Royal Mail vs Post Office

[Chris Holmes]

I have just used a Royal Mail App to calculate the postage for a small parcel. But rather than buying the postage online I stuck postage stamps to that value (£3.00) on the parcel.

I now fear that it is underpaid and the recipient may get surcharged as I see that the minimum amount the Post Office will send a parcel for us £3.20.

Did I miss a memo?

If the above is true, Shouldn?t Royal Mail be making it clear on their website that their prices aren?t valid for using with (Royal Mail??) stamps sold by the post office??

[Robin]

It's always seemed clear to me that the £3 price applies only where you DIY the postage on the label (or, now, have the label brought to you as part of the Parcel Collect service). They are passing on the saving from the Post Office not taking a share of the price of stamps.

[Chris J Dixon]

Quite so. On some recent ebay sales, the 20p I made from the postage discount was more than my profit on the sale price.

Chris

[alan_m]

On-line RM click and drop still shows that price.

Small parcel 45cm x 35cm x 16cm, up to 2kg in weight, second class = £3.00

First class = £5.47 First class and signed for = £6.47

[Dave Plowman (News]

I'd guess paying online and printing out the barcode label save them money in sorting time. Stamps don't.

Last time I looked you could easily find what stamps were needed for a given parcel online.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

They are as is often made clear, two different companies, so its up to you to get it correct. Post office counters will try to do what you ask knowing nothing of what Royal Mail are up to. That is thestupidity of privatising the postal service and selling the various bits to different companies of course I think it was considered that one is more a retail business,while the other is a delivery company. Brian

[alan_m]

I bet even if the same company the staff on a physical counter will have little knowledge of what is done on line.