Doncaster to trial new Royal Mail pre-paid postage system

Royal Mail is trialling a new service to make Parcel Collect easier to use that will see postmen and women bring a pre-printed label to customers who have requested one when they buy postage online.

As well as Doncaster, it is being trialled in Bath, Cheltenham and Newton Mearns.

Customers using the service simply have to send a parcel, book a collection and select that they would like a self-adhesive, pre-printed postage label to be brought by their postman or woman when their parcel is being collected.

A spokesperson said: “Parcel Collect can currently only be used by customers who are able to print postage labels at home. This new feature is designed to make it easy to send parcels from home for customers who don’t have access to a home printer.

“It is also much more convenient for customers who are short of time and don’t want to leave home to drop off a parcel.

“Parcel Collect has enabled postmen and postwomen to collect parcels and returns from customers while they carry out their daily round.

“As part of the service, postmen and postwomen will collect a parcel from the customer’s door or nominated safe place.

“Around two and a half million parcels have already been collected by posties since the launch of the service last year.”

Parcel Collect is available six days a week and can be booked up to five days in advance and up to midnight the day before.

Nick Landon, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, said: “Since we launched Parcel Collect, the service has been incredibly popular, and we are now making it even easier to use for people who don’t have a printer at home.

“Parcel Collect saves customers time and is incredibly convenient for people to send parcels without having to leave the comfort of their home.

“Parcel Collect is part of our commitment to continuously make our services more convenient as we re-invent the way we deliver to and from our customers.”