Royal Mail.....Price Increase & Changes....Oh Dear, What Can I Say?

As I joined an unusually extra long queue at our Oxfordshire post office yesterday morning (which is situated at the far end of a newsagent down our High Street), I counted 22 heads in the queue before me, with just two ladies serving behind the counter. These kind of massive queues are the norm in the run up to Christmas at our post office, but not quite so common just after Easter, so I knew something was up....

When I finally got served (25 minutes later) my first little box was put on the scales....hardly weighed anything and was not of great value- it should have been simply £2.70 by First Class Post....well that was what it was last week.  However.......to my horror, the very harrassed lady behind the counter held my very small box up to this super duper flashy measuring thing and proceeded to explain that it was now classified as a Medium Parcel so regardless of the 80gm weight, it was to cost £5.65 for  first class postage........in real Victor Meldrew style I announced "I don't believe it"! This was a £2.95 increase....how can the Royal Mail justify that for such a tiny parcel!!! My maths is not great but even I could work out that was more than double the original cost. Shame on you Royal Mail!

I couldn't be cross with the lady behind the counter though-she looked extremely embarrased and harrassed and I felt sorry for her, it's not her fault....so then told her so! Not sure if other customers were quite so understanding though. Mr Posh Business Man In A Suit was very unhappy for starters.

Basically, as far as I can make out and am sure someone out there can correct me if I have it wrong, but the new system has introduced small and medium packet sizes for Signed For (recorded) and First/Second Class. The medium packet is more or less the average size parcel KT Miniatures sends out so instead of starting at £3.65 (Recorded) in the old system, it will start at £6.75. The First Class medium parcel which in the old system cost £2.70 now starts at £5.65. The small packet size is cheaper but as I said, the average size I send out is medium.

What can I say?

For all orders that were accepted before April 2nd 2013, I will honour the postal quotes that I quoted you beforehand...but as from today, all new orders will have to be  adequately insured and priced according to the new system.