Royal Mail prepares for Christmas delivery surge

Despite the economic downturn, Royal Mail expects to deliver 140 million online orders this Christmas.

Despite the economic downturn, Royal Mail expects to deliver 140 million online orders this Christmas.

With 28 million people across the UK expected to spend over GBP 13bn online in the run up to Christmas, Royal Mail has responded with a range of measures to make it easier for people to receive items they have ordered even if they are not at home during the day.

Across most parts of the UK, Royal Mail will undertake extra delivery rounds on the morning of Sunday 21 December and between 6pm and 9pm on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December to give customers a second chance to take delivery of parcels which the company was unable to deliver during the standard deliveries.

The opening hours of all of Royal Mail’s 1,400 delivery offices will also be extended from 15 December, increasing convenience for customers who need to pick up parcels and packets. For the first time, delivery offices will also be open on the afternoon of Sunday 21 December.

Customers can also arrange redeliveries of items to their home address or a neighbour in the normal way via www.royalmail.com/redelivery or ask for items to be taken to a Post Office branch, through a service called Local Collect.

Royal Mail is sending an information card to every address in the UK during November, with the first landing on doormats from Monday 17 November, telling customers about the seasonal delivery initiative. Customers will receive more detailed information on the options available to them, including the opening hours of their local delivery office, on customised cards left at their homes if they are not in to receive an item when Royal Mail attempts delivery.

Royal Mail’s Christmas plans have been endorsed by e-retail body IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group), which this week predicted online sales in the final quarter of 2008 would rise 15 pct on the same period last year to GBP 13.16bn.