Royal Mail trials postbox with parcel hatch, solar panels and barcode scanner
In the 'biggest change to postbox design since their introduction more than 175 years ago', the hi-tech pillar box looks as if it is wearing a jaunty beret. The black, chequered lid is in fact solar panels that power the scanner.
The postbox's extra-large opening hatch offers a new way for the postal service to cash in on a roaring parcel trade. While letter volumes are in steep decline, Britain is in the grip of a secondhand selling boom as consumers use sites such as Vinted to make extra cash.
In a process that will be familiar to those with side hustles, the postboxes can be used to drop off packages that have barcoded postage. Once customers have scanned their code – the postbox's batteries store energy to power its scanner when there is no sun – the drawer on the front opens. They can then use the Royal Mail app to request 'proof of posting'.
With competition fierce among delivery services, Royal Mail said the redesigned postboxes would make it easier and more convenient for customers to use its network. There are 115,000 postboxes in the UK, and the company flagged the potential to adapt 'thousands' to accept larger parcels.
The red pillarbox has a storied history, with the author Anthony Trollope proposing their introduction in the 1850s when he was working as a surveyor's clerk for the Post Office. The design was not standardised until 1859 when two sizes with a cylindrical shape, painted green, were settled upon. However, people complained that green was difficult to spot and, in 1874, the distinctive red colour was chosen to replace it, although it took 10 years to repaint them all.
The Royal Mail's chief executive, Emma Gilthorpe, said that 'in an era where letter volumes continue to decline and parcels are booming, we are giving our iconic postboxes a new lease of life on street corners across the nation'. You may have to wait for one near you, though, as the trial involves just five in the Ware, Hertford and Fowlmere areas of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
News of the postbox pilot comes before the imminent sale of Royal Mail's parent company, International Distribution Services, to the Czech energy billionaire Daniel Křetínský's EP Group in a £3.57bn deal.
At the same time, Royal Mail is grappling with a shake-up of postal service rules it must follow. As part of a modernisation plan drawn up by Ofcom, it would only have to deliver second-class letters on alternate weekdays. However, the regulator also wants to set new reliability targets requiring 99.5% of first-class letters to be delivered within three days, and 99.5% of second-class letters within five days.
Sign up to Business Today
Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning
after newsletter promotion
In Royal Mail's response to the consultation, published on Wednesday, it complained that these targets would 'add significant cost', potentially resulting in even higher prices for consumers. (On Monday, the price of a first-class stamp increased by 5p to £1.70, while second-class stamps went up by 2p to 87p.)
The company also called for the rules to be changed so it could offer tracking on all parcels sent first- or second-class around the UK. Currently, customers are required to select and pay for a tracked service, rather than allowing Royal Mail to offer tracking for letters and parcels sent using standard postage services.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I've sold over £6500 worth of clothes on Vinted - I swear by these haggle hacks'
An experienced Vinted seller shares nine easy tips to earn more from your old clothing online, from timing when to respond to offers to negotiating a better price for your items Trying to sell off some of your old wardrobe but don't know where to start? An experienced Vinted seller reveals her top tips for maximising your clothes sales. With over 16 million UK users, Vinted is fast-becoming one of the nation's most popular sites for buying vintage or used clothes - and many users have even made thousands of the website. One of them is Charlotte Lister, who says she has managed to sell over £6500 worth of old clothing on the app. She also boasts nearly 500 reviews and a 4.9-star rating – a testament to her Vinted expertise. As a recent winner of Ms Eco Pageants UK, Charlotte is also passionate about using the website to promote circular shopping. She says: 'Platforms like Vinted give [worn] items a second life, reduce waste and encourage a more conscious approach to fashion.' Unfortunately, a downside of sites like Vinted is that sometimes you have to deal with unreasonable buyer requests, stiff competition and confusion over how much you should be accepting for your clothes. To help navigate these potential issues, Charlotte's shares her top seller's tips for haggling. Price with negotiation in mind 'Always list items slightly higher than your bottom price,' Charlotte says. 