Royal Mail (UK) backlog warning

[neorichieb1971]

On a less opinionated matter I have recently learned that RM has a 1 billion mail backlog and are struggling to cope.

I myself have a few blu rays in the mail that have not been received from amazon.co.uk. They had expected delivery of the 10th.

I would advise anyone buying this years Xmas presents to reconsider buying "instore" this year if the item is available nearby.

[Daigohji]

Crap, that explains why I'm still waiting for my Doctor Who DVDs a week after they were shipped first class. Though oddly, parcels that shipped later have arrived sooner 6_9

[BrianC]

Does this effect packages sent to the UK? We (my family and me) have a friend in the UK the we're sending gifts to (and getting gifts from) and this sounds like a huge setback.

I also plan to order the EU Zero Wing and some EU SMS games, so this sounds like a real hindrance since the UK is one of the cheaper EU countries to order games from.

[jonny5]

when is Royal Mail ever functioning properly?

[neorichieb1971]

I think its a case where certain things will fly through, but if its been stored in the corner somewhere it might take 2 extra weeks.

I've heard some international orders come through fine, but some local are not hitting deadline targets. So the above is my theory.

I think amazon just dumped a days worth of orders onto RM and they still haven't sorted out the days before.

[brentsg]

I kind of wonder if they just removed "Royal" from the name if it might work faster.

[speedlolita]

I got a freaking new copy of Melty Blood Actress Again in the post coming from Play-Asia! It was posted a week before something else I bought which arrived today.

[sjewkestheloon]

I want my goddamn Kindle and birthday cards! Wahh

[neorichieb1971]

I got one of my orders today. Battle Royale Limited Edition blu ray.

[Leader Bee]

I want my damn PS3 so I can play Demons Souls, Disgaea 3 and Black Cops. Game decided to use Parcelforce which is fine had I been home to collect it but because I wasn't i've had to go to their website to arrange a "redelivery" 4 times!!! I've been off work since so it's not like I don't know they've just not bothered to get off their fat arses to post it to me and now instead want me to collect it from the nearest depot!! Grrrr

[Skykid]

Fucking hell.

I went to the post office sorting depot today to pick up two items (I'm sure they just leave these notices without ringing the buzzer) and found a queue going round the block.
I queued for 30 minutes in the rain and then the git behind the counter tells me I need to come back in 48 hours to collect them, and these are two special delivery next day items.

Cocking useless this country is.

[rancor]

Fucking hell.

I went to the post office sorting depot today to pick up two items (I'm sure they just leave these notices without ringing the buzzer) and found a queue going round the block.
I queued for 30 minutes in the rain and then the git behind the counter tells me I need to come back in 48 hours to collect them, and these are two special delivery next day items.

That sounds like some soviet-era Russian shit.. Waiting in line for hours for a loaf of bread. WTF is going on over there? Is this a yearly event, or just a one time screw-up on their part?

[njiska]

Fucking hell.

I went to the post office sorting depot today to pick up two items (I'm sure they just leave these notices without ringing the buzzer) and found a queue going round the block.
I queued for 30 minutes in the rain and then the git behind the counter tells me I need to come back in 48 hours to collect them, and these are two special delivery next day items.

That sounds like some soviet-era Russian shit.. Waiting in line for hours for a loaf of bread. WTF is going on over there? Is this a yearly event, or just a one time screw-up on their part?

I think it's a cross between Royal Mail being completely useless in general, with an increased amount of post. My experiences shipping packets to the UK in the summer usually involves watching them sit for three or four days after they arrive in country.

[neorichieb1971]

Every year RM under estimates the new internet boom for Xmas shopping. I think more and more households are embracing the internet way of shopping now. Each year 100's of 1000's of households get the internet. Thats a considerable lot of presents bought that way. RM are idiots because they cannot tackle the tidal wave of orders.

To add to Skykids remarks. Our main post office in Bedford has parking for 3 cars. Every where else is a gang way or double yellow lines. Around Xmas time the line is so long its nigh on ridiculous.

