Royal Mail Update
Richard MoonstreetShare
Did I make a duck just for this announcement? Maybe...
Anyway! Royal Mail is bad now.
There's a lot of news in the UK about how they are struggling financially (after no longer being State owned and operated for the last decade. Who would have thought a private company seeking profit would have problems fulfilling a subsided service!) and it's been starting to show in their delivery service so I am stepping away from them.
I've not changed how I package my items I the last 6 years, yet breakages are up a lot. And when you claim a breakage from royal mail, instead of accepting responsibility like they used to, they will now throw every obstacle possible in your way. They will tell you its been packaged "wrong" or ask you to the penny how much it will cost to repair rather than replace it. All of this usually comes from a noreply email address so good luck providing the remaining evidence.
They will charge you 30p per item to collect an item that used to be free last year. Save that by dropping them off at a post office? No, they'll charge you 16p to do that instead. What if you pay for a collection and they never turn up? No that's not refundable.
I subsidise the shipping on every item I sell. With USA shipping it's often as much as 30% covered by me to try and keep my rates low, and I still see the abandoned cart report citing checkouts have been left as soon as the shipping cost appears. A 500g item is now £4 more expensive to ship than it was in 2023 but I've not changed my rates.
I've always tried to do my best with anyone who trusts me to make them a duck or something fun. Handmade art is a big investment. I have a duty of care to you as customers and a minimum service level, and royal mail aren't allowing me to maintain that.
So I'm not using them anymore if I can avoid it! Postbox sized deliveries in the UK you'll likely still see via RM, but long haul and final mile services I'm now trialing DPD/Evri.
It's also bothersome how perfect it might have been! Royal Mail RM Richard Moonstreet RM. What we could have had, royal mail 💌
Anyway! Royal Mail is bad now.
There's a lot of news in the UK about how they are struggling financially (after no longer being State owned and operated for the last decade. Who would have thought a private company seeking profit would have problems fulfilling a subsided service!) and it's been starting to show in their delivery service so I am stepping away from them.
I've not changed how I package my items I the last 6 years, yet breakages are up a lot. And when you claim a breakage from royal mail, instead of accepting responsibility like they used to, they will now throw every obstacle possible in your way. They will tell you its been packaged "wrong" or ask you to the penny how much it will cost to repair rather than replace it. All of this usually comes from a noreply email address so good luck providing the remaining evidence.
They will charge you 30p per item to collect an item that used to be free last year. Save that by dropping them off at a post office? No, they'll charge you 16p to do that instead. What if you pay for a collection and they never turn up? No that's not refundable.
I subsidise the shipping on every item I sell. With USA shipping it's often as much as 30% covered by me to try and keep my rates low, and I still see the abandoned cart report citing checkouts have been left as soon as the shipping cost appears. A 500g item is now £4 more expensive to ship than it was in 2023 but I've not changed my rates.
I've always tried to do my best with anyone who trusts me to make them a duck or something fun. Handmade art is a big investment. I have a duty of care to you as customers and a minimum service level, and royal mail aren't allowing me to maintain that.
So I'm not using them anymore if I can avoid it! Postbox sized deliveries in the UK you'll likely still see via RM, but long haul and final mile services I'm now trialing DPD/Evri.
It's also bothersome how perfect it might have been! Royal Mail RM Richard Moonstreet RM. What we could have had, royal mail 💌