Recorded v Special Delivery

[Terryk]

Is there a way to tell the difference between a Recorded Delivery and a Special Delivery barcode before the item arrives?

Got someone spinning me a yarn that they sent an item by Special Delivery today (albeit after the collection time today so it won't move til Thursday) but the tracking says only that it has been accepted and moving through the network. I thought SD items had a line about "and we expect the deliver it by the guaranteed time" but that may not apply to items posted after the collection I guess.

The detailed tracking only shows the item being scanned at the PO Counter

I have a feeling the item has been sent by Recorded Delivery not Special.

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

http://www.royalmail.com/trackdetails" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

put the details in here, much better than the normal track and trace, if you only get the accepted at post office, then its a recorded, if you get more details and mentions mail centres etc then its a special delivery but note these extra lines will only start to appear a couple of hours after its been collected from the post office

[Terryk]

Thanks, I did know about the detailed tracking as I was the one who first introduced it to the forum.

As I mentioned the detailed tracking only shows the scan at the PO and as it was after the final collection this lunchtime it won't move until Thursday, so it looks like it may be a case of just waiting til then unless anyone else knows a way of telling the barcode number ranges for the differen services.

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

Thanks, I did know about the detailed tracking as I was the one who first introduced it to the forum.

As I mentioned the detailed tracking only shows the scan at the PO and as it was after the final collection this lunchtime it won't move until Thursday, so it looks like it may be a case of just waiting til then unless anyone else knows a way of telling the barcode number ranges for the differen services.

if it starts with a z its usually special delivery, sometimes not though but its a fair bet if it is, the number wont tell much the first two letters will, also just incase you are not aware, its a bank holiday in scotland on the second so if its been posted anywhere there it wont move till friday

[feduppostie]

also ask them weight and the price they paid - that will usually tell you how it has been posted

[Terryk]

Thanks.

First two characters are KU - I am fairly certain it is Recorded Delivery. It took me an age to get the tracking number out of them, I'd just like to have gone back to them and tell them they hadn't provided me with the service I had paid for before it arrived so they realised they were dealing with someone who knows the difference!

Ah well - not to be!

Happy New Year all...

[feduppostie]

KU as far as I know is a 9am special delivery

I am prepared to be corrected it has been a while!

[arnold cheshire]

KU as far as I know is a 9am special delivery

I am prepared to be corrected it has been a while!

its certainly unusual

[Terryk]

Well you were right KU is 9AM Special Delivery....however the reference they gave me was for another parcel, which was delivered 300 miles away at 8.15am last Friday.

My parcel was sent 2nd class signed for.....