Retail Tracked RM prices significantly below our account price
I was wondering if anyone else has suffered with this problem and how you get around it. We aren’t a big seller on Amazon but use Etsy, eBay and have many trade orders ourselves and spend around £2k a month through our RM account. Our price for a Tracked 24 large letter is much higher than the price if we simply buy as a retail customer on the RM consumer website. Our account manager is uncontactable to discuss this with but in the past a previous manager told us it’s because we have a collection – which is FOC on the RM consumer website anyway. As always your thoughts would be welcome.
Retail Tracked RM prices significantly below our account price
I was wondering if anyone else has suffered with this problem and how you get around it. We aren’t a big seller on Amazon but use Etsy, eBay and have many trade orders ourselves and spend around £2k a month through our RM account. Our price for a Tracked 24 large letter is much higher than the price if we simply buy as a retail customer on the RM consumer website. Our account manager is uncontactable to discuss this with but in the past a previous manager told us it’s because we have a collection – which is FOC on the RM consumer website anyway. As always your thoughts would be welcome.
67 replies
Seller_EHYOwAkoZV3Hb
I’ve been using the retail site for nearly a year. Much cheaper.
The prices went down yesterday, no idea how long for. Have not checked today.
It’s a no-brainer unless you need integration with order management software. I lost my free collection in any case as orders dropped so it was no loss to me.
Seller_Ds89zhDsT5PDF
Thank you NoOneToldMeIHadTo. It’s looking like a no-brainer for us too.
Does anyone know if you can create a retail account on RM and link it into Amazon. The buy shipping from within Seller Central is a long winded nightmare – even for our small number of orders.
Seller_AeSYBToQ271lM
This has been the case for a while, it’s ridiculous. They should be looking after their business customers.
In the run up to Christmas I used the retail site to purchase tracked. However I coulnd’t find a VAT invoice anywhere to use for my accounts for these purchases. I contacted Royal Mail who said they didn’t have to provide one as it was a retail end customer product.
Seller_Ds89zhDsT5PDF
Thank you Katie. I agree, it seems that RM simply do not care about their small customers.
With regard to the VAT invoice, my understanding is that if you charge VAT you have to issue a VAT invoice if asked – but I suspect RM don’t care about that either.
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
Well as they are only charging about £800 for the year for collections, it’s hardly a major cost to them.
And obviously once you hit the limit (£17k? I think), it shouldn’t make any difference to the pricing of your parcels.
You really need to speak to someone at RM, and do your best to negotiate the pricing.
If your doing that kind of turnover with them, then using the standard click and drop instead, will make for a lot of extra work.
You could of course look at using RM24/48 instead of tracked services, or even alternative couriers.
Seller_Ds89zhDsT5PDF
Thank you NEil,
I think the main problem we have is trying to get hold of our account manager at RM. RM seem almost as bad as Amazon. Typical of the big companies not caring about small customers nowadays.
You are right about the extra work. Its only very low value items we sell on Amazon. It has to be a very slick system or we make no profit at all. That’s why we don’t want to use Buy Shipping on Amazon.
Thanks again for your input.
Seller_Ds89zhDsT5PDF
Hi NEil,
Thanks again for your input. There is no real need for us to send Tracked – we currently have to buy shipping on Amazon for 1st & 2nd which is a very time-consuming process even for the small number of orders we get.
The real gist of this topic was wondering how others on here got around the massive price difference between buying tracked services from our online business account and the prices offered on the RM consumer website.
Seller_EHYOwAkoZV3Hb
@Katie
I noticed on another thread that you use Packing Partner. For your info, I worked with them recently to enable use of the personal rates using PP. Have a word with them, you might like it.
Seller_GTQV2zDar8YQQ
I have just come off the phone to Royal Mail,I was trying to get a better price for my Royal Mail tracked .
Parcels were an acceptable price LL was a joke .
I dont have an Account Manger any more ,if you call Customer Service 03457950950 they will log your call and someone will get back to you .
Good Luck
Seller_2IqU6eYHmCUaV
What I did after my Stroke 5 years ago because I wasn’t hitting the 17K inc VAT Target was get a price for RM Tracked services.
If you do 20 plus Tracked items per week you are eligible For a FREE RM collection Monday to Friday for All your mail
It is particulary important to keep your average weight as low as possible for your tracked items as RM will use it to give you Tracked Prices ( my price personally is not much higher than click and drop )
I send a mix of RM24 RM48 & RM Tracked 24/48
Also LL 24, 48 are GPS Tracked on Delivery, with a location delivery map
With Regards to Click and Drop pricing , if you have a RM Business Account although you are charged the Business Rate for Tracked parcels you have access to free labels etc
I use the click and drop on Friday night /saturday morning for my tracked services sat. pickup as my RM OBA only covers me for Monday to Friday pickups
