AddressPal from Anpost. Similar to Parcel Motel and Parcel Wizard.

Rackstar · 12-02-2016 02:56PM

nava wrote: »

I seen it was asked on twitter

Off topic but looks like some replies they do are not very professional

That's not a genuine An Post Twitter account.

flutered · 12-02-2016 02:56PM

bk wrote: »

But you are ignoring the Parcel Connect option. Over 1000 locations, as many as there are post offices, but with the advantage that most convenience shops are open 7 days a week, open later and earlier and open for lunch!

Check ParcelConnect, I bet there are plenty of local shops on it close to you.

Add to that the ridiculously small oversize limit, €50 if it is oversized and lack of insurance and it seems a very poor service in comparison.

Literally the only advantage is if the website doesn't deliver to Northern Ireland.

BTW ParcelWizard will also deliver to your office or family/friends and give you a time slot, so you don't have to be home for it. They will also hold it for you for a couple of days if it isn't convenient. Maybe not for everyone, but for many I believe this maybe even a more convenient option then any stay service.

agree with parcel wizard, the come at a time to suit you, no traveling to a parcel motel outlet, or to a post office

Corholio · 12-02-2016 03:18PM

It's just another handy option really. Parcel Wizard is fine in theory about a time that suits you, the few experiences I have had haven't been great and this was well after christmas too. Obviously if you don't live near a Parcel Motel then you're not going to sign up for it, but if you do it's extremely handy and my preferred option definitely. AnPost's option may come into play with some retailers/sellers that charge more for delivery to the 'islands and Northern Ireland' or who don't deliver there at all. It will also come into play for anyone who lives close to a post office. The oversized parcel charge could be problematic for them though unless they refine the way it's charged and not just the mad €50 fee.

Yggr of Asgard · 12-02-2016 03:34PM

Rackstar wrote: »

That's not a genuine An Post Twitter account.

@Postvox is the official twitter account of AnPost Corporate and Public Affairs An Post

@AnPostvox is not.

Yggr of Asgard · 12-02-2016 03:41PM

Berty wrote: »

Registered there. Added the address to Amazon to test purchase Perfume. It works. It's quite annoying that Amazon won't ship Perfumes, Batteries(including some watches) even to Northern Ireland. Handy having a 3rd option now with Mainland UK Address.

You can not order perfumes via AddressPal, it's on the list of excluded items.

See www.anpost.ie/ProhibitedItems

You risk that they won't accept it or in case of damage they might hold you responsible .

Yggr of Asgard · 12-02-2016 03:45PM

bk wrote: »

But you are ignoring the Parcel Connect option.

The only downside is that not all shops actually know they participate or how to handle incoming parcels.

I had parcels opened by the shop because they did not see that it was for me and just thought is was another set of deliveries for them.

My advise is to test it with a low value item first and see how it works with your local shop. If all works okay than you can start using them regularly.

Flippyfloppy · 12-02-2016 03:51PM

Was excited to finally order online from Ikea....just made an order of 3 cloth wall pockets, so fairly light & small packaging. Bit depressed by their delivery charge £7.50 to herts. Think I'll just travel to the cattle Mart in ballymun at the weekend...

nava · 12-02-2016 04:13PM

Yggr of Asgard wrote: »

I had parcels opened by the shop because they did not see that it was for me and just thought is was another set of deliveries for them.

Same happened to me with parcel connect, I used them twice, 1st they open the parcel thinking it was for them, when they see what was inside they checked the address level.

Both cases they did not know what to do, they are suppose to scan it to generate the PIN, I knew from tracking number it was deliver but no PIN I contacted Fastway, after calls back and forward that took most of the day they sent a PIN by email, when I collected it they had no idea what to do with the parcel or PIN, 2nd was the same seen it was deliver but a few hours later no pin, I went to the shop they scanned the parcel, said ok not asking for money so gave me the parcel, when I check my phone later I got the pin.

I contacted fastway to let them know, they didn't even acknowledge my mail.

loyatemu · 12-02-2016 04:44PM

Ridiculous that they don't offer the option of delivering the parcel to you - it's not as if that isn't AnPost's main business, and if you order to an Irish address they'll deliver it to your door. They're really missing a trick here.

