Royal Mail Strike Dates
I use a handful of different delivery partners, based on weight/volume of each order. Trade orders and multi-book orders usually go via courier, but most one or two book orders tend to go via Royal Mail, as the fastest and most cost effective option.
With the upcoming strike dates likely to affect all of our Christmas Shopping, I'm mulling over different approaches. Whilst I will always continue to dispatch your order within the timescale shown at the top of my website and during your order process, I can't control how long delivery will actually take. I've even experimented with sending via RM24/48 recently, and not one parcel arrived in the time stated (or paid for), so that's not really an option anyway. As delivery times do tend to increase from this time of year, I'm expecting significant delays, with the strike action also happening.
I may add an upgrade option for P&P. P&P is free to all UK addresses, but I could add a 'courier' option at an appropriate cost. I'm reluctant to do this for a few reasons. I promise to dispatch within 7 days (this does change throughout the year, so if you're reading this, please do check the banner at the top of your screen for current waiting time), but I have a feeling that if I add an alternative delivery option, people may expect to receive their order within 7 days. Which, very often, is indeed the case! But I can't face a landslide of unhappy customers, where I've dispatched on day 7, and it takes another few days/week to arrive, because I just KNOW some folk will read that as 'pay extra for quick delivery', and be pissed off, as they'll think I've let them down. I'm blessed with very happy customers, and I don't want to accidentally change that!!! I design and hand fold each book to order, and always work through my order list from oldest to most recent, I don't bump big orders to the front of the queue or anything like that, and I don't want to change that for orders who have chosen the alternative delivery option...plus, I think it'd put a knot in my stomach, constantly checking to see what's been delivered and how quickly, whilst sifting through each day's orders to see which ones are now more time sensitive, based on delivery option. I know it's daft. I do not ever, and will not ever, guarantee how long delivery will take. But in this online world, we're all prone to glancing at things and not reading details haha
I dunno. I think I've just typed myself out of adding that option, y'know. I'm a fast typer, I type almost as fast as I think. Lots of typos on the way, but hey ho :P [edit: I’ve just realised that maybe I’m not a fast typer. Maybe I think as slowly as a type 🤔]
My other thunk, to avoid the real critical period of early December, is to maybe have Black Friday a month early, as that would miss all the strike dates. I dunno. Make sure you're on my mailing list, and I will keep you in the loop first, with a far less rambly plan of attack!
~ Jo
With the upcoming strike dates likely to affect all of our Christmas Shopping, I'm mulling over different approaches. Whilst I will always continue to dispatch your order within the timescale shown at the top of my website and during your order process, I can't control how long delivery will actually take. I've even experimented with sending via RM24/48 recently, and not one parcel arrived in the time stated (or paid for), so that's not really an option anyway. As delivery times do tend to increase from this time of year, I'm expecting significant delays, with the strike action also happening.
I may add an upgrade option for P&P. P&P is free to all UK addresses, but I could add a 'courier' option at an appropriate cost. I'm reluctant to do this for a few reasons. I promise to dispatch within 7 days (this does change throughout the year, so if you're reading this, please do check the banner at the top of your screen for current waiting time), but I have a feeling that if I add an alternative delivery option, people may expect to receive their order within 7 days. Which, very often, is indeed the case! But I can't face a landslide of unhappy customers, where I've dispatched on day 7, and it takes another few days/week to arrive, because I just KNOW some folk will read that as 'pay extra for quick delivery', and be pissed off, as they'll think I've let them down. I'm blessed with very happy customers, and I don't want to accidentally change that!!! I design and hand fold each book to order, and always work through my order list from oldest to most recent, I don't bump big orders to the front of the queue or anything like that, and I don't want to change that for orders who have chosen the alternative delivery option...plus, I think it'd put a knot in my stomach, constantly checking to see what's been delivered and how quickly, whilst sifting through each day's orders to see which ones are now more time sensitive, based on delivery option. I know it's daft. I do not ever, and will not ever, guarantee how long delivery will take. But in this online world, we're all prone to glancing at things and not reading details haha
I dunno. I think I've just typed myself out of adding that option, y'know. I'm a fast typer, I type almost as fast as I think. Lots of typos on the way, but hey ho :P [edit: I’ve just realised that maybe I’m not a fast typer. Maybe I think as slowly as a type 🤔]
My other thunk, to avoid the real critical period of early December, is to maybe have Black Friday a month early, as that would miss all the strike dates. I dunno. Make sure you're on my mailing list, and I will keep you in the loop first, with a far less rambly plan of attack!
~ Jo