'This gives you room to accept offers while still getting the amount you want. For example, if you're happy to take £10, list at £12–£15.' Be open but set limits Charlotte urges sellers not to feel pressured to accept every offer – especially if they feel it's far too low. 'I've had some ask for half the selling price,' she shares. 'It's best to politely decline and explain your reasoning like 'Thanks for your offer, but this item is already priced fairly based on condition and brand' or offer a slightly lower price than listed and hopefully you can meet in the middle.' Use bundles to your advantage Charlotte suggests: 'Encourage buyers to purchase more than one item by offering bundle discounts. This often makes buyers more willing to pay closer to your asking price. Respond quickly and politely Leaving long gaps between messages is an easy way to lose an interested buyer. Charlotte says: 'A fast, friendly reply keeps buyers engaged and makes them more likely to accept a fair counter-offer.' Highlight value in negotiations "When countering an offer, mention why your price is fair condition, brand, rarity or the fact it's new with tags. This helps buyers see they're getting a good deal,' Charlotte says. Time your acceptance Charlotte recommends: 'If you get a good offer quickly after listing, consider waiting a short while before accepting, sometimes you'll get higher offers in the first 24 hours.' Post in batches The way you post also makes a difference. Charlotte says: 'I find it works best to upload several items in one go rather than trickling them out weekly. This increases visibility, attracts more buyers browsing your profile, and encourages bulk purchases.' Keep it friendly 'Buyers are more likely to agree to your terms if the tone is positive and warm,' Charlotte says. 'A friendly conversation often makes people more flexible on price.' Show the original listing for context If you have a potential buyer who wants more images or to see what an item looks like when worn, Charlotte recommends searching on Google Images to find the original retailer's listing – which usually shows professional model photos and the original or current selling price. 'This helps buyers see exactly what the item looks like and proves that my asking price is fair,' she adds.
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
I get paid £24 per HOUR to do a job no one wants – all I do is stand in line
A MAN has revealed he makes a £24 an hour, just for standing in a line. The man quit his 9-5 to do the unusual job full time, and can be paid up to £100 for one job. 1 Everyone hates standing in queues, whether it's for restaurants, concerts or theme park rides. And now, those who can afford it, are paying others to do it for them. Using TaskRabbit, a website that offers odd job services, people are now making a full-time wage for standing in line for other people. 'I do this all week now", one man told The i Paper. "I get asked to wait in line at restaurants, or for concert tickets or the Post Office; anything, really. "I do various errands and make a decent living out of it." The man revealed that the longest he has waited in a queue for someone is three hours, and added that his pay varies depending on where he needs to be and how long he needs to wait. And although you may think that no one would pay for this kind of service, the man revealed that there are plenty of people who have the disposable income to pay for it. Many restaurant chains such as Dishoom and Padella have chosen not to offer reservations, meaning that customers often have to queue for a long time before getting seated. So it makes sense that the rich would rather sit back and relax whilst someone does the queueing for them. I earn cash by selling 'actual rubbish' on eBay - I flogged a freebie I found on the floor by a bin for £10, it's crazy To hire someone to queue for you, all you need to do is head to TaskRabbit, put in the details of where you want the queuer to go, what you want them to order, and your card details. You will then be shown available queuers in your area, who can complete the task for you. And if you want to become a queuer yourself, all you need to do is sign up via the TaskRabbit website. Grave cleaner And standing in queues isn't the only unusual job you can do to make cash. Do I need to pay tax on my side hustle income? MANY people feeling strapped for cash are boosting their bank balance with a side hustle. The good news is, there are plenty of simple ways to earn some additional income - but you need to know the rules. When you're employed the company you work for takes the tax from your earnings and pays HMRC so you don't have to. But anyone earning extra cash, for example from selling things online or dog walking, may have to do it themselves. Stephen Moor, head of employment at law firm Ashfords, said: "Caution should be taken if you're earning an additional income, as this is likely to be taxable. "The side hustle could be treated as taxable trading income, which can include providing services or selling products." You can make a gross income of up to £1,000 a year tax-free via the trading allowance, but over this and you'll usually need to pay tax. Stephen