Royal Mail

[Marty Moose]

Been selling a few bits and bobs on eBay recently, and have just got the dreaded 'package not recieved' e-mail from a buyer.

Typical.  The poster I have sold has managed to survive intact the thirty years since it was stuck up in a theatre, and in that time its negotiated itself across to the UK from North America.  After all that, it gets into Royal Mail's hands (on first class recorded delivery as well I might add) and they manage to lose it within a matter of days between my house and about two hours up the road.  You have to laugh I suppose.

[eatbrie]

In my experience, Royal Mail is the absolute worst mail service in the world.

[Neo]

Been selling a few bits and bobs on eBay recently, and have just got the dreaded 'package not recieved' e-mail from a buyer.

Typical.  The poster I have sold has managed to survive intact the thirty years since it was stuck up in a theatre, and in that time its negotiated itself across to the UK from North America.  After all that, it gets into Royal Mail's hands (on first class recorded delivery as well I might add) and they manage to lose it within a matter of days between my house and about two hours up the road.  You have to laugh I suppose.

I've had some bad luck with packages being damaged in transit, in the last few weeks, but you just have to take the good with the bad. 

"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."  Jimmy Buffett

[stewart boyle]

In my experience, Royal Mail is the absolute worst mail service in the world.

In my limited experience i whole heartedly agree

Stew

[Marty Moose]

Canada Post must run Royal Mail pretty close though.  Outrageously expensive, and I think they ship things on glaciers.

[paul waines]

What can I say......Check out my other posts on the "Royal Mail".

[eatbrie]

So we've been making a big deal of the Royal Mail, and rightfully so, since they are the WORST mail organization I have dealt with.  And BY FAR.

But beyond that, I think something should be said of UK sellers.  What about those flimsy tubes they use?  I got 2 packages from the UK today.  One was an opened envelope (thankfully nothing fell out of it) and the other was a bashed tube, one of those tubes I can crush with one hand.  I have never received those tubes from anywhere else but Britain.  Can someone over there explain to me the reason for these tubes?  Are they real mailing tubes?  Seriously? 

T

[quadbod]

So we've been making a big deal of the Royal Mail, and rightfully so, since they are the WORST mail organization I have dealt with.  And BY FAR.

But beyond that, I think something should be said of UK sellers.  What about those flimsy tubes they use?  I got 2 packages from the UK today.  One was an opened envelope (thankfully nothing fell out of it) and the other was a bashed tube, one of those tubes I can crush with one hand.  I have never received those tubes from anywhere else but Britain.  Can someone over there explain to me the reason for these tubes?  Are they real mailing tubes?  Seriously? 

T

Hi, Thierry!

Sorry to hear you have had problems.  There is absolutely no excuse for any seller using sub-standard packaging.  There is nothing difficult about obtaining heavy duty cardboard (or alternatively, plastic if preferred) tubes here in the UK.  It has nothing to do with the UK - and everything to do with the non-professionalism of the sellers who use sub-standard shipping materials.

On behalf of all professional UK dealers, let me reassure you that there is a plentiful supply of suitable material just waiting to be wrapped around your next order!

As ever, very best wishes,

Terry - www.quadbod.co.uk

[marklawd]

Terry - Where in the UK can you buy single tubes in small quantities in the UK please with the equivalent quality/thickness of those made by Yazoo Mills? Of course you can order tubes to any specification in quantity in the UK but even Royal Mail sell rubbish quality tubes in their post office shops.

Mark

[eatbrie]

Hi, Thierry!

Sorry to hear you have had problems.  There is absolutely no excuse for any seller using sub-standard packaging.  There is nothing difficult about obtaining heavy duty cardboard (or alternatively, plastic if preferred) tubes here in the UK.  It has nothing to do with the UK - and everything to do with the non-professionalism of the sellers who use sub-standard shipping materials.

On behalf of all professional UK dealers, let me reassure you that there is a plentiful supply of suitable material just waiting to be wrapped around your next order!

As ever, very best wishes,

Terry - www.quadbod.co.uk

Terry,

It may have nothing to do with the UK, but I have only received these tubes from the UK, and as you may know, I buy from all around the world.  These tubes are UK made and are used to send posters.  I probably got 20 of them over the years.  Again, I can crush them with one hand.