MBSnr · 12-02-2016 04:50PM

nava wrote: »

Same happened to me with parcel connect, I used them twice, 1st they open the parcel thinking it was for them, when they see what was inside they checked the address level.

Both cases they did not know what to do, they are suppose to scan it to generate the PIN, I knew from tracking number it was deliver but no PIN I contacted Fastway, after calls back and forward that took most of the day they sent a PIN by email, when I collected it they had no idea what to do with the parcel or PIN, 2nd was the same seen it was deliver but a few hours later no pin, I went to the shop they scanned the parcel, said ok not asking for money so gave me the parcel, when I check my phone later I got the pin.

I contacted fastway to let them know, they didn't even acknowledge my mail.

Same here - told them multiple times via email. On the plus side every delivery is free as the staff just hand the package over...

Dodge · 12-02-2016 04:55PM

loyatemu wrote: »

Ridiculous that they don't offer the option of delivering the parcel to you - it's not as if that isn't AnPost's main business, and if you order to an Irish address they'll deliver it to your door. They're really missing a trick here.

It's probably a licence thing. They can't really be seen to be undercutting the Royal Mail's door to door postal service in the UK

ted1 · 12-02-2016 05:15PM

super_furry wrote: »

Doesn't sound great. That oversized item charge is mental and you still have to get to a post office during opening hours. The benefit for Parcel Motel is that you can collect any time.

But it's a mainland UK address, some places won't deliver to NI

Nollog · 12-02-2016 08:24PM

If your confirmation link isn't working, look at the URL they send you in the email. Mine had an extra "&".
ConfirmEmail?userid=email@notmyemail.net&&code=[superdupersecurecode]
Should be
ConfirmEmail?userid=email@notmyemail.net&code=[superdupersecurecode]

nulabert · 12-02-2016 09:13PM

/\/ollog wrote: »

If your confirmation link isn't working, look at the URL they send you in the email. Mine had an extra "&".
ConfirmEmail?userid=email@notmyemail.net&&code=[superdupersecurecode]
Should be
ConfirmEmail?userid=email@notmyemail.net&code=[superdupersecurecode]

I have that problem, did what you said, still have that problem.

No harm testing their customer support !!

Stinicker · 12-02-2016 09:20PM

Ordered my first small packet there now via AddressPal, will update the thread over the next week etc.

crabbypaddy · 12-02-2016 10:45PM

Just signed up can't believe the stupid code system they've come up with - 13 digits plus an alphabetic character.

How many quadrillion customers are they expecting to have

The last digits are guaranteed to get cut off by shipping software and label printers too.

crabbypaddy · 12-02-2016 10:46PM

Just signed up can't believe the stupid code system they've come up with - 13 digits plus an alphabetic character.

How many quadrillion customers are they expecting to have

The last digits are guaranteed to get cut off by shipping software and label printers too.

whiterebel · 12-02-2016 11:11PM

Berty wrote: »

Registered there. Added the address to Amazon to test purchase Perfume. It works. It's quite annoying that Amazon won't ship Perfumes, Batteries(including some watches) even to Northern Ireland. Handy having a 3rd option now with Mainland UK Address.

Perfumes are usually flammable

Stinicker · 12-02-2016 11:36PM

crabbypaddy wrote: »

Just signed up can't believe the stupid code system they've come up with - 13 digits plus an alphabetic character.

How many quadrillion customers are they expecting to have

The last digits are guaranteed to get cut off by shipping software and label printers too.

Totally Agree;

My Name
AddressPal XXX 1234 5678910
Air Business, Unit 5, The Merlin Centre
Acrewood Way, St Albans Hertfordshire AL4 0JY
United Kingdom
087-1234567

Its a fair length alright and eBay is worse in that it changes Herts to its proper "Hertfordshire", I suppose having the Mobile number on the address would help match the parcel to my account in case the vendor made a mistake in the Address.

Niemoj · 13-02-2016 12:40AM

What the feck is up with their IDs? So many numbers, far too many to remember.

Edit: Just noticed it's been discussed right above my post, my apologies.