added: "You need to register for a self-assessment at HMRC to ensure you are paying the correct amount of tax. "The applicable tax bands and the amount of tax you need to pay will depend on your income." If you fail to file a tax return you could end up with a surprise bill from HMRC later on asking you to pay the tax you owe - plus extra fees on top. A side hustle whiz has revealed how he makes an extra £4,000 a month, from a job nobody wants to do. Known only as @thegravecleaner online, the money-making pro cleans people's headstones for cash, alongside his regular job. The cleaning pro charges £135 for a basic clean, and up to £452, for a full restoration. TikToker @themoneyshark, who used the grave cleaner as an example of a great way to make extra cash, said: "You're probably thinking to yourself, no one's gonna pay for that. People don't even visit graves anymore. "Well, you're wrong, because he stays booked up." The Money Shark explained that one of the best things about this side hustle is that there isn't much competition, because "let's be real, not many people wanna offer this service". He added that it also doesn't cost much to get started, as you just need around £150 to purchase all of the supplies you need.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
I made £590 on Vinted in 1 day by flogging my old clothes – my ChatGPT descriptions make it so quick
Plus, her tips for getting the best photos CASHING IN I made £590 on Vinted in 1 day by flogging my old clothes – my ChatGPT descriptions make it so quick DO you fancy making some quick cash selling items on Vinted? A savvy seller has claimed to have sold 102 items in one day - and has all the tips for raking in the cash. 7 Caroline shared her top tips for selling 100 items on Vinted in one day Credit: TikTok/@ 7 She made hundreds from her hard work - and has tips for people doing the same Credit: TikTok/@ Caroline, who posts under @ shared how she made over £590 on her selling day. In a clip that has racked up over 16,000 likes, she shared: 'I sold everything in this room in one day on Vinted. 'I sold 102 things in total and made over £590. 'This included selling this stepping machine. 'Now, you can watch me pack it all up and then I'll explain how you can do it too.' Caroline shared how she gets her listings up quick with the assistance of AI. She explained: 'If you're a bit overwhelmed by the amount of things you need to list, use Chat GPT to generate a description for you. 'It'll help your listing and it's really quick and easy to do.' PHOTO TIPS Caroline then shared her tips for photographing any items. She explained: 'If you're going to list clothing for sale on Vinted, make sure you take good, well-lit photos. I've made £5.6k on Vinted and here are the 7 items you need to upload now to make cash quick - white maxi skirts will sell instantly for a start 7 She had some top tips for nailing the imagery Credit: TikTok/@ 'Take photos of everything: the front, the back, the inside, and the labels. 'If you can show yourself wearing the item, that really helps too. 'Measurements are also great.' Once an item has sold, she prints off the label and finds some freebies to go in the package as a treat for shoppers. She explained: 'I got a few little extra treats to put in the parcels and these cute little thank you cards.' PACKING SYSTEM 7 She adds freebies into the parcels to get good feedback Credit: TikTok/@ 7 She adds items to packing bags before adding to the delivery bag Credit: TikTok/@ Of course, selling and posting 102 items is no easy feat, and she shared how she has developed an efficient system. She explained: 'Firstly, I separated the labels into items that were clothing and items that weren't. 'Whenever I pack up something, I always make sure I double bag it. 'I put the item in a bag first along with a thank you card and the little treats. 'Then, I put them in these packing bags, which just makes them more secure. 7 She shared all her parcels wrapped up ready to be sent Credit: TikTok/@ 'The great thing about them is that they are self-sealing, so I don't need to use any tape. 'Once I've done that, I simply put on the label and it's good to go.' She then separates out her clothing items into Inpost, Royal Mail, and Evri to make them easier to post. Caroline added: 'I had fun at the Inpost locker where I met a lovely lady with an American accent who follows me. 'Then I headed off to Evri and Royal Mail. 'After that, I dashed back home and set about packing up the rest of the orders. 'These were the big, bulky ones that needed boxes. 7 She showed her shop with the numerous items sold Credit: TikTok/@ 'This took me hours to do, and then it was time for the final drop off.' She was hugely relieved when all the parcels were sent, and added: 'I can't believe I've done it, to be honest. 'Thank you so much to everybody who bought things from me, and I really hope that you like your items when you receive them.' Many people were impressed, with one saying: 'I can't even sell 1 in a month.' Another added: 'I need to do this I have about 15 bags of old clothes.'
