UK’s postal service Royal Mail is now accepting packages bound for foreign destinations, it announced on Friday, though it warned delivery might take longer than usual. The BBC has details on the January cyber attack that caused the disruption of all international mail in the UK (domestic UK service was not impacted).
Royal Mail provided an update on February 24 to let shippers know that Royal Mail International Export services had been reinstated to all destinations for purchase “online, through shipping solutions and over the counter at Post Office branches.”
However, it warned delivery of international items could take slightly longer than usual, and it was seeing an impact on tracking – which is crucial to online sellers to give visibility to buyers their packages are on the way. It noted that if tracking wasn’t available on the Royal Mail website, it could be available on the postal tracking websites of the destination country:
“Customers using International Tracked / International Tracked and Signed services may notice different tracking information as items leave the UK. We are seeing some delays to some Tracking events in a small number of destinations. As we continue to work with our partners to resolve this, if you cannot see tracking information for your items then it is likely to be available on the overseas’ Posts own tracking websites.”
Read the announcement and keep apprised on the Royal Mail service update page.
This has been a long drawn out nightmare for us as UK sellers. A number of international buyers have run out of patience and been given refunds. We sell cheaper end items so have never needed tracking so have had to accept the loss. Those items we did track when checked were always marked as still at the PO where we sent them from. Customers claimed there was no movement so item must have been stolen or lost. Information from Royal Mail was confusing at the best. On top of this the EU customs office was rejecteing the eBay IOSS VAT number so parcels were being sent back or buyers were being asked for sales tax AGAIN. Now that aspect is sorted we have a series of strikes likely – December 2022 had 6 full day strikes including two days before Christmas so there will no Royal Mail service by Christmas 2023. Like many other sellers we have transferred an amount of business away from Royal Mail so these hassles have impacted the guys who run the local independent Post Offices. I feel sorry for those guys – at least I have alternative couriers even if if more expensive at times