James Delaney · 13-02-2016 02:41AM

2wks ago I viewed a documentary on a UK Parcel Delivery Company. Given the way, packages were thrown around by employees, I would NOT use a Delivery Company for expensive items if INSURANCE WAS NOT INCLUDED.

As per 1st post on this board - An Post don't inc. Insurance - So be careful.

g0g · 13-02-2016 07:12AM

If they could somehow combine this service with the metal post-boxes they've been selling I think they'd be onto a winner. It'd be like a PM box at your house! Granted those boxes are slightly smaller but I'd happily pay a bit more!

stanley1 · 13-02-2016 11:11AM

those boxes are way too small.

bk · 13-02-2016 11:32AM

g0g wrote: »

If they could somehow combine this service with the metal post-boxes they've been selling I think they'd be onto a winner. It'd be like a PM box at your house! Granted those boxes are slightly smaller but I'd happily pay a bit more!

What would be ideal is if they followed the Example of Deutsche Post in Germany.
DP, who are the German equivalent of An Post, have thousands of ParcelMotel style lockers all over the country. They have them at every post office in Germany (outside obviously, so 24/7 access), plus lots of other convenient locations (shops, petrol stations, etc.) and even in apartment buildings.

They initially try and deliver all post and parcels directly to your address, just like AP and if you aren't home they leave a missed post letter, just like AP, but unlike AP, they don't leave the parcel in the local depot, instead they leave the parcel in the closest locker, with 24/7 access. Even if you have never signed up for the service before!

And all of this at no cost! Now that is an incredible service.

Now imagine AP did that too, but also with the UK virtual addresses. Much better then leaving packages in stupid post offices that are always closed or those stupid little lockers they are currently trying to sell at great expense!

BTW DP basically use these lockers as 24/7 post offices, you can also buy stamps at them and use them to send post and packages.

An Post are in the dark ages in comparison and are years behind doing innovative services like this.

Yggr of Asgard · 13-02-2016 11:53AM

bk wrote: »

What would be ideal is if they followed the Example of Deutsche Post in Germany.

They also issue you a PostNummer which you can put into your address and once a parcel enters the system with that number in the address, you can see it online in a web interface and decide what to do with it (hold, deliver on a different date, deliver to parcel station, deliver to a neighbor).

DPD is offering something similar in Ireland with their Parcelwizard but it's limited to shippers that offer DPD obviously.

bur · 13-02-2016 01:26PM

Do they deliver to your DeliveryBox?

MiskyBoyy · 13-02-2016 01:43PM

With Parcel Motel I know once it's received into their N.I hub I'll have it 5am the next day.

How long will it take An Post to get it from mainland UK to your local p.o?

Has anyone tried this yet to tell us?

Nollog · 13-02-2016 01:58PM

bur wrote: »

Do they deliver to your DeliveryBox?

Not as yet. They deliver it to a post office of your choice and you go in and collect it with the money for delivery and a card they mail out to you.

wonderfulname · 13-02-2016 02:28PM

Stinicker wrote: »

Totally Agree;

My Name
AddressPal XXX 1234 5678910
Air Business, Unit 5, The Merlin Centre
Acrewood Way, St Albans Hertfordshire AL4 0JY
United Kingdom
087-1234567

Its a fair length alright and eBay is worse in that it changes Herts to its proper "Hertfordshire", I suppose having the Mobile number on the address would help match the parcel to my account in case the vendor made a mistake in the Address.

Just got a shipment notification using AddressPal, the company has removed the word "AddressPal" from the second line and most spaces from the rest of it. Quality address!

I can see automated systems cutting out part of the ID number, not worried about the rest of it, that's what working postcodes are for.

Oh, and Amazon tried to delete the ID number when I was adding the address so watch out for that.

13-02-2016 09:38PM

Was making an order on Amazon tonight and used the AddressPal address. Then I remembered the €50 charge for an oversized item and panic set in. No way would I sleep at night with the chance of that!!

I guess the dimension sizes are so restrictive because most post offices are small and can't store many large parcels. But like others said why not do a Parcel Wizard and deliver straight to your door? Like what they do everyday for the last zillion years!!??!

Won't be using this service unless I'm fanatically desperate for an item that can't be sent to Northern Ireland.

AddressPal from Anpost. Similar to Parcel Motel and Parcel Wizard.

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