Is your mail service as bad as in my area? It's been largely overlooked, but a lot of dubious things that were understandably tolerated during lockdown have been allowed to turn into standard practice afterwards.

Take the mail service. Okay, during the height of the pandemic, with lockdowns, the delivery system was cut back and times were erratic. Fair enough. Our deliveries went from being daily at about 8.30-9am to being at any point between about 2 and 6. We understood.

But rather than gradually go back to normal, they seem to have seized on the chance to remain as slow and erratic - and downright sloppy - ever since.

We still now get deliveries after lunchtime, often mid-afternoon. Why? Most people need their mail as early into the day as possible.

And the basic procedures have also continued to be 'followed' as carelessly as they became during lockdown. We had a knock on the door this morning - yes, that's why I'm in such a bad mood! - and although it took me no longer than ten seconds to go down the stairs and open the door, there was already no sight of good old 'Postie' - and he'd left a 'You were out' card in the door without any information whatsoever written on it (no clue as to the item, no reference number, etc etc).

This is happening to many services. You go into a restaurant these days and everything from limited choices to untrained or absent staff is excused by some vague reference to the 'effects of the pandemic' - and then they try to charge you more than before and extra 'discretionary' suggestions!! And they moan as if it's all down to government. No it isn't - we all need to fight through this.

Okay, rant over. But it's maddening!

Same thing with Amazon Prime. Used to be v.early in mornings. Now it's often after 6 at night.

I bought about a dozen book from the same ebay seller last week, I only received about half of them.

I had to get a refund but then it's the hassel of re-ordering from another that if they have it in stock.

You hear supermarkets talk about Covid-related delays in distribution, but it's always so vague and not much of it makes much sense. There were four crates of food ready to put on the shelves yesterday in my local Sainsbury's, and staff were just strolling past them time and again. 'Covid,' I suppose. The way to recover financially from the pandemic is to woo the consumers back, and yet an air of apathy dominates the retail world whilst they raise prices, demand help and complain about their plight. And I agree about the postal service - my post arrived at about 9am before the pandemic, and now it's usually 3pm, when you're too busy to pause to answer stuff. The Mail - for all its faults - is usually good at highlighting this kind of thing, but all of the media seem content to let this stuff pass under the radar. I bet THEY get their post asap!

Rob - woo the customers back?

This is the days of big boy business. Not little shopkeepers. The Britsh public voted for this in the years and decades prior to the pandemic with their wallets and Joe Smoe shut up shop as the public clamoured instead to the under cutting giants.

Bottom line is in the end, you get what you've paid for!

Monty Burns wrote:
Rob - woo the customers back?

This is the days of big boy business. Not little shopkeepers. The Britsh public voted for this in the years and decades prior to the pandemic with their wallets and Joe Smoe shut up shop as the public clamoured instead to the under cutting giants.

Bottom line is in the end, you get what you've paid for!

They all need punters through the door, Monty, and many of them aren't getting enough of them.

I would have thought this a boom time for Royal Mail. Yes letters and postcards have lost out to e-mail but parcels and packages must be through the roof with Amazon and all the others taking over from shops.

JK2006 wrote:
I would have thought this a boom time for Royal Mail. Yes letters and postcards have lost out to e-mail but parcels and packages must be through the roof with Amazon and all the others taking over from shops.

Royal Mail were meant to deliver a small parcel to us last Saturday. It had delivery instructions on it: 'If out, please leave behind bin'. We got a 'you were out card' timed at 7pm, saying the package was too big for the letter box and had been taken back to the depot.

I found a card in our letterbox yesterday: 'We tried to re-deliver your parcel at 4.25am on Sunday'. This is Royal Mail. Who the hell expects someone to answer the door at 4.25am on a Sunday???' I didn't even think they sent anyone out on Sundays! They drive you potty, the lack of common sense!

Rick wrote:
Monty Burns wrote:
Rob - woo the customers back?

This is the days of big boy business. Not little shopkeepers. The Britsh public voted for this in the years and decades prior to the pandemic with their wallets and Joe Smoe shut up shop as the public clamoured instead to the under cutting giants.

Bottom line is in the end, you get what you've paid for!

They all need punters through the door, Monty, and many of them aren't getting enough of them.

Actually, they are. People are spending less because they have less to spend, that's the issue. But the big supermarket chains spending their own money to improve services will not change that, infact it will cut profits even more!

Monty Burns wrote:
Rick wrote:
Monty Burns wrote:
Rob - woo the customers back?

This is the days of big boy business. Not little shopkeepers. The Britsh public voted for this in the years and decades prior to the pandemic with their wallets and Joe Smoe shut up shop as the public clamoured instead to the under cutting giants.

Bottom line is in the end, you get what you've paid for!

They all need punters through the door, Monty, and many of them aren't getting enough of them.

Actually, they are. People are spending less because they have less to spend, that's the issue. But the big supermarket chains spending their own money to improve services will not change that, infact it will cut profits even more!

Goodness me you're an arrogant little fellow. No need to spend money to improve those things, but I'll leave you to feel like the voice of God on a little messageboard. You must be so proud.

Rick wrote:
Monty Burns wrote:
Rick wrote:
Monty Burns wrote:
Rob - woo the customers back?

This is the days of big boy business. Not little shopkeepers. The Britsh public voted for this in the years and decades prior to the pandemic with their wallets and Joe Smoe shut up shop as the public clamoured instead to the under cutting giants.

Bottom line is in the end, you get what you've paid for!

They all need punters through the door, Monty, and many of them aren't getting enough of them.

Actually, they are. People are spending less because they have less to spend, that's the issue. But the big supermarket chains spending their own money to improve services will not change that, infact it will cut profits even more!

Goodness me you're an arrogant little fellow. No need to spend money to improve those things, but I'll leave you to feel like the voice of God on a little messageboard. You must be so proud.

That's Barney for you !


Supermarket's are like the government they don't have their own money but our money.