I'm cross. I mean really, properly, teeth grindingly cross. In just under 2 weeks time, Royal Mail are changing the way we send parcels. And it is going to affect thousands and thousands of small businesses.
I'm one of those small businesses. The kind that is too busy getting on with the running of said small business to stick my head above the parapet and complain. But last night I wondered if all the small too-busy businesses stuck together and complained, it could achieve something.
This is what is going to happen. Royal Mail is going to divide parcels into three categories. Small, Medium and Large.
OK, you say, that sounds fairly reasonable. Until you read the dimensions of what constitutes a small parcel. Length 45cm. Fine, no problem, quite generous in fact. Width 35cm. Still fine, quite happy with that. Depth 8cm. Fine. Hang on, WHAT? 8CM!!!!
That's not a parcel, that is a FAT ENVELOPE.
So if your nice small parcel is basically, parcel-shaped (i.e. not flat, but 3-dimensional) then it will have to be sent as a Medium parcel. Still ok with that? It's now going to cost you £5.65 to send.
If you read the small print, there is an exception on parcels smaller than 16cm x 16cm x 16cm. So in order to squeeze into that little package, thousands of businesses are having to order in new boxes, re-design products and reduce protective packaging.
Oh, well, I suppose that's not the end of the world. Oh hang on again, there's more....
So you've bought new boxes, you've removed half your protective packaging, you've redesigned your product, all ready to send. Only now the compensation cover should your parcel get lost will only be £20, instead of £46 as it currently is.
So instead of raising the cover limit, as perhaps you might expect them to, to keep in line with inflation, they've more than HALVED IT?
Aha, say Royal Mail, you can send it by Special Delivery, the compensation cover on that is up to £500. Great, that small box is now going to cost you £6.95 to send.*(SEE BELOW)
Now, I've worked really hard for the last 4 years building up a small, but flourishing business. And this small business of mine, it's not just a way of earning a bit of pocket money for me while I'm a full time mum looking after the kids. It's much more than that.
It's a way of keeping my (hard won) skills as a traditional stained glass artist up. It's a way of feeling that when my children are old enough not to need me quite so much, I have something to return to. And not only that, I'm constantly learning while I'm doing this. About Marketing, PR, Social Media, Enterprise, Profit Margins, Retail. It's a way of staying connected to the workplace while I'm temporarily filling the role of mum. And there's thousands of us doing the same thing.
And it's not just people who are taking a break from their careers to raise kids who have turned to selling online (Etsy, Folksy, Ebay, Big Cartel, Not on the High Street - and many other e-commerce sites) to keep them ticking over. It's people who've been made redundant, or who have health issues that prevent them from doing a traditional 9-5. It's also talented, enterprising young adults who can't find a job because there aren't any.
Please sign it, Tweet, Facebook it, Instagram it, Pin it.
Thank you.
Lots of very interesting comments have been posted below - well worth a read to find out about different courier options and other people's experiences and ways around the problem. This one in particular sums up my feelings brilliantly:
*It has been pointed out that the Signed For option (which used to be known as Recorded) does offer compensation up to £50 on both 1st and 2nd Class options, although of course the size restrictions still apply.
