Amid fears that Royal Mail will soon be privatised, potentially triggering further price rises, the recent increase in postal costs could already be causing headaches for small business owners. Save Our Royal Mail campaigners warn that by 2015 the cost of a first class stamp could be as high as £1 if the organisation is sold off. With parcel costs already increasing earlier this month, any business that sends packages through Royal Mail could find their postal budget blown sky high long before the flotation of the company.
Royal Mail say it’s to make prices easier to understand, but the new system of paying for weight and size means that prices have gone up, in some cases rather drastically. For anything larger than 35cm x 45cm x 8cm in size, while there are a few exceptions, this sizing will now cost that of a medium or large parcel, making some costings jump significantly due to the new width allowances.
Royal Mail has simplified the postal pricing system into four main categories, and costs vary wildly across them all. If you can fit your item into a smaller category then it could be well worth your while to do so, especially if you’re a frequent poster. But with the thickness of your item being taken in to account, and a letter being classed as anything under 0.5cm thick, what may only be a birthday card with a badge would now be classed as a large letter, and have a higher price to match.
Knowing how each category is determined is key to avoiding additional charges where possible. Royal Mail are offering a free cardboard template, available through their website, and Post Office counters should have one for customer use if needed. If you regularly post items that are the same size and weight, figure out what the smallest letter/parcel type you can use is to help save costs.
Alternatively, sending your item via courier or parcel delivery services outside of Royal Mail may ultimately be more cost effective. DQC can help you get the best prices from registered, customer rated companies based across the UK. Simply use our online form to give us a few details about your requirements and businesses that can meet your needs will contact you with free quotes to compare, helping you to get the best possible prices for your delivery needs.