2 Xmas's ago I bought some hangers from ebay and they sent back to the sender after 2 days. The only thing I can think of was that the space was needed .

I will admit the biggest culprit for this years load is probably amazon. Just got an email actually.. Here it is.. baring in mind my order was supposed to arrive at the 10th by the latest.

Dear Customer,

As your original order has not yet arrived and it has now been within the delivery network for a number of days, we would like to provide you with some further information.

Recent weather conditions in the UK have created large backlogs with our carriers and some customers are experiencing longer delays with delivery.

We are confident that your order will still arrive, and therefore ask that you please wait until 12/20/2010.

On this date, if you have not yet received your order, please email us at: follow-up@amazon.co.uk if you would like a free replacement. However, please note that at that time a free replacement will not arrive in time for Christmas.

If at this time you would rather receive a refund for the original order which you have not yet received, please send this request to us at sweepstake@amazon.co.uk.

If you receive your order in the meantime, you do not need to contact us. We do not need confirmation that you have received your order.

Your order is important to us, and we endeavour to ensure all our parcels are received on-time.

I hope this helps.

We hope to see you again soon at Amazon.co.uk.

The weather statement in my area doesn't hold true. Its quite mild outside.

[Lordstar]

still no fucking sign of our internet connection being taken out of the dark ages either. There is no reason why we should not be rocking S.Korean and Japanese style speeds. I demand that shit now!

[Skykid]

Fucking hell.

I went to the post office sorting depot today to pick up two items (I'm sure they just leave these notices without ringing the buzzer) and found a queue going round the block.
I queued for 30 minutes in the rain and then the git behind the counter tells me I need to come back in 48 hours to collect them, and these are two special delivery next day items.

That sounds like some soviet-era Russian shit.. Waiting in line for hours for a loaf of bread. WTF is going on over there? Is this a yearly event, or just a one time screw-up on their part?

Ha ha, that's what it feels like!
And yes, it's yearly.

[spadgy]

I'm sure they just leave these notices without ringing the buzzer

Not at all. They have a ciggie by your door without pressing the buzzer, write the card in advance, then knock once very gently, lob the card through your door, hot foot it down the path, hop in their van and wait for you to get to the door so they can make sure you see them drive off. It's quite a skill.

Viz get it closest when it comes to parodying the Royal Mail:

[sjewkestheloon]

Got a 'couldn't deliver item' card for my Kindle today. It says that they tried to deliver it at '7'. I was here at seven this morning and there was no notice when I left. I arrived home at about 4.30 this afternoon. Is there a fucking '7' that I'm not aware of slotted somewhere between these two points?

So just waiting on 2 dvds and 3 cards, all of which are now over a week late.

The joy of privitisation of the unprofitable, passing it to a bunch of monkeys and thieves.

[Skykid]

Lol, Viz is brilliant.

Went today to get my stuff. Same 25 minute queue round the block.
At least they had it tho.

[idchappy]

I have a fair few bits waiting to be delivered aswell, one is the wifes chrimbo pressie

[oli_lar]

I think it's a cross between Royal Mail being completely useless in general, with an increased amount of post. My experiences shipping packets to the UK in the summer usually involves watching them sit for three or four days after they arrive in country.

It was due to the very heavy snow a week or two back. In before 'UKs useless with dealing with snow' - it was fecking heavy here (Sheffield) we had marquees collapse at work, boss says in 25 years in the business he's never had it happen before or even heard of it happening. Had to dig a marquee out of snow and it came up to my knees! Had a walk round during the worst of it, spoke to a few old dears who said they've never seen it so bad in the area in 40 years etc. Obviously it wasn't as bad as it was here, but it was in plenty of areas, and mail gets shifted all round the country.

Still, just like the rail network and broadband lines there needs to be heavy investment. Pity labour wasted it on pointless crap.

It isn't just RM too, all the courier/carrier companies have huge backlogs. Girlfriend deals with complaints at Curries, says DHL are having nightmares.