T

[quadbod]

Terry - Where in the UK can you buy single tubes in small quantities in the UK please with the equivalent quality/thickness of those made by Yazoo Mills? Of course you can order tubes to any specification in quantity in the UK but even Royal Mail sell rubbish quality tubes in their post office shops.

Mark

Hi, Mark!
As most of the posters we handle are folded, we only use small quantities of heavy duty cardboard tubes which we order in lots of 50 or 100 - but I suppose that may be too many for the casual seller to purchase.  We sell them singly at fairs, but again that's not going to be convenient for everyone.  However, many people like to use plastic tubing and that's something you can buy in small quantities from a local builders' merchants.  I agree, many of the readily available tubes are not suitable, but if someone is only sending the odd poster now and again, it's not impossible to buy them in threes, slit two of them lengthwise and build a three-ply tube which will take a lot of punishment in transit.  We used to do that before we found a better product!
Where there's a will .... !
Best wishes,
Terry

[quadbod]

Terry,

It may have nothing to do with the UK, but I have only received these tubes from the UK, and as you may know, I buy from all around the world.  These tubes are UK made and are used to send posters.  I probably got 20 of them over the years.  Again, I can crush them with one hand.

T

Hi, Thierry!
I really do sympathise with you and I quite understand your frustration - but any decent seller should still make sure a poster is sufficiently protected in transit.  As you and Mark have both correctly pointed out, there are lots of inadequate tubes available, but that's no excuse for sellers using them!  A responsible seller should make the effort to find the appropriate means of packing a poster securely.
Best wishes,
Terry

[marklawd]

Assembling thicker tubes seems a lot of trouble to me and with the incomprehensible absence of good quality over-the counter tubes here in the UK the only real practical alternative to my mind is to reuse tubes sent from the US. 

Mark

[paul waines]

Well as seen in my other Royal mail thread, the think tubes are no good any way. Even they didn't stand up to the Royal Mail incompetence. It seems plastic waste pipe is looking like the best option, and it's cheaper too. If this fails to with stand the Mongs handling them at the Royal Mail, I have some Stainless steel tube 2" in diameter for sale. 

[eatbrie]

I think I'm up to the challenge.

I've made the decision yesterday to start collecting quads.  Yes, the French are invading Great Britain again 

T

[stewart boyle]

I think I'm up to the challenge.

I've made the decision yesterday to start collecting quads.  Yes, the French are invading Great Britain again 

T

Ayez peur….Ayez très peur

Stew 

[quadbod]

What's the date tomorrow?  Is it pure coincidence that the 'other' Norman invasion started on 28th September 1066??!!

Take note, Stewart - according to Wikipedia, that invasion led to - and I quote - 'the extensive penetration of the aristocracy of Scotland'.  Oooh, Matron!!!

[stewart boyle]

What's the date tomorrow?  Is it pure coincidence that the 'other' Norman invasion started on 28th September 1066??!!

Take note, Stewart - according to Wikipedia, that invasion led to - and I quote - 'the extensive penetration of the aristocracy of Scotland'.  Oooh, Matron!!!

LOL...glad im not all posh ...

[eatbrie]

Ayez peur….Ayez très peur

Stew  

Very impressed with your French there, Stew.  Do you speak French or you just googled it?

It's a good thing to know before the invasion begins.  You can side with the enemy.

T

[stewart boyle]

I googled it....Bon Accord T,

Stew

[eatbrie]

As good as the first translation was, bon accord doesn't mean anything.

T

[stewart boyle]

It means good will. (Gaelic) 

Stew

[paul waines]

I think I'm up to the challenge.

I've made the decision yesterday to start collecting quads.  Yes, the French are invading Great Britain again  

T

It's good to see more people coming into the fold of the ultimate poster format, The Quad. Though I'm not liking all the extra competition....................... mmmmm,     A few thin poster tubes will stop that invasion.

[eatbrie]

It's good to see more people coming into the fold of the ultimate poster format, The Quad.

I'm not quite sure I agree with this statement, Paul, but if it makes you happy, so be it.  I think some posters are better horizontal, others are better vertical.  To me, it's not a question of format, it's a question of image aesthetic.

T

[paul waines]

Quite true, it's just the landscape format offers more scope.