With Christmas the busiest time of year for the postal service, customers have strict deadlines to meet if they want to make sure their parcels end up under the tree on time. But even with the clear instructions, senders can’t always guarantee their packages will arrive on time.
And now that Post Offices accept private couriers, the Daily Mail has decided to test out all the options available to see which ones are worth splashing out an extra few quid for to make sure the White Company set you got for your mother – and the vintage whiskey for your father – arrive ahead of the big day.
We decided to put Royal Mail to the test – using both the First and Second Class services, as well as Parcelforce, Evri and DPD.
Five identical packages were wrapped up, all containing the same Marks & Spencer wine glass, wrapped up in bubble wrap and placed inside a padded envelope.
All but one were posted on the same day from Kensington High Street post office branch – as Evri had to be sent off from a different store, because the one I initially went to no longer supported its couriers. I was forced to buy a label online and take my QR code to a corner shop to be scanned and printed.
But save that one hiccup, the other parcel-posting endeavours went smoothly. The only initial obstacle was convincing the woman behind the till that I hadn’t made a mistake and yes, I really did want to send the same parcel to the same address using different services.
Each delicate glass was handed over and their destination typed in to the computer system – they were to go from central London to the suburbs of Cardiff. But which would make the 148 mile journey the fastest?
I took five parcels to high Street Kensington post office to send through Royal Mail, using the First and Second class service, Parcelforce, Evri and DPD
Each parcel contained the same Marks & Spencer wine glass, wrapped up in bubble wrap and placed inside a padded envelope
Four of the five glasses were handed over and their destination typed in to the computer system – they were to go from central London to Cardiff but which would make the 148 mile journey the fastest?
The lovely lady behind the counter offered me every option under the sun and dutifully took me through the various options, informing me that with ten days to go until Christmas, I didn’t strictly need to buy next day delivery.
And while I appreciate her efforts to save on costs I dutifully told her these packages must go immediately in the name of science.
And so one by one she doubled checked the Welsh spelling of the village and street name and printed out the labels, asking me the value of its contents and telling me to tap my bank card on the card machine.
Royal Mail First Class set me back £5.09 for the 200g parcel but promised to deliver the next day, while Second Class only cost £3.99 and was expected to land on my family’s doorstep within three working days.
DPD wanted just £6.96 to ensure next day delivery while Parcelforce charged a whopping £14.15 for the same service.
All were popped in the postal bags at 3.14pm on Tuesday December 15.
Evri cost me £7.49 plus the inconvenience of having to go to a separate vendor to print off my label and send my parcel on its way and wasn’t posted until 8.21am the following day.
And all the couriers bar Second Class from Royal Mail disappointed.
Join the debate
Do you trust couriers to deliver your Christmas gifts safely, or do they always let you down?
Parcelforce and Royal Mail Second Class delivered my parcel intact – but the courier was two days over their next day delivery deadline
Royal Mail First Class and DPD left me cringing when I took the parcel off the postman as all I could hear was the tinkling of broken glass
DPD told me my parcel would be delayed which was helpful but Evri kept stringing me along telling me it would be delivered and changing the time
The package delivered by Royal Mail First Class arrived at my Cardiff address exactly 48 hours later to the minute after I had waved it off from Kensington High Street.
But when I took it off the postman, I was met with the tinkling sound of broken glass and found upon unwrapping that the glass had arrived smashed to smithereens.
Next to arrive was Parcelforce which delivered the goods three days after I posted – a far cry from the express 24 hour delivery I was charged almost £15 for.
The only upside was that the glass arrived fully intact.
Not long after, the doorbell rang again and at 3pm, Royal Mail’s Second Class service safely delivered my M&S glass in one piece and exactly three days after posting – just as they had promised.
DPD sold me on next day delivery if I parted with £6.96 – but left me feeling shortchanged almost immediately.
Two days after posting I was sent a text message telling me my parcel was delayed despite it having already supposed to have arrived.
It did eventually appear but three days late on Thursday 18, at 4.03pm – and to add insult to injury it was shattered into a million pieces.
DPD delivered my parcel in bits and three days after I’d posted it rather than the promised express delivery
Royal Mail First Class arrived two days after posting and a whole 24 hours outside the next day delivery promise and the glass was smashed to pieces to add insult to injury
Parcelforce delivered the goods three days after I posted – a far cry from the express 24 hour delivery I was charged almost £15 for but at least it was all in one piece
I’m still waiting for my Evri parcel.
Having been forced to trek to various different corner shops with a QR code for a label I’d bought online and my package tucked under my warm coat, I eventually found somewhere that would take it and post it off for me.
While it wasn’t the most expensive courier at less than £8, for the time and effort it took, I was beginning to doubt whether it was worth it at all.
Three days after posting I checked in to see whether my next day delivery would ever arrive, only to be told that it was in the hands of the courier and would land on my front doorstep between 1.30pm and 2.30pm on Friday 19.
Despite the delays and frustrations, most of the packages did make it through the letterbox and I was given updates of their progress throughout.
Alas – less than half of them made the perilous journey and lived to tell the tale despite the wad of bubble wrap and brown paper I had sealed them in.
So perhaps it’s just better to chuck your gifts into a bag for life on the train.
Royal Mail, DPD, Parcelforce and Evri have been contacted for comment.
