Is Royal Mail’s parcel pick-up service a good idea?

What a truly terrible experience using this….The service was so, so bad, as was trying to navigate the website and various phone calls to try and make a complaint…Nightmare!
I waited and watched for my parcel to be collected and then at 11.03 am I received an e mail stating they tried to but could not collect as there was no parcel in sight. bearing in mind I did not request form a safe place as I don’t have one. Besides, at this time I was outside working on my car and no way did anyone from Royal mail come!

So, I had to then spend a half hour of my time and travel to take my package to the actual post office…Infuriating! So, back at home and at 12.04 my postman knocks with my post and asking for to collect my parcel…lol…He was as bemused as me how they could say they tried to collect…A totol untruth, What is going on??

So, 40 mins on hold to speak with customer service, = advised to make a claim online and that managers do not speak to customers wishing to complain, despite me asking for it to be escalated.

Called back after discovering that my complaint is not possible to report or make a claim against in what is the mine field of their awful online platform. Another 50 mins on hold and then as soon as gave my ref’ they hung up.

Then another 60+ mins , told the advisor I want to speak with a manager and escalate this matter, she rudely told me that managers do not speak to customers and promptly hung up on me….

AWFUL EXPERINCE. Gov’ needs to step in and sort this outfit out, its not on how its so badly managed.

I have used the parcel collection service four or five times now and think it is brilliant. It took me a little while to negotiate the web site on my first visit but now I have worked out what to do and got used to the procedure it seems easy. I posted all my Christmas presents with parcel collect and I have returned mail order goods this way. The friendly postman who delivers my mail collected my parcels each time within the time slot on the allotted day. I held my breath the first time he scanned the barcode on my parcels! It all worked a treat! I shall definitely continue to use the service.

I have health problems which include Agoraphobia. The idea of the Post Office coming to me sounded at first a God-send. Until I found out that unless you had a printer; I could not partake in the service. I was incredibly disappointed with this news. I don’t see why I can’t handwrite the label?
I hope against hope that the Post Office will have a major rethink soon. But, I doubt it.

I have used the collection service twice now, mainly because it is cheaper than driving to the nearest drop off or post office, paying for parking and then queuing. Before I used it I asked my regular postman for his views which were positive. Both parcels were delivered promptly. With nearly everyone at home these days it is no problem to have a fluid time for collection or delivery. However, our post van is fairly predictable. I have some valuable documents to send next month and am confident that this is the best option.

Had a very good experience. Package picked up the day after my online request (immediate email confirmation thereof by email) by the postman delivering the morning mail.
Very impressed, I will definitely use again since it obviates going to a post office and queueing in close proximity to other customers and worked out cheaper (at least in my case) than other parcel delivery services such as DPD or Hermes.

Does anyone know how to get a refund for a collection that never happened?

I booked two large letters in on Sunday to be collected Monday. No show. Have used this service numerous times since it launched and it was excellent. Now I can’t rely on it.

Despite calling and emailing I’m still none the wiser how to get a refund online. Oh, and I never once got an email from them confirming the booking, which I understand would make the refund process easier.

I’ve had a similar experience to Joan, Friday was supposed to be collection day, no time given and at end of day a noreply email saying they hadn’t been able to pick it up.
Same thing again with the rebook today., so I’ll have to take it to the PO after ll as I’ve already paid the postage.
Maybe they haven’t the capacity to do this service, however it leads to customer dissatisfaction so as it’s so helpful to people I’d suggest in this highly competitive market , they need to keep it, add resources and improve the service.

On two separate days in the past week I have booked a parcel collection. Neither of them were collected so I had to tramp to the Post Office anyway.

Used it a couple of times when posting with Tracked 48 which requires a delivery office drop off rather than the local post office. However, the item they were supposed to collect today, is showing as collection attempted. I’m working from home with a dog that barks the house down when anyone comes down our drive. No way we could have missed them if they actually did come to the house.

Got a flyer advertising the service so yesterday decided to try it. Waited in today till 3pm as advised, (with parcel ready, forms all printed, postage and service fee paid). No one came, no missed-call card, no email, no nothing. I just spent 35 minutes on hold trying to register this no-show, eventually hung up.
Off to post office tomorrow, this service is hopeless. If they’re going to advertise it, at least have a functioning service. This was hugely frustrating and I lost a day in postage terms.