Parcel Force - "within 5 days"..?

[JSR]

I've just noticed on the BMS website that the old ParcelForce 2-3 day shipping service has been replaced by a Parcel Force "within 5 days" service.

What's happened to the old reliable and trusted 2-3 day service (that used to be ParcelForce 48)?

Frankly, a "within 5 days" service isn't worth even offering because it'll mean that anything you order won't be delivered until 7 days later (because there'll be a weekend within those 5 days).

As it's just £1+VAT extra to have the 1-2 day service, no one is going to wait over a week just to save a quid.

Seems crazy to even offer the "within 5 days" service at all.

[mrs maggot]

given up with them now, and using the P4D service which has been very good (touch wood) for 6.99

[bms]

I've just noticed on the BMS website that the old ParcelForce 2-3 day shipping service has been replaced by a Parcel Force "within 5 days" service.

What's happened to the old reliable and trusted 2-3 day service (that used to be ParcelForce 48)?

Frankly, a "within 5 days" service isn't worth even offering because it'll mean that anything you order won't be delivered until 7 days later (because there'll be a weekend within those 5 days).

As it's just £1+VAT extra to have the 1-2 day service, no one is going to wait over a week just to save a quid.

Seems crazy to even offer the "within 5 days" service at all.

ParcelForce haven't changed anything - we have! We need to differentiate between "goods need to get there quickly" and "there's no hurry", hence the differentiation between the 2 services. We'll still send on the PF24 or PF48 services but the 'within 5 days' service just gives us a little more time to pack and despatch. Most customers will stil get their stock within the old time frames, but this just signals to us that there isn't a rush to get it out very quickly. As you say it doesn't save much, but it gives us a bit of breathing space.

[JSR]

Does this mean we'll have to pay the extra £5 for "priority despatch" even if we pick the 1-2 day service, or will we still get it in 1-2 days?

[bms]

Does this mean we'll have to pay the extra £5 for "priority despatch" even if we pick the 1-2 day service, or will we still get it in 1-2 days?

Nothing else had changed so no need for that unless you're ordering late in the day and need it out the same day. We'll still do our utmost to get orders out as quickly as possible and in most cases all orders go out the same day. It's just getting busier so if customers don't need it urgently we can build in a bit of breathing space with the slightly longer optional slower despatch/ delivery service.

[gstk]

I've just noticed on the BMS website that the old ParcelForce 2-3 day shipping service has been replaced by a Parcel Force "within 5 days" service.

What's happened to the old reliable and trusted 2-3 day service (that used to be ParcelForce 48)?

Frankly, a "within 5 days" service isn't worth even offering because it'll mean that anything you order won't be delivered until 7 days later (because there'll be a weekend within those 5 days).

As it's just £1+VAT extra to have the 1-2 day service, no one is going to wait over a week just to save a quid.

Seems crazy to even offer the "within 5 days" service at all.

So dont use it!

[JSR]

So dont use it!

That's not very helpful. The point of the post is that there is no longer the 2-3 day option from BMS. "Not using" the 5-day shipping option doesn't in some way bring back the 2-3 day option.

Anyway, BMS has answered the question now so all's clear.

[gstk]

You quote its ONLY £1 extra for the next day delivery, so spend the £1 and revel in the excellent value.

[JSR]

You quote its ONLY £1 extra for the next day delivery, so spend the £1 and revel in the excellent value.

Sometimes waiting 2-3 days works in with the schedule of the order you're printing and, if you don't need much to complete it there's no point wasting money. But no order is going to wait over a week to finish off which means regardless of the value of the order, you have to pay more for postage. If I'm paying more for postage, then I'm looking at where I can consolidate orders with other suppliers.

It's easy to say "it's only £1, what you complaining about?" but, in the last week, I've placed four orders with BMS - which will be £5 extra in the future. That's in one week. It could be £20 extra over a month.

Every little counts.

As for "revelling in the excellent value" - that was something I was doing before when the 2-3 day service only cost £6.99+VAT. When price goes up, value goes down.

I stopped buying from Home2Gifts because postage made the orders unjustifiable. I stopped buying from SubliSupplies because postage was too high. Presumably many others did, too, because neither Home2Gifts or SubliSupplies are around anymore.