UK's postal & other strikes (per ordering coins)

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I have some questions about how this affects coin orders.  I've had a nice denarius held hostage for a couple of months while the various strikes play out.  I've heard a blurb on the radio about border guards also being on strike.    I'm hoping that the item doesn't end up lost, forever.

This brings up questions: Are the private companies, DHL and Fedex, affected? 

I go through various phases where a particular dealer ends up as my go-to dealer.  London Ancient Coins has been one of my most-ordered from dealer of 2022.  LAC's secondary carrier is DHL Express, although for price reasons I choose the post version, 95% of the time. I'd rather pay $15 and wait two weeks rather than $38 and three days.

Would a DHL Express order still make it through?

[John Conduitt]

I doubt this has anything to do with the strikes. I'm in the UK. The postal strike has meant I don't get any letters for a day, but they turn up the next. It's not causing long delays as they're not on strike every day. I just received two orders from Germany 10 days after I ordered them, which is normal, despite it being over Christmas.

As far as I know, the border guards who're striking are the ones who check your passport at the airport. The military have been brought in to replace them and things seem to be smoother than ever.

[UkrainiiVityaz]

I had an item posted in Aberdeen on 12 December that is get this, still in the Aberdeen mail centre as of 31 December.  In contrast I had a parcel come in from Noonans via Fedex and that was actually quick and no delays.  Royal Fail was on strike when I was in Belfast, they've had rolling strikes ever since.  The nurses at the NHS are on strike.  There was an intermittent rail strike especially in Scotland.  

 

 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Another thing which could have happened; my current mail carrier has an aggravating habit of putting the useless signature card on the door, not in the mailbox.  It could have blown away, although it would have likely landed in the bushes where I would have seen it.

That would really stink if the really nice coin didn't show up.

 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Things aren't as dire as I thought.  I ordered it c. 11/24 and that might have been the one where I didn't receive a mail confirmation until over a week afterwards.  That would make it longer than normal but within the realm of a slowdown caused by the strike.

Dang, I sure hate to put LAC to the side but I'll have to go elsewhere until all this gets cleared up.  Either that or make a somewhat inexpensive test balloon order using DHL Express.

[robinjojo]

The mail strikes, as well as other public sector worker strikes, including railways, in the UK undoubtedly affect shipping time.  DHL would be faster, especially express service, but it is also much more expensive comparted to Royal Mail. 

I've used DHL for all my shipments from Roma Numismatics since that unfortunate incident earlier this yea with the resealed package that had part of the shipment missing. This has not been a good year for me on the shipping front.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Yes, I'm sorry to hear about the distressing losses.  I'm hoping that issue will be cleared up.

So, assuming it was sent a week after the initial order that would make it three weeks.  Longer than usual but not totally alarming.