Royal Mail 'trials' postbox shake-up with millions of UK households warned
In the 'biggest change to postbox design since their introduction more than 175 years ago', the shake-up helps consumers who use sites such as Vinted, Etsy, Amazon, Facebook Marketplace and Depop, to make extra cash.
The postboxes can be used to drop off packages that have barcoded postage. Once customers have scanned their code, the drawer on the front opens. They can then use the Royal Mail app to request 'proof of posting'.
READ MORE: The 'most oversubscribed' primary schools in Birmingham
READ MORE: UK faces 'six days' of 8cm snow in April with exact dates of each announced
READ MORE UK faces first snow of April with flurries and -7C 'lasting three days'
There are 115,000 postboxes in the UK, and the company flagged the potential to adapt 'thousands' to accept larger parcels.
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'.
Royal Mail usually raises stamp prices once a year, typically providing about a month's notice before the changes take effect. This year, the price increase was announced on March 7, with the new rates starting April 7.
The company says the hike is due to a continued decline in letter-sending.
Last week, Royal Mail announced that following a Board decision it is moving to a fully franchised network as part of its commitment to deliver a 'New Deal for Postmasters.'
Subject to Government funding, the last 108 Directly Managed Branches which are operated by the Post Office will be franchised by the autumn. This means that those communities that currently have a Directly Managed Branch in their area will continue to be able to access Post Office services either at, or near to, the same location.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Here's How Much You'd Have If You Invested $1000 in Etsy a Decade Ago
For most investors, how much a stock's price changes over time is important. This factor can impact your investment portfolio as well as help you compare investment results across sectors and industries. The fear of missing out, or FOMO, also plays a factor in investing, especially with particular tech giants, as well as popular consumer-facing stocks. What if you'd invested in Etsy (ETSY) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to ETSY for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today? With that in mind, let's take a look at Etsy's main business drivers. Etsy is primarily an e-commerce service provider that operates a two-sided marketplace platform called The company completed its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in core operational countries include the United States, the U.K., Canada, Germany, Australia and Etsy reported revenues of $2.8 billion in 2024. Notably, the company generates revenues from marketplace activities and other optional company generated $2.02 billion of marketplace revenues, which accounted for 72.1% of the total 2024 revenues. Further, it generated $787.5 million in services revenues, which accounted for 28% of the total allows various merchants to list and sell their unique and creative products belonging to categories like homewares and home furnishings, jewelry and personal accessories, apparel, craft supplies, paper and party supplies, and beauty and personal care via its marketplace platform, which has emerged as the cash cow of Etsy, enables merchants to manage products and inventory, process orders and payments, ship orders, and build customer relationships company's strong technology infrastructure helps it deliver robust buyer and seller experience and analyze the huge volume of customer data to strengthen the performance of its marketplace Merchandise Sales (GMS), which is the key growth metric of the company, is generated from the strengthening marketplace activities. Meanwhile, services revenues are generated from fees that sellers pay for the optional services on both Etsy and Reverb marketplace. Advertising services and Etsy Shipping Labels are optional services available to sellers on the Etsy advertising products, namely Bump and Reverb Shipping Labels, are optional services available on the Reverb platform. Anyone can invest, but building a successful investment portfolio requires research, patience, and a little bit of risk. So, if you had invested in Etsy, ten years ago, you're likely feeling pretty good about your investment today. According to our calculations, a $1000 investment made in July 2015 would be worth $3,495.46, or a gain of 249.55%, as of July 15, 2025, and this return excludes dividends but includes price increases. In comparison, the S&P 500's gained 197.24% and the price of gold went up 179.60% over the same time frame. Analysts are forecasting more upside for ETSY too. Etsy is benefiting from accelerating Marketplace revenues which is driven by strength in Offsite Ads. Depop's increasing shipping label revenues is contributing well to Service revenue growth. Growing momentum across reactivated and new buyers is a plus. Increasing investments to support sellers with a targeted marketing campaign to promote the availability of a seller financing program offered via a third-party partner, are boosting active seller base stock has outperformed its industry in the year-to-date softness in large product categories like home, living and craft supplies remains a concern. Accelerating costs related to the shift to Offsite Ads and increasing marketing expenses are overhangs. Sluggish consumer discretionary spending due to macroeconomic headwinds is a major headwind in the ner-term. Over the past four weeks, shares have rallied 7.09%, and there have been 1 higher earnings estimate revisions in the past two months for fiscal 2025 compared to none lower. The consensus estimate has moved up as well. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Etsy, Inc. (ETSY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Teenagers Are Struggling To Land A Summer Job—Here's How To Create One For Yourself
