Royal Mail has announced the launch of a parcel pick-up service across the UK as the company moves to try and capitalise on a rise in online shopping, accelerated by COVID-19. The new service – Parcel Collect – means postmen and postwomen will now collect parcels as well as deliver them on their daily round. It is one of the biggest changes to Royal Mail’s daily delivery service since the launch of the post box in 1852.
Royal Mail employees will collect a parcel from the customer’s door or nominated safe place for 72p per parcel in addition to postage costs. Parcel Collect is also available for pre-paid return items at a cost of 60p per item.
Royal Mail can collect up to five parcels per address. Parcel Collect is available Monday through to Saturday and can be booked up to five days in advance and up to midnight the day before.
To use the service, customers need to ensure they have already paid the correct postage to send their item. If an item does not have pre-paid postage such as a return, customers can pay for their postage online with Click & Drop or eventually by the mobile app. Customers will be able to work out the correct cost of postage for their item and print out a pre-paid label which is fixed to the package. When the item gets collected, the customer will receive an email notification that acts as proof of postage.
The nationwide launch follows an initial roll-out of Parcel Collect in certain postcode areas of West England.
Source: Royal Mail
