Postage/packaging - All single, ordinary sized CD's/DVD's/blu-rays/4K UHD blu-rays are sent via large letter post (it's got to be less than 2.5cm thick/it's got to fit through the letterbox). These will be sent in a padded jiffy marked as FRAGILE front & rear.
If the item weighs 100g or less then they may go with no additional bubblewrap/cardboard etc. As this will push the weight over the 100g threshold & will move the price up to the next price bracket. - If possible I'll add what I can depending on the weight. (If I'm offering free postage then I'll be going with the cheapest option π)
If the weight is above 100g as is the case for almost all 4K UHD's for example then the item will definitely be better packaged. it will be sent sandwiched between 2 pieces of cardboard that will then be clingfilmed together (which helps if it's raining when the postman brings it!). - this is for unslipcased items. If the set has a slipcase already then adding additional card will make the package too thick for large letter post. All slipcased 4K UHD's are sent in a padded jiffy with one rotation of additional bubblewrap around the set before being put in the jiffy.
CD's are ALWAYS sent with cardboard! (large letter post again).
If an item is too thick for large letter post & it has to go as a parcel I ALWAYS package it well! - check out my feedback!
I'm a strong believer in recycling so I often reuse jiffy bags/boxes - I never throw any away!
ANY ADDITIONAL REQUESTS/ENQUIRIES PLEASE MAKE THEM BEFORE BUYING!! AMERICANS IN PARTICULAR!! (based on past experience) if you want tracked post/items to be sent in a box etc please kindly don't purchase the item, paying me for the non-tracked, large letter post service that I offer & then demanding a tracking number or lots of additional packaging etc.... - These requests can be accommodated for IF requested in advance & I'm paid the extra postage!! Before ebay takes their significant cut of the postage that you pay me, tracked post costs almost twice as much as non tracked post!! My listed prices are for large letter post NOT parcel post! (unless the item itself is already too thick for large letter post)
Dispatch times - I try to get things out same day within the parameters of the limited opening times of the post office/RM Depot. (Obviously if you purchase something close to their closing time you'll have to wait until the next day as I'll already no doubt be on my way there!)
My local post office opening times are Mon-Fri 9am-2pm Closed all weekend. These reduced hours were incorporated at the beginning of covid & over 2 years later they have remained! π
Parcels (anything bigger than a single blu-ray/DVD/CD that won't go as a large letter) are sent via tracked 48 - these need to go to the Royal Mail depot.
Tues/Weds/Fri They close at 4pm/last acceptance time for mail to go that day is 3.30pm.
Thursday they close at 6pm/last acceptance time for mail to go that day is 5pm.
Sat & Monday they close at noon & I can't make it before then so no RM Depot drops on Sat/Monday. (I still do Monday PO runs for all large letter items though).
Sunday - there's no collections on a Sunday but due to not being able to make it there on a Monday before noon I can drop goods off on a Sunday before 3pm (& it'll then go on Monday).
I used to set my listings to 1-working day dispatch. When I did this after setting my listing to second class post ebay allowed folks to file item not received disputes on the 4th working day! 1 day to dispatch & 3 days RM estimate for second class post. But this completely ignores Royal Mail's policy to wait an additional 10 working days before the item is deemed lost!!! I repeatedly ask folks to not file disputes until 13 working days has passed...this is regularly ignored!!! π Claims are filed on the 4th day, I'm forced to refund prematurely & then the RM refuses my subsequent claim for not waiting the required 13 working days for the item to be deemed lost. As folks have proven so unco-operative regarding this I'm now following an ebay CS representatives advice... All my dispatch times have been changed to 10 working days which means that folks now can't file disputes until the 13th working day which complies with RM's policy on items being deemed lost. I WILL STILL POST ITEMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, USUALLY SAME DAY OTHERWISE NEXT WORKING DAY. - this change is just to protect myself against losses due to folks refusing to stop filing premature claims for missing items! (My messages, notes in my item description etc have all been consistently ignored!)
Missing Mail
Domestic/within the UK - All goods are sent via standard (non tracked) second class unless you've paid extra for first/tracked post or the value of the goods exceeds Β£20 (or thereabouts. I might still send something slightly over non tracked). The RM states that the expected arrival time is 2-3 working days however they don't deem it lost until an additional 10 working days has passed. So kindly wait /don't file an item not received dispute with ebay until after 13 working days (excl weekends/bank holidays) have passed. After which time I'll refund you straight away & then file a claim with the RM to cover my losses.
Also please don't wait 95 days as someone did this week before contacting me as domestic claims can only be filed with the Royal Mail for 80 days after the item was sent. If you wait 95 days there's nothing that I can do as the RM won't accept claims this late!
Europe - All goods are sent via standard (non tracked) international post (unless you've paid extra). The RM states that the expected arrival time is 5-7 working days however they don't deem it lost until an additional 20 working days has passed. So kindly wait /don't file an item not received dispute with ebay until after 27 working days (excl weekends/bank holidays) have passed. After which time I'll refund you straight away & then file a claim with the RM to cover my losses.
Worldwide/anywhere outside the UK/Europe - All goods are sent via standard (non tracked) international post (unless you've paid extra). The RM states that the expected arrival time is 5-7 working days however they don't deem it lost until an additional 25 working days has passed. So kindly wait /don't file an item not received dispute with ebay until after 32 working days (excl weekends/bank holidays) have passed. After which time I'll refund you straight away & then file a claim with the RM to cover my losses.