Summer high school job Finding a summer job as a high school student isn't as simple as it used to be. According to The New York Times, unemployment amongst teenagers rose to 13.4% in May, up from 12.4% the year prior. Traditional summer jobs—from cashier jobs to those in tourism, at summer camps, and in food service—are being lost to adult candidates, increasing automation, or dwindling industries, leaving teenagers without sources of income and experience over the summer months. Summer jobs remain critical for college applications—even an unglamorous summer job scooping ice cream or walking dogs can demonstrate a student's responsibility, motivation, and leadership skills to admissions officers. Amidst this barren employment landscape, students can show an additional measure of resourcefulness and creativity by creating an opportunity where one doesn't exist. Developing an entrepreneurial venture during the summer months can allow students to gain invaluable professional experience and craft something authentic, purposeful, and self-driven. Here are three key characteristics of successful ventures for teens to consider as they start their businesses this summer: Students interested in starting their own entrepreneurial venture over the summer should devote ample time to planning and strategizing. Even launching simple businesses mowing lawns, babysitting, or selling crafts on Etsy requires students to conduct market research, develop pricing strategy, create marketing collateral, and determine a reasonable schedule based on their responsibilities and summer plans. Cutting corners or rushing into commitments without appropriate planning can counteract the potential for positive impact, showing disorganization and short-term thinking. In contrast, a thoughtful approach signals maturity and professionalism. It also increases the likelihood that the business will remain sustainable throughout the summer and even into the school year. This kind of long-term sustainability is important to admissions officers, who generally want to see students' dedication and depth of involvement over time. Most importantly, devoting time to brainstorming and market research can allow a student to create a meaningful job that addresses a need, however small it may be, in their local community. Maybe the local dog park is overrun with waste bins that are never properly emptied, or elderly community members need help with mowing or tech setup. Maybe a student is an amateur chef who notices that there are few affordable bakers in the area for parties and community events. Taking the time to notice such needs can allow students to develop a summer job that not only benefits their resume, but makes a tangible difference in their communities. Strong summer jobs should reflect a student's skills and interests. This does not mean that a student interested in aerospace engineering should start building their own planes or that a student pursuing political science should launch a political consulting agency. Admissions officers know that students are teenagers; they don't expect them to run multimillion dollar corporations over the summer, and a student who tries to do so will likely reek of privilege and inauthenticity rather than ingenuity. Instead, students should take a more introspective approach and choose summer jobs that align with their interests and passions. For instance, the aforementioned aerospace engineering applicant might launch a small business as a handyman—this is a humble and manageable endeavor for a student, but one that still allows the student to apply their problem-solving skills, small-scale application of engineering principles, and mathematical and analytical thinking. Summer jobs will not fully immerse students in their intended profession, but they should provide small opportunities for students to gain real-world experience that can be applicable to their future careers. Finally, the most successful summer ventures are grounded in self-reflection. It's not enough to complete a job or earn a profit—students should also take time to reflect on what they've learned, how they've grown, and what skills they've developed along the way. Virtually all professional experience can allow students to cultivate skills that they will use in college and in their future career, but only if they take the time to meaningfully evaluate the experience. Students should keep a journal or log their reflections on a blog in order to maintain a record of their successes and failures (which can be equally beneficial for their growth and professional development!). As they document their experiences, students should be sure to pay attention to both the quantitative aspects—how much money did they make? What was the size of their client base? How many new employees or business partners did they onboard?—as well as the qualitative aspects of their summer venture—how did they grow as a person and professional? Did the experience clarify their goals or interests? How did they overcome challenges along the way? The former are helpful metrics to summarize on an Activities List in their college applications, while the latter can serve as inspiration for their personal and supplemental essays. Ultimately, while the shortage of summer work poses a challenge for many teens, it can also be a valuable opportunity to cultivate and demonstrate a resourceful and resilient attitude. Students who develop their own summer employment opportunities will not only emerge with practical, transferrable skills like budgeting, time management, communication, and leadership, but also develop self-confidence, leadership capabilities, and a clear sense of purpose.
Wall Street Journal
9 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
Etsy Witches Charge for Jobs, Sunshine and Knicks Wins. Business Is Booming.
Janudi Perera spent all spring looking for a retail job, but had no luck. So the college sophomore in Queens, N.Y., did what many around her do when a situation doesn't go their way: She paid a witch on Etsy to cast a spell.
