A third of Royal Mail staff still working

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The BBC reports that 35,000 out of 110,000 Royal Mail workers are defying their union and refusing to strike. One might assume also that the longer the strike goes on, and the more money workers lose, the more support levels will fall. Currently around 45% of mail is being processed, up to and including final delivery, though the overall volume is obviously much lower than normal due to prior publicity warning of the industrial action.

Though this looks like good news, as a long-term eBay seller, I can’t help thinking it’s going to make things more difficult in terms of keeping buyers happy. If *some* of the post is getting through, then buyers are going to be much less understanding about why it isn’t *all* getting through: I’m just waiting for the ASQs telling me my competitors managed to deliver on a strike day, so why couldn’t I? Cynical? – yeah, a bit, but I think it just reminds me that keeping buyers warned and informed is more important this week than it’s ever been before.

6 Responses

  1. It’s good news, I think if some does get through. Just gotta be busy managing those expectations.

    I’m concerned that it’s not the delivery issues that are gonna hurt, but the perception that eBay isn’t worth using for the duration of the strike depressing bids and bins.

  2. Dan
    We’ve seen it already – after a blinding September that finally saw traffic and GMV return to the volumes of 2 years ago, October has dropped off significantly so far – back to the levels we were seeing in July and August this year.

    Hoping the buyers will wake up to the fact they have to buy even earlier for Christmas this year, if they want to stand any chance of getting it in time to put under their tree.

  3. Well RM have been telling people not to post during the strike – so I haven’t been. Most buyers are OK with that, I think. But the amount I have sold has certainly dropped although it is still ticking over. And there are supposed to be more strikes next week – oh deep joy.

  4. We didn’t get any post today. Wildcats in our area… luckily the post office took in post today, that was the first day since the beginning of the strike.

    Customers have been very good, though. But we will have to wait and see how many of them will carry on buying this way if they can’t guarantee their purchases in the close run up to Xmas.

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