Royal Mail and general postal delays: Christmas anime delivery woes

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FathersBane

Completely Average High School Student
NOTE: We are aware of issues with tracking on some shipped orders not updating, and have asked Royal Mail to investigate. We appreciate your patience.
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This message is listed in the header of their website. Not sure what it means as an international customer.
 
FathersBane said:
This message is listed in the header of their website. Not sure what it means as an international customer.
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People are just slightly concerned because the tracking hasn't updated for their packages. The issue is that at this time of year, Royal Mail are severely backlogged. They have time pressures and targets to meet when it comes to delivering packages.

Royal Mail have two main parcel services: RM24 and RM48. Which are essentially first class and second class post.

Once a parcel is scanned into the Royal Mail's system, then that's when the clock starts and what employees and delivery offices will be assessed on when it comes to time taken to deliver parcels. Which is why, during busy periods, they won't scan items in until they have cleared what they are currently dealing with.

This is why it can be days before you'll see your Christmas AL orders move on the RM tracking. For example. My Bleach part 2 set was supposedly shipped on 5th December, however, it wasn't until 14th December (today) that it was scanned into RM's system and marked as received by Royal Mail; it would have been sitting in a bag or cage in a delivery office whilst employees worked through the current parcels that are in the system.

I wouldn't worry unless you still haven't heard anything by the time the new year comes around. This happens every year, unfortunately. Royal Mail workers are underpaid, understaffed, and overworked. For international customers, this means that it may just take a little longer for the parcel to get through RM's system and onto the transportation that will be heading to your country.
 
BrokenPhoenix said:
Once a parcel is scanned into the Royal Mail's system, then that's when the clock starts and what employees and delivery offices will be assessed on when it comes to time taken to deliver parcels. Which is why, during busy periods, they won't scan items in until they have cleared what they are currently dealing with.
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Don’t you just love target driven systems? Defeating the purpose since they were first invented. They do more to foster creative thinking in how you can technically meet the target without actually meeting the target than they’ve ever done for productivity. Not that I blame posties, it’s like that in every industry.
 
ayase said:
Don’t you just love target driven systems? Defeating the purpose since they were first invented. They do more to foster creative thinking in how you can technically meet the target without actually meeting the target than they’ve ever done for productivity. Not that I blame posties, it’s like that in every industry.
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It's like how some places have a waiting list to get onto the official "Waiting List". It is only the official one which counts towards targets like "We will see people within X weeks"
 
Royal Mail have been pretty good for me, usually delivering 48 hour within 48 hours after first scan. Personally I think the reason we're seeing these messaged from AL is more likely because AL have purchased the labels and either; missed collection, not packed it yet or not enough room on the RM wagon to fit all the yorks. The amount of times in the past I've seen this from other companies as well, not just AL.

Best I've had a few times is its arrived next day

Worst I've had is it gets sent to the wrong delivery depot then redirected, usually taking a couple days extra. Or for my first Gundam Mad order managing to send it to the wrong delivery depot... Twice 😹


Maybe worth splitting from @FathersBane post onward to some sort of Postal Rant thread @Rui ?
 
Shadow Cat said:
Royal Mail have been pretty good for me, usually delivering 48 hour within 48 hours after first scan. Personally I think the reason we're seeing these messaged from AL is more likely because AL have purchased the labels and either; missed collection, not packed it yet or not enough room on the RM wagon to fit all the yorks. The amount of times in the past I've seen this from other companies as well, not just AL.

Best I've had a few times is its arrived next day

Worst I've had is it gets sent to the wrong delivery depot then redirected, usually taking a couple days extra. Or for my first Gundam Mad order managing to send it to the wrong delivery depot... Twice 😹


Maybe worth splitting from @FathersBane post onward to some sort of Postal Rant thread @Rui ?
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Worst I had was my mystery boxes sitting in the corner of a depot for 6 weeks before being returned to AL. They sent them back out by Fed Ex, they didn't arrive until February. Christmas sale 2018 iirc, it happened to a few other people here.
 
There are also problems getting UK-bound parcels out of Japan at the moment. This notice is from CD Japan:

Delays in postal services to the UK

Due to congestion on flights to the UK, there are delays in mail delivery. Please note that there may be delays in delivering mail to the UK for the time being.

EMS
Register Airmail / Non-register Airmail
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According to tracking, I've had a parcel sitting at the airport in Tokyo for almost three weeks. 🫤
 
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Yep I see Airmail is super slow at the moment. Most of my Air Small Packet stuff arrived in 7~10 days but my current ones on 16 days.

I was hoping it would be in the UK Yesterday/Early today as I'm off work tomorrow but expect it'll arrive as soon as I go back to work -_-
 
I got some good news.
My Vermeil in Gold Steelbook was posted 5 days earlier than the release date of 17/12.
Bad news is that it will transfer to evri in the UK. I thought it would go to Royal Mail so I asked for it to go to home.
Couriers seem allergic to just posting through the letterbox.
Fingers crossed.
 
Otomo said:
I got some good news.
My Vermeil in Gold Steelbook was posted 5 days earlier than the release date of 17/12.
Bad news is that it will transfer to evri in the UK. I thought it would go to Royal Mail so I asked for it to go to home.
Couriers seem allergic to just posting through the letterbox.
Fingers crossed.
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Normal it seems with some, i had an item to tried to be delivered and got a msg "we will arrange to try redliver tomorrow" next day another one came and delivered it through the letterbox!! So why didnt the first one do that?
 
Dave1988 said:
Normal it seems with some, i had an item to tried to be delivered and got a msg "we will arrange to try redliver tomorrow" next day another one came and delivered it through the letterbox!! So why didnt the first one do that?
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That's just daft. I'm hoping an Evri driver comes in so I can ask him.
I should have just sent it to work as I usually do.
 
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