Member Info for Scampthedog

Very good, Terrier54! I am indeed hoping the s.p does fall a little bit further; and yes, if it does, then I will buy more. But then I am just taking a chance am I not? Obviously if good news comes I certainly won't be able to buy at these prices. So I am just guessing am I not? Just like everyone else on here in the absence of ANY news. Just guessing.

Most of those extra temps have been stood down now, DereKR...most of them shortly after the injunction was obtained. There has also been, in the last month or two, a big decrease in the amount of hours available for the Angard workers...and this will remain so. The "good times" are over for many posties who used to stand back and allow, with the managers consent, the agency workers to bear the brunt of the hard work. Every hour is critical now. Plant managers tried everything they could to make their plants more efficient regarding costs, cutting the man hours involved in employing the agency would have been their least favoured option, but failed. They then did just that -- cut the agency's hours. And it will remain this way I can assure you of that much.

nuri. As soon as investors realized that, for all Rico's brave talk, he was never going to be, realistically speaking that is, in a position where he could take on the CWU and cripple it permanently perhaps, then the s.p has taken a bit of a hit...after the euphoria of the heady "High Court Days" leading up to the injunction at Christmas the share price is returning to a more somber, reflective level. And as for the analysts? They will already factoring in the cost of any deal with the CWU...it will be very expensive I can assure you. In fact so expensive I would have to say, that the dividend RMG is paying at present may well be, in the next 12 months or so, under threat of being cut or done away with all together. That dividend is the glue that holds this leaky ship together. Without it these shares won't look so attractive then will they.

Errr, no..not today it would seem.

The companies you list, DereKR, and there are others, still do return via the Warrington hub...most of them are now described as "Tracked MOR"; I believe J.D Williams is one of the few businesses that qualifies for the discounted MOR rate which has not yet taken up the tracked option. I am not sure exactly what the return volume has to be to qualify an item for this discounted MOR rate...but it is quite substantial. Just to give you all an idea of the return volumes concerning Shop Direct and J.D williams. Every 24 hour cycle two box lorries (single deck lorries) are "loose loaded" with items ranging from small packets in jiffy bags and envelopes to parcels both large and small. The items are scanned with hand held scanners and placed onto a conveyor belt which runs into the back of the lorry trailer...here someone receives it and keeps throwing it forward; periodically, as the amount of items starts stacking up, the belt is retracted more and more out from the trailer. Eventually that trailer is filled with loose items that reach almost to its ceiling! Thats an awful lot of items.

Coincidentally, I once spent a few minutes talking to one of JD Williams directors who had come down to view the operation. She told me that some of the items being returned can quite often return 5 or 6 times until sold. Obviously, this is very good for Royal Mail; or any other courier, involved in this area of the market, for that matter.

Fascinating how these online catalogue companies operate. I was also told by the lady in question that damaged items were sent to the seamstresses if they required repair...other items might just be washed and pressed; if any item was too badly damaged I think I am right in saying she mentioned it was sent for pulping. In other words -- nothing was wasted!

Fascinating new world we live in. People complain about waste...point the finger at consumerism. But here we have a perfect example of recycling in action. And when you have finished with your new clothes? we have collection bins in public places freely available to deposit them in: and the cycle begins yet again. Fascinating new world? Yes indeed!

You are right, DereKR, concerning your statement about the M.O.R...it is, as you commented, "concentrated geographically"; it is all processed at the new Warrington Parcel Hub. RMG have lost several big contracts over the years regarding mail order returns...but the remaining customers still ensure big and ever growing volumes; I am quite confident they will be picking up new customers, regarding catalogue "Returns", in the very near future. At the present moment some of the bigger customers are J.D Williams, Littlewoods, Pretty Little Thing...and to a lesser degree Marks and Spencer. The new scanning guns that Royal Mail use ensure that as soon as the item being returned is scanned then the customers money is immediately deposited back into their current account. A great benefit for both customer and the catalogue company as the reimbursed customer, especially the younger female generation, quite often re-order at the very first opportunity. No surprises there then. Lol.

