In response to this growing demand for parcel services, Royal Mail has announced new plans to make the process of sending parcels far easier. While the new service won’t mean much to larger sellers, for smaller online businesses to send a lot of post, sending a parcel could be about to get a whole lot easier.

Royal Mail is currently installing the UK’s first ever parcel postboxes across locations in Aberdeen, Belfast, Cardiff, and Leeds following on from the successful trial last year. The boxes – which mark the biggest change to Royal Mail postboxes in the last 160 years – feature a larger opening and a secure storage area.

The aim of the 1,400 new parcel boxes is to make the process of sending parcels far more convenient. If you live near one of the postboxes and wish to use them, all you need to do is buy your postage online, or frank your mail, and then simply post your parcel as you would a letter.

Mark Street, head of campaigns at Royal Mail, said: "We hope that the wider roll-out gives added flexibility to online sellers who might be running a business in their spare time and not keeping regular office hours."

If you like the sound of the new parcel postboxes, and are on the lookout for more ways to make the postage process more convenient, you should consider investing in a franking machine. Here are three reasons why they make a great addition to your business…

Save you money: Franked mail is cheaper than standard postage, and with Mailmark franking machines, postage is automatically updated so you know you’ll only ever pay the going rate. As franking machines print the exact cost of postage, you can also be sure that you’ll never overpay or underpay simply because your stamps don’t add up to the precise amount.

Save you time: A franking machine is like your own mini, on-site post office. You’ll never need to queue for stamps again as you can add postage credit to your franking machine in just a few clicks. 

Help you stay in control: It’s easy to stay in control of your postage with a franking machine. You can set a PIN so only authorised staff can use the machine, plus you’ll be able to see who posted what and how much it cost – allowing you to charge postage back to the relevant department if necessary.

To see how we can help you save money on your postage, give us a call on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk.