Is anyone using the drop off service with Royal mail, if so what is it like?
I do hope you don’t mind Aasiyah, I moved your topic to Shop Talk for you, you’ll probably get more answers over there 
Thank you Louisa, still trying to get the hang of it around here lol.
My post office suggested it to me, I think because I’ve been taking a lot of multiple parcels in lately. I think it depends how busy you are. It doesn’t matter to me to spend 5 or so mins getting my parcels weighed and the proof of postage done there and then. I’ll only ever have around 4/5 items tops to send in any one day, it’s all I could carry in one go. If you’ve got 10+ things I can see it would save quite a bit of time.
Basically you get a card that you top up with funds, you print off a manifest - http://www.postoffice.co.uk/sites/default/files/211702_DropGo_PostOffice.pdf - that you fill out with what’s in each parcel you’re sending in that batch and what service you want it sent by etc. Unless your post office has a dedicated D&G window (mine hasn’t) you have to queue up in the normal queue, then you just hand all your parcels and manifest over and go. The post office staff then process your parcels and you collect the receipts / proof of postage next time you go in.
So, if you’ve got a dedicated window and tons of parcels, probably a good time saver. If you’re like me and would have to wait in the queue anyway, and only have a few parcels to do at a time, it might not save that much time and it might be worth just getting your receipts done there and then.
Jo
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I looked into using it last year but you have to choose a designated post office and use that one all the time. That’s no use for me as we live in a rural area and don’t always go to the same town when I am out and about. There are a choice of three villages with post offices and the one I use will depend on which direction we are heading in. Also my Husband will often do my post for me in his lunch hour which is in a different town again.
I do think it looks like a good service though and would probably use it if my circumstances were different.
I have looked into that but I don’t feel it adds something to me in particular. I don’t mind staying in line for a few minutes and can find post offices that aren’t busy or go early. I prefer to deal with each transaction at a time, pay, get my receipt etc. I also don’t want to tie up money in a card. It might be useful in the future.
If anyone is interested, there is currently on offer for this service: http://www.postoffice.co.uk/drop-and-go-branch-service
Awwww! To be THAT busy!!! 
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A bit more info on this service. Turns out you can join up, get a card, then stand in line and wait for the receipts as usual, then just pay with your D&G card that you’ve topped up. Apparently one of the other regulars at my post office that uses the card just tops up the amount he’s going to need for that day’s run. But you don’t have to leave all your parcels there and collect the receipts when you’re next in if you don’t want to. My post office seem quite keen for me to join. I think they must get a commission for sign ups. They also said if I am joined up I would at least be ready if there are offers on my most used parcel service. The half price off at the mo is on Medium, but I use Small the most. Like they say though, they might have an offer on that in future, so it might be worth me getting the card just in case.
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Thank you all for your replies, I might go for it as my local Post Office has it there. Xxx
I had never even heard of this service until now! I usually just buy my postage via paypal and then either post things through the post box if they’re small enough, or take them into the post office if they’re bulky or need a signed for service. Saves a bit of time having to get them weighed and paid for anyway, although I think the people that work in my post office either don’t like me doing it that way, or are just a bit grumpy in general!
I think I will sign up for it, just saves that little bit more time by the sounds of it. Also they’ll have special offers on like half price small parcel.
Not sure there’ll be half price small parcels for a while, that’s why I’m not rushing to sign up at the mo. Small parcel price is going on general special offer for the xmas period (20th Oct - 18th Jan) and is dropping from £3.80 for 1-2kg weight to £2.80. We’ll have to see what happens to that price in Jan. Medium parcels are on half price at the mo with Drop & Go, I’d expect that’s because hardly anyone uses that service because that is ridiculously pricey and a courier would be much cheaper.