PDA scanning ??

[tomdhu]

Can anyone shed light on the current policy about scanning RM48 and 2nd Class small parcels?

On-line selling businesses are finding that less than 5% of parcels are being scanned on delivery and this is prompting buyers to claim they have not received the parcel. With no proof of delivery, this means that, under Ebay rules, the Seller must refund the Buyer.

Are there not enough scanners in use?
Have RM given up scanning because of covid?
Any other reason?

[POSTMAN]

It's a bit of everything unfortunately.

My wife sends everything 2nd class signed for (recorded) and has never had a problem.

Will try and get more traffic on this and hopefuly some of our guys can clear some of it up.

[hazzeem025]

I'm out on delivery everyday and scan everything. The only thing I can think of is agency staff/temporary staff aren't getting trained properly and don't know what they should scan?

[poisonpostie]

Our office runs at over ninety percent scanning god knows what's going in other offices, I cant really believe five percent as we get pulled up if it drops below seventy percent bit of a mystery to me (sorry)

[goneaway]

As an occasional eBay seller, I'd be most upset if that "less than 5%" scanned on delivery figure is true.

However, if one of these items is accepted in the Callers Office (print at home or when we print the label from a customer's QR code on their phone), then an acceptance scan is done on the PDA, so there is proof the item has been accepted into the Royal Mail network. Would eBay still expect the seller to refund the buyer if the acceptance scan had been carried, but the delivery scan skipped?

Of course, if an eBay seller just posted their small items with a print at home label straight into a post box, I assume that there would not be any acceptance scan, so if the postie also fails to scan on delivery, there would not be any record of the item ever being in the Royal Mail network.

[fb1969]

If you are talking about the 2D (QR type) barcodes then there are occasions when they won't scan - printed too light, printed too dark, put behind sellotape, bent over the corner of a box, smudged in the rain, creased. But having said that, I would say that most days I scan everything and only fail one or two a week because the code won't scan.

[solar_plexus]

There's a bit of a communication problem between the eBay and Royal Mail websites. I looked up an item I was sent recently; on eBay, the item is shown stuck at 'Dispatched', but if the same tracking number is entered into Royal Mail's site the item is shown as 'Delivered'.

[WASD]

5% is just too low to be believable. If it was 70% then i'd believe it. I know there are many issues in RM, and understand customers wanting to go elsewhere, but 5%? Just no.

Where Paypal is concerned, last time i checked Signature on delivery is the only provable delivery method. But ebay has had some big changes come in recently.

RM48 and 2nd Class packets aren't always carrying barcodes, so this could be a reason for the strange 5%? I know of companies who always send with no barcodes with £50 item values even. I'm not sure what contracts are offered to businesses in regards to available packets, so can't help there sadly.

[Celgar]

Due to Covid restrictions we have not handed over the PDA for 'recipients' to sign for items of mail pretty much since the outbreak began. Delivery times for 0900 & 1300 special delivery items are still currently extended to 1100 & 1600 respectively due to both staffing issues and the fact that we are run off our feet!!
Nevertheless all posties are required to scan all barcoded items that enter our system whichever RM service is used. On the square 2D barcodes items that are not posted under a specific product we are required to scan at least 90% as a target. If we do not achieve that target it is supposed to be investigated by the DOM and/or the coach.
In the delivery office I work in the DOM puts up a sheet for each working day to show how many mistakes are made on each walk. Recently we had one day where an agency staff person had not been shown or did not realise they had to scan the 2D barcodes. After this was pointed out to him this hasn't happened again. So a 5% score is possible to occur but it is really unlikely to happen anywhere in Royal Mail. There have been delays in some areas of the country due to staffing issues from Covid or other issues where whole deliveries have not gone out for numerous days. In this case you could find low or non existent scores on scanning but it is not representative of how we usually do things. As a general rule we are working our socks off day in day out to get everything delivered with little to no thanks from those at the top of Royal Mail. On the other hand the majority of 'recipients' are very happy with the service we provide & we are grateful for their support.
I hope this clarifies your query and that the scanning issues for your items of mail improve. You could try phoning or calling into your local delivery office to ask if there are any reasons for poor service and they will no doubt investigate it.

[Mr Rush]

I've had my postman scan 2D barcodes in front of me and the item still shows as undelivered on eBay, so it's entirely plausible the ridiculous 2D compliance figure stated is actually the result of some failure to transfer data between RM and eBay.

Management haven't said a word about 2D compliance in my office for about four years, but if it was as low as 5% nationally we'd have heard about it.

[SpacePhoenix]

I've had my postman scan 2D barcodes in front of me and the item still shows as undelivered on eBay, so it's entirely plausible the ridiculous 2D compliance figure stated is actually the result of some failure to transfer data between RM and eBay.

The 1D barcode number is encoded in the 2D barcode, maybe eBay are being sent the 2D barcode but aren't set up for extracting the 1D barcode number from the 2D barcode

[Business15]

Lately i have noticed that not many parcels are being scanned at all. My friend stopped using RM and moved to Hermes.

I personally stick with RM for 1st Class/RM 24 parcels/LL which arrives 95% of the time next day! So great job on this!

I don't use Royal Mail International services anymore due to lost or delayed parcels and no compensation other than a book of stamps for filling out a long winded form.

[SpacePhoenix]

Lately i have noticed that not many parcels are being scanned at all. My friend stopped using RM and moved to Hermes.

Not scanned at all from when posted to when delivered? What service was used?

[johnanon]

As an occasional eBay seller, I'd be most upset if that "less than 5%" scanned on delivery figure is true.

However, if one of these items is accepted in the Callers Office (print at home or when we print the label from a customer's QR code on their phone), then an acceptance scan is done on the PDA, so there is proof the item has been accepted into the Royal Mail network. Would eBay still expect the seller to refund the buyer if the acceptance scan had been carried, but the delivery scan skipped?

Of course, if an eBay seller just posted their small items with a print at home label straight into a post box, I assume that there would not be any acceptance scan, so if the postie also fails to scan on delivery, there would not be any record of the item ever being in the Royal Mail network.

Many 2D barcode items, especially parcels, get extra scans through the network e.g. if they go through a parcel sorter but these aren't shown on the public tracker online.

If you use the app to request a digital proof of posting this is generated at the first scan, and it tells you where this is. I've seen these usually in a mail centre but also in a final delivery office, prior to the delivery scan.

Overall I've found scanning has gone up after it went way down over Christmas. Good in my book for eBay, who will accept it as delivery confirmation for items under £450.

[Business15]

Lately i have noticed that not many parcels are being scanned at all. My friend stopped using RM and moved to Hermes.

Not scanned at all from when posted to when delivered? What service was used?

Yes and another one today, i had a great message from an honest customer saying "thanks for the fast delivery i got it today", it was delivered next day with Royal Mail 1st Class Parcels in Hertfordshire and of course not scanned again and if she wanted she could have got a refund of £30! I have tried to complain and no one answers emails.

I just had someone in Lanarkshire saying it has not been delivered it was sent Royal Mail 24 on the 25th March its worth £20, i always use the Royal Mail address checker before sending.

What a shame!