1st class vs 2nd class post.
Discussion
Is there really a difference?
I have always wondered how one could be slower than the other, bearing in mind letters are collected from the same boxes, in the same vans, go to the same sorting office etc.
Just read an article that claims there is effectively no difference now.
Anyone able to explain?
I have always wondered how one could be slower than the other, bearing in mind letters are collected from the same boxes, in the same vans, go to the same sorting office etc.
Just read an article that claims there is effectively no difference now.
Anyone able to explain?
I think if they are busy 2nd will take longer.
Unless you really need next day I'd save the difference and go 2nd.
Round my way a lot of collection box times have changed from the end of the day to 0900 which means if you post something on Monday (working hours) 1st class it won't be collected until 0900 Tuesday and therefore not delivered until Wednesday.
You can of course go to a main post office / sorting office to post in which case it'll likely be delivered next day 1st class.
Unless you really need next day I'd save the difference and go 2nd.
Round my way a lot of collection box times have changed from the end of the day to 0900 which means if you post something on Monday (working hours) 1st class it won't be collected until 0900 Tuesday and therefore not delivered until Wednesday.
You can of course go to a main post office / sorting office to post in which case it'll likely be delivered next day 1st class.
Trevatanus said:
Is there really a difference?
I have always wondered how one could be slower than the other, bearing in mind letters are collected from the same boxes, in the same vans, go to the same sorting office etc.
Just read an article that claims there is effectively no difference now.
Anyone able to explain?
That's weird as I was just thinking the same thing myself earlier on. Had to send a football programme within the UK in a padded envelope; £1.26 for first class, £1.19 for second class. Is anyone really going to try to save 7p and wait another day for the stuff to get there?I have always wondered how one could be slower than the other, bearing in mind letters are collected from the same boxes, in the same vans, go to the same sorting office etc.
Just read an article that claims there is effectively no difference now.
Anyone able to explain?
I'm told 90% of sorting is now done by machine, if they can read my scrawl on an envelope they can tell the difference between a 1st and 2nd class stamp - but I agree, it seems to me that it would cost more logistically to run two different speed services rather than just one, negating the saving to the customer.
Perhaps it makes more sense for longer deliveries - I know they fly a lot of post, perhaps 2nd class goes by HGV or something.
Perhaps it makes more sense for longer deliveries - I know they fly a lot of post, perhaps 2nd class goes by HGV or something.
GloverMart said:
Trevatanus said:
Is there really a difference?
I have always wondered how one could be slower than the other, bearing in mind letters are collected from the same boxes, in the same vans, go to the same sorting office etc.
Just read an article that claims there is effectively no difference now.
Anyone able to explain?
That's weird as I was just thinking the same thing myself earlier on. Had to send a football programme within the UK in a padded envelope; £1.26 for first class, £1.19 for second class. Is anyone really going to try to save 7p and wait another day for the stuff to get there?I have always wondered how one could be slower than the other, bearing in mind letters are collected from the same boxes, in the same vans, go to the same sorting office etc.
Just read an article that claims there is effectively no difference now.
Anyone able to explain?
Difference between 1st and 2nd becomes more apparent on larger items or heavier items. I run a small business and send out 10-15 items per day, so any tiny saving sending 2nd class adds up. Onto the OP question though, often my customers comment on speedy delivery the day after I've posted, despite me sending 2nd Class.
P-Jay said:
I'm told 90% of sorting is now done by machine, if they can read my scrawl on an envelope they can tell the difference between a 1st and 2nd class stamp - but I agree, it seems to me that it would cost more logistically to run two different speed services rather than just one, negating the saving to the customer.
Perhaps it makes more sense for longer deliveries - I know they fly a lot of post, perhaps 2nd class goes by HGV or something.
Actually, it is more efficient to have the two classes.Perhaps it makes more sense for longer deliveries - I know they fly a lot of post, perhaps 2nd class goes by HGV or something.
When mail was originally sorted entirely by hand, any increase or decrease in mail volumes could be easily handled simply by adjusting the size of the workforce. The post office had two peaks - in the evening as mail was collected and outward sorted and in the morning as it was inward sorted and delivered. The rest of the time the sorting offices would be virtually empty.
With the introduction of sorting machines in the 1960s, the sorting process became less labour intensive. Instead, it now involved large-scale capital investment in machines. It would have been very expensive to scale the system to cope with the full mail volume overnight as you would then have these machines sitting idle for most of the day. It was more efficient to have fewer machines and spread the load across the day.
Hence the 2nd Class post was introduced to allow customers to distinguish between mail to be sorted overnight and mail that could wait until the following day to be sorted. The increasing use of machines (mail can now be 'walk sequenced' into the correct order, not just sorted to the correct postman) means the principle remains relevant today.
