When do the packets start to calm down?

[postiewhite]

Im hoping someone who has worked for the RM a while can have a idea of the xmas pressue.
Basically all the reserves havent had walking duties in our office for 3 weeks so we have been working afternoons,half our time in the dark delivering packets that people are leaving. Yesterday we got on top of things and managed to clear pretty much everything but today is a new day. Today is the 18th. Surely its about to calm down.......... Is.it?

[gand]

Christmas day

[numberone]

Yes. Christmas Day sounds about right. Been posting for nearly five years. Week after christmas calms down. Good luck for the rest of week.

[rhino49]

They won't ..... all the people for whom internet shopping has been the NEW experience this Christmas will carry on doing it - you will never see another quiet packet day

[deltaforce]

They won't ..... all the people for whom internet shopping has been the NEW experience this Christmas will carry on doing it - you will never see another quiet packet day

Yes I agree...the sales start Boxing Day and so it goes on.

[WornOutPosty]

Next week will be better. I have to be honest though, this year has been the quietest I've ever seen so far. No late finished or endless packet bags - wonder if its just like that round here.

[alanmc]

Next week will be better. I have to be honest though, this year has been the quietest I've ever seen so far. No late finished or endless packet bags - wonder if its just like that round here.

if its like our mc u will get it all this weekend or Monday as so much in system

[trevjim]

the 10 or so days after boxing day will still be quite busy with people spending their Christmas money and vouchers, once the kids go back to school its usually fairly quiet although new year sales will keep us busy.

[venger]

They'll calm down in January. No joke. I've been i the biz 18 years.

[OnAFlyer]

Next week will be better. I have to be honest though, this year has been the quietest I've ever seen so far. No late finished or endless packet bags - wonder if its just like that round here.

Although I wouldn't say we've really had any one particularly massive hit, it has been constantly heavy for more than 3 weeks now. I think we've completed within time on average once a week. Several times we have put out 2 cages full of packets just for our 2 walks so it's definitely been an increase on last year for large packets.

Actual packets in the bags I'm not sure, I think the 'small parcel' fiasco where RM tried to rip people off big time has possibly affected volumes, before they changed the sizes it was upwards of £6 to send something like a jumper so I bet Hermes etc got a lot of extra traffic from that.

[Straight4ward]

Having spent heavily on presents for other people at Christmas, the great British public feels the need to reward itself for this display of generosity by spending heavily on goodies that they want in the January sales.

Expect the first couple of weeks in January to be pretty manic and then, thankfully, after that things should die down.

[Grinder64]

Aren't we supposed to love parcels nowadays?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

When do the packets start to calm down? - Easter

Well not really but once the packets die down we start getting hammered by holiday brochures which in my opinion are worse as though small compared to packets their combined weight is worse.

[bustedflush]

Great - we had a mass mailing today, bloody Virgin Media (who else?) mailing all their customers. Obviously a price rise coming in the new year......luckily I'm on a skank estate for this week and next, so my packets today were barely worse than a normal Wednesday. 95% of posties in our office just work until they complete and then claim docket afterwards, just as well as we haven't got more than 4 packet drivers on call. In the New Year you'll get Saga Holidays et al bombarding the granny-barracks plus gardening and other holiday brochures, Screwfix no doubt and machine mart. Plus the inevitable Virgin Media A4 junk 'occupier' envelopes with some incredible 2014 deal.....

[DICK43]

We have been told that flex will start again almost straight after Christmas, which is nice!