And in response to your former question, JBTHISTLE: no, I am not a Yank.

I cannot understand why people keep banging on about the "Returns". Parcels have definitely gone up in volume (and quite evidently will continue in the same way for the foreseeable future) so it stands to reason that the return percentage will have done so also; it should be obvious to everyone that online shopping is dominating more and more so why would'nt the returns grow just as fast as the outward deliveries? Nothing hard to understand about that surely?

Well, DereKR, now you have introduced your impeccable credentials into the conversation perhaps Redceo will wind his neck in a little and realize that what he knows about RMG and its operations pales into insignificance compared to certain other people...like, say, yourself for instance. But I doubt it. By the way -- impressive re'sume'!!

They most certainly were bought through an ISA, Fruitster. Unfortunately, that does not cut any ice with the USA I.R.S...they still want 15% of any profit made. You can check it out yourself.

Morning, OliGarch. Regarding Amazon paying a dividend - no, Amazon do not, at present, pay a dividend.

Very interesting your comments on RMG'S former profit sharing attempts. I was aware that the company (RMG) had previously had, or attempted, some sort of profit sharing...but not its exact nature; it has always puzzled me why Royal Mail managers receive all the cash bonuses ...and yet nothing at all substantial (apart from the small Christmas bonus) for the staff. As they are the ones creating all the wealth I personally regard this as a rather strange contradiction...not exactly conducive for inspiring people to "work at pace" :) or go the extra mile I do not think.

All the best -- cheers!

1 free share awarded me when I joined the company. Price: $712.24. Bought 7 more. Price: $748.19 x 7. Total cost to me: $5237.33...plus trading commission and currency conversion costs of course. Call it $100.00...although I doubt it was that much. Price today of stock: $1874.97. Total profit: $14999.76 - 5337.33 = $9662.43.

Of course when (not for quite a while yet though) I realize the profits and sell I will have to pay any tax on those profits to the I.R.S...but Hell, I don't begrudge the %15 as a private investor.

What I really want though is either for Bezos to once again split the shares...or failing that, splitting up the company in the face of the threat of growing antitrust legislation. Either way -- suits me fine!!

P.s Used to enjoy working away with that big electronic board in the background watching my own personal investment in Amazon increase. Funny, is it not, how giving employees a share of their companies wealth induces a sense of worth and cooperation in those employees...Royal Mail might do well to ponder on all of this.

Nice watching those Amazon shares shoot up though...especially the free one they gave me.

Would'nt have thought he would want to meet you anywhere myself.

Redceo. I have 8 shares in Amazon. I have the following questions for you:-
1. How did I get an average s.p without buying shares?
2. Why do I not receive a dividend?
And if you are wondering what this nonsense is all about, Redceo -- your right!! It makes about as much sense as your own inane drivel.

Everyone is entitled to their own point of view, Fruitster, and I willingly concede yours could well turn out to be more accurate than mine. But time will tell on that one...and we won't have to wait much longer to find out will we? Cheers! Time for my afternnon doggy-nap.

I could not agree more, OliGarch...great news if you are a "postie" indeed. :)

I respect your opinions of course, OliGarch, but myself personally I have it feeling it may well be on the agenda during the forthcoming talks.

Thank you, OliGarch. I did hear talk of backdating the pay up to five months myself...but whatever the time period, it is, as I said previously, an awful lot of money.

When you say sorting out the "holiday pay issue", OliGarch, are you in fact referring to the "Pressure overtime" and how it is not paid to the employee who regularly works it week in week out but does not get it paid to them when taking their statutory time off? That is unlike the "Scheduled overtime" that is included in your holiday pay of course. Because if you are, I believe that this "Pressure" overtime could be back-dated as much as several months. Thats an awful lot of money, OliGarch...never mind the rest of the settlement.