc offer services which provide you with a "live" tracking service and delivery ETA on day of delivery, Royal Mail don't offer anything like that, so they're still way behind their competition.

Not to mention Royal Mail's lack of a Sunday delivery service which nearly all other couriers now offer.

YABU. How else would you send something for 85p?

I stopped posting out Christmas cards years ago due to the constant increase. It's terrible.

Even with the price increase, UK postage prices are no where near the top of postage prices in Europe. This info is from July 2019, but you can apply the increase and see that we are still relatively inexpensive compared to other European countries.

www.statista.com/chart/18283/postage-cost-of-a-standard-letter-in-european-countries/

RM has been incredible this year. Yes there have been issues with slower post, etc, but they never stopped operating, despite the difficulties presented by covid-19. I am more than happy to pay a higher price for stamps. RM does an incredible job, and I actually appreciate my postie. They have had Christmas levels of post for most of this year, and they get no credit for keeping everything going despite that.

This is what happens with privatisation, higher prices and worse service. Not unique to Royal Mail I'm afraid!

RM has been incredible this year. Yes there have been issues with slower post, etc, but they never stopped operating, despite the difficulties presented by covid-19.

When it takes over a week for a first class letter to arrive you simply cannot say that the company is incredible. Especially because this has been the case in some areas since at least September.

@ChloeCrocodile

RM has been incredible this year. Yes there have been issues with slower post, etc, but they never stopped operating, despite the difficulties presented by covid-19.

When it takes over a week for a first class letter to arrive you simply cannot say that the company is incredible. Especially because this has been the case in some areas since at least September.

@ChloeCrocodile Of course they've been incredible! They've still carried on going, putting themselves at risk. Yes, post might turn up late but if its that important, post it earlier.

@ChloeCrocodile

RM has been incredible this year. Yes there have been issues with slower post, etc, but they never stopped operating, despite the difficulties presented by covid-19.

When it takes over a week for a first class letter to arrive you simply cannot say that the company is incredible. Especially because this has been the case in some areas since at least September.

That's the exception, not the rule. RM have stated that delivery times may be slower during this time, and quite understandably there will be delays. Take that in to consideration when posting letters.

@ChloeCrocodile

RM has been incredible this year. Yes there have been issues with slower post, etc, but they never stopped operating, despite the difficulties presented by covid-19.

When it takes over a week for a first class letter to arrive you simply cannot say that the company is incredible. Especially because this has been the case in some areas since at least September.

Well deliver it yourself then and you'll soon see it costs more than 85p.

To the OP YABU

It's a case of the price going up but quality of the service going down..same as train ticket prices. It recently took a first class birthday card i posted nearly 2 weeks to get to the recipient..mad!

@Nowayhozay

This is what happens with privatisation, higher prices and worse service. Not unique to Royal Mail I'm afraid!

You're obviously not old enough to have experienced the horror of British Rail

I've just been to buy my Christmas card stamps. Was horrified when I paid. Then I looked at my receipt and they'd charged me twice.

Made me laugh as I'd been reading this thread before I went to the post office, it was like when you mention something and suddenly get loads of adverts popping up for it.

How much are you willing to pay for some one to take your letter from Newcastle to London within 24 hours ?. I think the price is quite fair for the services involved.
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