Postage Question

[Pandabean]

Bit of a rant and a question.

I placed an order for an item at the weekend and was delighted when it was dispatched by Royal Mail 1st class recorded delivery but then I read the note from the seller saying that I should have selected Highlands & Islands for delivery and not just Scotland but they paid the extra for me. It was £7 to deliver it to Scotland and an extra £1 for Highlands & Islands, which includes the first part of my postcode.

Can anyone explain to me how my part of Aberdeenshire is considered the Highlands and Islands (I can go into geogrpahical & geological reasons why it is not ) and should incur extra postage costs for RM yet I am not that far from a major town, the main railway line for the North East is nearby and there are more rural areas in Wales/England that are not penalised?

No one else I have bought from has had an issue and Royal Mail is more than reliable up this way. Seems a bit discriminatory in this day and age in my opinion.

 

[Shewie]

I've noticed that before on some sites, being a southerner I haven't given it much thought though.

I always thought the Highlands started west of the Great Glen and went north

 

[santaman2000]

As an outsider looking in I think you've answered your own question when you referenced the 1st 2 digits of your post code. The Post Office apparently uses a set directive as to what rates apply to what codes. It is likely that (regardless of the true geographic realities) the center of the post code service area is within the Post Office's Highland service area (perhaps their sorting center?)

 

[Pandabean]

They did say it was sent using RM Recorded, I checked their website and I cannot find information on differentiation on price based on postcode. On their website its actually cheaper than what I paid. http://www.royalmail.com/delivery/business-delivery-options-uk/recorded-signed
Even using the Special Delivery option my postcode is included for guaranteed next day. The standard 1st class RM delivery also has no restrictions.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Because of how the mail is transported to your delivery office, if I recollect it flown to inverness then spoked out from there, where as the central belt and above I driven as normal. Other wise I am guessing the transport costs of enough wagons to deliver the mail around the a86(I may have that wrong ) would be more?

 

[Toddy]

It's down right infuriating. The Post Office doesn't charge any more to post to the Highlands & Islands, yet folks using their services *still* add on extra
We even get it here in the Lowlands (and Aberdeenshire 'is' still considered Lowlands), and anything above the borders the greedy (I'll be polite ) add on costs

Often it's just a thieving great scam as retailers jump on the gravy train. We're no more remote from the Midlands than Wales or Cornwall.

M

 

[Retired Member southey]

I wonder if its a breach to add on for something that isn't actually charged?

 

[Pandabean]

Not sure why our mail would go to Inverness instead of Aberdeen airport which is 20 miles away from me. Unless its the main RM hub.

Totally agree with you Mary. I saw on the list that there is FK and PH postcodes. I have been to remoter areas of England.

 

[Pandabean]

I wonder if its a breach to add on for something that isn't actually charged?

I havent got the package yet which is also a bit anooying considering the price. But I will try and check on the package itself to see if there is a price.

There was another website in the past where I ordered something and my postcode was on it and the difference between UK and the Highlands was about £4. Luckily that website checks individual postcodes and gets a price for it before they send it rather than having a blanket postcode charge.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Yours may very well do matey, I only knew that's how our stuff a Kinloss sometimes came up. Is buisness post different to non buisness post in costs?

 

[Dreadhead]

never had that problem when i was living in aberdeenshire :s straaaaaange

 

[Retired Member southey]

It wasn't with surplus and adventure was it(or the other similar sounding one)

 

[Pandabean]

It wasn't with surplus and adventure was it(or the other similar sounding one)

I may be stupid some of the time, but I know to avoid them.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Hahahaha no but one of them is good, I remember ordering a couple of wool blankets from them and had the same deal re postage.

 

[Pandabean]

I know one of them is good but I can never remember which one so I avoid both or check back here for which one it is.

 

[tiger stacker]

This appears every so often on Radio Scotland, If you live in Durness or Islay then sellers complain about transportation cost ie fuel. Complaining to ombudsman may help. Or maybe not

 

[Angus Og]

If sent by Royal Mail in the U.K. and to the U.K. one-price-goes-anywhere.

Postcodes Fort William is a PH (Perth) as is Glencoe, Mull is a PA (Paisley)

 

[decorum]

I send plenty of post via RM, Highlands, NI and the Channel Islands costs me no more than to send across town . Have you spoken to RM directly? If there's good reason for an additional cost to the P&P they should know. If it turns out that the seller is in the wrong, politely correct them ~ it might be that they're purchasing postage on line and are paying extra unnecessarily, so you might be doing them a favour .

I know one of them is good but I can never remember which one so I avoid both or check back here for which one it is.

Want to know how I remember? ...


Surplus and Outdoors is Surplus and Okay

Surplus and Adventure is Surplus and Avoid

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

im with Phil. i post all over Scotland and its one price. Even Isle of man and Jersey are same cost. Courier delivery is often different but not RM

 

[santaman2000]

If sent by Royal Mail in the U.K. and to the U.K. one-price-goes-anywhere.

Postcodes Fort William is a PH (Perth) as is Glencoe, Mull is a PA (Paisley)

I was having trouble grasping the OP's problem because this seems logical to me. At least over here (letters anyway and I assume packages as well) Regardless of whether I'm posting across town or to another state. Even Alaska, Hawaii, Pueto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or Guam/American Samoa (half way around the world from Florida) they're all within the US so only one set price for the same service.