Why not use Recorded Delivery instead? That would have had proof of postage / be trackable and would only have cost a couple of quid
I just sent a Compact Flash Card back to Lexar as it failed under warranty.
When I contacted them, Lexar were excellent and provided all the necessary info to process my claim. As part of this they, quite naturally, need the failed card sent back to them and requested that I use RMSD as if it were not to be received then they couldn't provide the replacement promised. No problem with that.
So I pop the card and a single sheet of paper with my notes on it into a small jiffy bag and go down to our local Post Office to send it.
£5.90p............................ FIVE POUNDS bloody NINETY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I asked how much it would have cost to send 1st class.......... 90p
So that's £5 for the security of RMSD. Out and out robbery, I just don't see how they can justify such a rediculous charge.
Still, I'm up on the deal as Lexar don't make the size/type of card I currently have, (4 Gig Professional), so they are sending me an 8 Gig card operating at a higher speed than my current one.
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
Why not use Recorded Delivery instead? That would have had proof of postage / be trackable and would only have cost a couple of quid
Or just get proof of postage and hope for the best.
I'm guessing you didn't know that compensation using 1st or 2nd class mail is up to £46, for free <link>.
I mention that because Lexar 8G Professional are £21 from Play.com, so who cares if they lose it, or am I missing something.
I've only ever had two things lost, but they paid up straight away when I provided evidence of the value. Asking the PO worker to write a proof of delivery was free... don't know if that's still the case, but I didn't have one and they still compensated me.
Did you buy the card online?
If so, my understanding of the Sale of Goods Act is that if you have to return an item that you bought online because it's faulty then the cost of the return postage is to be covered by the retailer.
RMSD does go via an entirely secure route though, signed for at each handover point as it progresses through the network. Thats why so few RMSD items go missing, but also why it costs more.
It's checked and scanned in and out at the Post Office > Collection Hub > Outward Mail Centre > Distribution Hubs > Inward Mail Centre > Delivery Office > Point of Delivery.
Signed For just takes its chances along with the rest of the bulk regular mail, and is only pulled out for signature just prior to delivery.
To be honest, I think £5.90 for a secure, guaranteed and insured service to anywhere in the UK is a very good deal.
Did you check out how much via Parclforce/DHL/UPS/Fed-Ex/UK Mail/Yodel/Inter-Link/Deutsche Post/Courier/Carrier Pigeon/Take it yourself? :)
Tooks (Postal system anorak!)
Tooks, you forgot the guaranteed to be delivered before 2pm the next day or your money back, excellent VFM in my book.
Akron (postman)
I completely disagree with the reference to 'daylight robbery'... generally speaking, I think the cost of postage these days is very reasonable.
You selected the wrong service. RMSD covers you for £500 compensation, goes through a seperate secure process within RM and you are refunded if the item is delivered one minute late. Your SD card will be worth about a tenner so, as mentioned above, you should have gone with first class recorded which would have provided full insurance coverage and cost you about £1.60... which, to send something from one end of the country to the other requiring the postie to hang around to obtain a signature at the far end, is good value imo.
Good work on the 8gb for 4gb exchange though!
Another tip which can help reduce postage costs: where I work they have a pre-paid meter system for mail & I was amazed how much cheaper it is, even for normal First & Second class postage, let alone Recorded or SD. The nice lady in the post room runs the package through their system & you put the money in the stamp pot. At Christmas she almost has to take on extra staff to help.
Interesting replies chaps.
Yes, I was aware of the alternatives and considered them, but RMSD offered the safest option with the least risk/hassle if anything went wrong.
I just thought that the price, given the ultra light weight of the packet, (yes, the Post Office weighed it), seemed excessive in comparison with other, heavier, items I've sent this way in the past.
I like your idea Pointy, but now I'm retired I'm afraid it's no longer available to me.
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
When posting RMSD on a Friday don't pay extra for Saturday delivery.
All the delivery offices have to delivery everything they have in the office anyway as they are not insured for lots of stuff left overnight and it puts added pressure on the Monday delivery so they like to get it all out on Saturday.
Just another way of extracting a bit more out of you.