In reality what happens is the 1st class mail is sorted first then then 2nd class mail is introduced (1st and 2nd class are separated automatically when mail is checked for stamps). If volumes are low, both can be sorted overnight and hence 2nd class items may arrive the next day. On busy nights, 1st class is prioritised and 2nd class will be held back.
I posted a packet yesterday at 1pm 2nd class, I got a text at 12:20 pm today letting me know it'd been delivered
I don't think there is 2nd class any more , even 1st class isn't guaranteed next day so you may as well go with second unless you really need it there next day in which case it's special delivery at 10x the price
I don't think there is 2nd class any more , even 1st class isn't guaranteed next day so you may as well go with second unless you really need it there next day in which case it's special delivery at 10x the price
There used to be the 3rd class post many years ago.
Parcels and letters with 3rd class postage were held in the sorting house until a postie happened to be going to or in the area of the destination of a 3rd class letter, only then would it get delivered.
More of a favour than a service.
Sometimes you would wait weeks or even years until you saw delivery of an item.
Parcels and letters with 3rd class postage were held in the sorting house until a postie happened to be going to or in the area of the destination of a 3rd class letter, only then would it get delivered.
More of a favour than a service.
Sometimes you would wait weeks or even years until you saw delivery of an item.
ninja-lewis said:
Actually, it is more efficient to have the two classes.
When mail was originally sorted entirely by hand, any increase or decrease in mail volumes could be easily handled simply by adjusting the size of the workforce. The post office had two peaks - in the evening as mail was collected and outward sorted and in the morning as it was inward sorted and delivered. The rest of the time the sorting offices would be virtually empty.
With the introduction of sorting machines in the 1960s, the sorting process became less labour intensive. Instead, it now involved large-scale capital investment in machines. It would have been very expensive to scale the system to cope with the full mail volume overnight as you would then have these machines sitting idle for most of the day. It was more efficient to have fewer machines and spread the load across the day.
Hence the 2nd Class post was introduced to allow customers to distinguish between mail to be sorted overnight and mail that could wait until the following day to be sorted. The increasing use of machines (mail can now be 'walk sequenced' into the correct order, not just sorted to the correct postman) means the principle remains relevant today.
In reality what happens is the 1st class mail is sorted first then then 2nd class mail is introduced (1st and 2nd class are separated automatically when mail is checked for stamps). If volumes are low, both can be sorted overnight and hence 2nd class items may arrive the next day. On busy nights, 1st class is prioritised and 2nd class will be held back.
Best yet. When mail was originally sorted entirely by hand, any increase or decrease in mail volumes could be easily handled simply by adjusting the size of the workforce. The post office had two peaks - in the evening as mail was collected and outward sorted and in the morning as it was inward sorted and delivered. The rest of the time the sorting offices would be virtually empty.
With the introduction of sorting machines in the 1960s, the sorting process became less labour intensive. Instead, it now involved large-scale capital investment in machines. It would have been very expensive to scale the system to cope with the full mail volume overnight as you would then have these machines sitting idle for most of the day. It was more efficient to have fewer machines and spread the load across the day.
Hence the 2nd Class post was introduced to allow customers to distinguish between mail to be sorted overnight and mail that could wait until the following day to be sorted. The increasing use of machines (mail can now be 'walk sequenced' into the correct order, not just sorted to the correct postman) means the principle remains relevant today.
In reality what happens is the 1st class mail is sorted first then then 2nd class mail is introduced (1st and 2nd class are separated automatically when mail is checked for stamps). If volumes are low, both can be sorted overnight and hence 2nd class items may arrive the next day. On busy nights, 1st class is prioritised and 2nd class will be held back.
Excellent post. Thank you.
Although they don't get there any quicker, the first class letters do get a dedicated lounge and their own, more spacious, area in the back of the van. Some of the first class letters have a Mis-placed sense of worth and get a kick out of watching the second class letters going into a more cramped area of the van (and 'post' about it on PH)
Years and years ago, when I was a postman 2nd class was never delivered on a 2nd delivery of the day, only 1st class.
I don't think there is a 2nd delivery now so i would imagine they all go in together.
On the first morning sort 1st and 2nd got sorted and posted together and delivered without separating.
So all these years i have not been a postie, and buying 1st class stamps, i am wondering how much cash have i wasted..
I don't think there is a 2nd delivery now so i would imagine they all go in together.
On the first morning sort 1st and 2nd got sorted and posted together and delivered without separating.
So all these years i have not been a postie, and buying 1st class stamps, i am wondering how much cash have i wasted..
GloverMart said:
That's weird as I was just thinking the same thing myself earlier on. Had to send a football programme within the UK in a padded envelope; £1.26 for first class, £1.19 for second class. Is anyone really going to try to save 7p and wait another day for the stuff to get there?
As I understand it, the cost can be broken down this way - 26p and 19p respectively for postage, and a quid on each for a couple of weeks storage at Royal MailGassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff