Royal Mail Special Delivery Guidelines
This guide explains the shipping process when you select the Royal Mail Special Delivery service to help you understand the journey your order will take, and how you will be kept up-to-date.
Using our Royal Mail Special Delivery shipping option
Using our Royal Mail Special Delivery shipping option
Our Special Delivery service is guaranteed to be delivered the next day, Monday to Saturday.
Royal Mail do not delivery this service on Sundays or Bank Holidays.
Special Delivery is fully trackable and requires a signature on delivery.
This means you cannot select the Safeplace option if you aren't going to be in.
They aim to deliver to you before 13.00, but this is not guaranteed for all UK postcodes.
£7.99 for orders under £20
£6.99 for orders between £20 & £59.99
£5.99 for orders between £60 & £99.99
£4.99 for orders over £100
Order up to 16.30 on weekdays or before 11.00 on Saturdays
for same-day dispatch
Orders placed after 11.00 on Saturdays are dispatched on Monday for delivery on Tuesday (except bank holidays).
Our Royal Mail collection times
| Monday - Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| 17.30 to Gatwick MC | 11.30 to Gatwick MC | N/A |
| 22.30 to PRPH | 22.30 to PRPH | 22.30 to PRPH |
No collections are made on Bank Holidays, but additional collections may be made after busy holiday periods.
| Monday - Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| 16.30 to Gatwick Mail Centre | 11.00 to Gatwick Mail Centre | No collection |
No collections are made on Bank Holidays.
Your parcel's journey
Your parcel is collected from Vape UK.
Delivery to you
Royal Mail aims to deliver this service before 13.00, but this is not guaranteed for all UK postcodes. This time could be up to 17.30 for certain addresses.
Vape UK email communication
Order confirmation email
This is sent to you from Vape UK immediately after your order is placed.
Shipping confirmation email
This is sent to you from Vape UK at roughly 23.30 once your order has been collected by Royal Mail.
The email’s subject line is ‘Your order is on the way’, and it contains the unique number with which to track your parcel.
Royal Mail email communication
"Your Royal Mail parcel from Vape UK is on it's way"
This is the first email you will receive directly from Royal Mail.
Depending on when you place your order, this email may be sent to you before our shipping confirmation email (above).
The email contains a ‘Track Parcel’ link which will either take you to their website, or directly to their app if you have it on your device.
"Your Royal Mail Parcel from Vape UK is due to be delivered today"
You will receive this email from Royal Mail on the day of your delivery, confirming their expected latest deadline.
This email contains a ‘View delivery options’ link for you to click if you aren't going to be in.
"Your Royal Mail Parcel from Vape UK has been delivered"
Royal Mail will send a final email once delivery is successfully completed.
A tracking link is also provided to show the delivery image and GPS location.
The proof of delivery on the tracking history will include a photo of you taking delivery of your parcel, and a copy of your signature.
A signature is required, so the proof of delivery on the tracking history will include a photo of you taking delivery of your parcel.
Tracking your order using your web browser
Click the link
Royal Mail’s email communications include unique tracking links to their website where you can check details of the parcel's journey to you.
NB: the easiest way to track your order is through the Royal Mail app (here), where you can do everything you’re able to on the website, but you’ll also receive push notifications if desired.
"Tracking history"
"Sorry, unable to confirm status"
If you attempt to track your order BEFORE the Royal Mail tracking number has been activated, the results will look like the following:
"We’re expecting it"
Tracking your order AFTER the Royal Mail tracking number has been activated shows a "We’re expecting it" result.
Important: This tracking information will only show in the evening of the day your order was shipped.
"In Transit"
Your parcel will reach the relevant Delivery Office after passing through Gatwick MC; or potentially through a Mail Centre closer to your address, such as the example shown (Preston MC):
"Ready for delivery"
The tracking will update to show that your parcel is due for delivery once your order arrives at your local delivery office.
"Delivered"
When a parcel is confirmed as delivered by Royal Mail, the delivery officer will take an image on delivery as proof.
The recipient (you or someone else who lives at your address) will be in the image receiving the parcel.
The map shows a location marker of where the parcel was scanned on delivery, along with GPS coordinates, for reference.
Tracking your order in the Royal Mail app
The easiest way to track your orders, or book a redelivery if there’s nobody at home when delivery is attempted, is by using the Royal Mail app.
You can download it from the App Store if you have an iOS device, or from Google Play if you’re on Android.
Register and login
You can use the app as a guest, but setting up an account is worthwhile if you get regular deliveries.
That way you can save all your delivery preferences, and never miss an order from us.
Navigating the app
The app couldn’t be more simple to use. The menu is clear and user friendly, and you can track multiple parcels from the same place, as well as see the history of your recently tracked and delivered items.
Stay notified!
Instead of SMS, you can opt to receive push notifications from Royal Mail with up-to-the-minute delivery status updates.
Delivery information
Tracking history
Proof of delivery
Arrange a collection
If you need to return anything to us, you can arrange for a postie to come and collect it from your doorstep, or your designated Safeplace. They’ll even bring the label if you don’t have a printer.
Plus, online sending costs via the app are cheaper than over-the-counter prices. Win win!
We're here to help
We hope you’ve found this guide to our Special Delivery service helpful. If you have any questions about your shipping options, or anything else, our friendly team will be more than happy to help you. Give us a call, or drop us an email with your query.
We also have guides to the shipping process if you select our Royal Mail Tracked 24 service, or our DPD local service. You can find a whole host of other useful information on vaping here.