While the rest of us have been sunbathing, rain shower dodging and taking it easy, Royal Mail has been working on some summer projects that will be of interest to UK eCommerce sellers. And we’re here to explain.
Tracked services – key enhancements
At the beginning of the month, Royal Mail introduced “key enhancements” to its tracked services. It wanted to improve the online shopping and delivery service experienced by millions over the UK – something we were happy to hear.
Better experience
Ever provided truly outstanding customer experience, only to have it obliterated by delivery problems that weren’t your fault? The Royal Mail has been listening to online seller and shopper feedback and has put in key service enhancements that it hopes will improve the customer experience for everyone.
Ding-dong
Online retailers will be able to give shopper more information about the delivery progress of their item, including emails and SMS notifications saying “Hey, we delivered your item to Jim down the road. You know, the guy at number 35 who you’ll have to speak about the weather to for 45 minutes when you go to pick up your mail – him.”
Beep
Customers can take their parcels, along with their pre-paid barcodes, to Royal Mail Customer Service Points and Delivery Offices and receive an acceptance scan on drop off. It gives your customers greater convenience and you earlier notification of returns (helping to manage your inventory better).
Sorry we missed you
Online shoppers will now get emails and SMS notifications when parcels are returned to a Royal Mail Customer Service Point. No more going home, going back out, going home again to collect ID, going back out. Customers can arrange re-delivery or rock straight up to their local collection point with the relevant identification.
Parcel boxes
Getting to the post office can be a bane in any eCommerce seller’s life and Royal Mail wants to change that. Welcome the UK’s first parcel postboxes. Accepting pre-paid parcels will be 30 trial parcel postboxes in the Northampton and Leicester areas.
The trial lasts until 5th November and marks the first (potential) significant change for UK postboxes in 160 years – here’s hoping they stay.
Shipping tools
A new shipping tool and API is set to help larger eCommerce retailers with their complex shipping needs.
Royal Mail Pro Shipping is stacked full of capabilities that will make managing orders and returns simpler across distributed sites.
Winning
Sometimes we love to hate them, but the Royal Mail is working hard to make life easier for eCommerce sellers and online shoppers.
Its recent Quality of Service report reveals that Royal Mail is exceeding its Second Class mail target (98.5% delivery) and is only a touch under its First Class mail target (92.1% delivery).
It has one of the highest Quality of Service specifications of any major European county, and we think these new services might help its reputation in the eCommerce world. Let us know what you think.
About Expandly
Expandly is multichannel management software that allows you to manage your eBay, Amazon, Wish and Etsy accounts alongside your shopping cart, shipping carrier and accountancy software – all from one central location.