Unnecessarily high postage costs?

[Moonraker]

Is it really necessary for vendors to send low and medium value cards by "signed for"? Royal Mail has now reverted ("post Lockdown") to requiring a signature on delivery, which can be inconvenient if I'm out. The sorting-office is a miserable three-mile trek from house with limited opening hours and hardly any room inside, though I know that I can request another attempt to deliver to my address or, I think, arrange for it to be left at the sub post office a mile away. Not that one can have much confidence in Royal Mail - people in several nearby localities have complained of no deliveries for a week or more.

Last week I moaned along these lines to a vendor from whom I'd bought a card for £9 and wanted to send it by second-class signed for. She agreed to send it by standard post at my risk. I've just looked at a £15 card that has a first-class signed-for charge of £3.50.

Surely in some cases a free certificate of posting would suffice, giving "insurance cover" up to £20?

Three hours after posting this, the postman delivered a postcard that cost me all of £9.99 including postage, the vendor having sensibly got a C of P. And it was a genuine photo c1912 of a biplane in flight - many such scenes were faked with images imposed on a scenic card - and I must be one of the very, very few people who knows where the "anonymous" location was. (Smug emoji.)

[owlreckless]

The decision to send low and medium value cards by "signed for" or using other postal services with additional security measures is ultimately up to the vendors and their policies.tunnel rush They may choose to do so to provide a higher level of assurance and tracking for the delivery of valuable items.

While Royal Mail may require a signature on delivery, it can indeed be inconvenient if you are not available at the time of delivery. In such cases, you may explore alternative options like requesting another delivery attempt or arranging for collection at a local sub post office.

Regarding the cost of postage, it is common for vendors to offer different postage options with varying levels of security and tracking. The cost associated with these services reflects the additional benefits they provide, such as insurance, tracking, and proof of delivery.

[Moonraker]

On Sunday evening I won a card on eBay for £15.99 plus £1.40 p & p. (I'd hesitated just a little about the price.)Two days ago, I had a message from the vendor - from whom I've brought before - that he'd been unable to get to the post office for a couple of days and that he was posting my card yesterday. It's just arrived by Special Delivery at a cost (borne mostly by the vendor) of £7.35. (Luckily I'd just returned from the dentist, otherwise it would have meant a trip to the post office to collect it.) Excellent service to me as the customer, or a bit over the top?

eBay asks if purchases arrive on time, and I've always allowed vendors some slack in feeding back. And with continuing complaints in some localities about fragmented deliveries it seems unfair that delays reflect on the vendor.