AIBU to send parcels using second class stamps?

[Hotpinkparade]

I've got three parcels to send tomorrow (small/medium size) and a sheet of second class stamps. Can anyone help me work out how to calculate how many to put on for second class postage?! Have googled but feeling very thick and unable to work it out... Will this even be accepted? Obviously don't want Christmas presents going awry! Anyone done this before?

You need to measure the dimensions and weigh it. The Royal Mail website will be able to tell you how much the postage is. Divide the figure by the price of a second class stamp and use that many. I’ve done it loads of times.

If I remember correctly it is £3.35 to send a small parcel second class. You most likely need to put £3.35 worth of stamps on the parcel to be the correct amount to send. A second class stamp cost 68p so £3.35 divided by 0.68. I would check with the post office tomorrow before actually sending it as the person receiving the parcel will have to pay for your error.

Here you go.

www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2022-04/royal-mail-our-prices-april-2022-v2.pdf

P.s it is cheaper to buy postage directly from the Royal Mail website that the post office. The two were spilt many years ago due to competition law

It is cheaper, but then your local post office dont really make any profit by processing it for you. They only.make money if they sell the postage.

If you want to keep your post office, then use them.

I wouldn't send Christmas presents second class this close (I know it's not close, but it's not like it's still November) to Christmas when Royal Mail have been on strike and they're massively behind schedule with deliveries. Haven't you seen the pictures/videos of the backlog of post? It's horrifying.

They're currently prioritising Special Delivery items so that is the service I would use. Obviously that is a lot more expensive than second class, but if you want them to get to the recipients before Christmas...

(You can also use second class stamps to send first class, just write FIRST under the stamps totalling the amount for the first class service for that weight.)

Thanks so much everyone for your help!

Really looking to cut costs so not going to stretch to Special Delivery... but thanks for the tip about upgrading to first, I'll do my sums and count my stamps and see if I can make it work!

They wont arrive anytime soon if 2nd class. I used to Christmas temp at Royal Mail years ago, and it's manic at Christmas. We'd be told to prioritise Special Delivery, and then 1st class, and not even bother with 2nd class. 2nd class letters and parcels could sit there for 1 week+ before being sent out.

I sent parcels second class last Christmas that arrived in two days.

@thelobsterquadrille ahh but I was sitting last year and I sort at the speed of light 😉

@forevercooking Hope there's someone just as efficient in place this year! We're taking our chances, ended up with four packages to drop off tomorrow and the rest of the stamps to send off to be swapped for new ones... Bon voyage! And no one will be too heart broken if they're delayed, mostly token gifts so no one's Christmas will be ruined :)

prepare for them to possibly not get there before christmas- I sent several parcels last tuesday first class signed for, received several messages sat and sunday to say they had not arrived. the strikes seem to be causing a backlog of deliveries, and I was told that they were prioritising first class and signed for parcels over second class and letters.

She’s not sending it second class. She’s using the value of the second class stamps to make up the postage price for it to go first class. So, if the first class price to send the parcel is £4 and she has second class stamps (which are 68 pence), then she’ll stick 6 on.

Weigh and measure the package and then put it into the royal mail website. It will tell you the postage cost.