Fair enough, if others are experiencing limited scanning events, then it makes sense to ensure you always lodge at the post office counter.

I'm not sure why I have had a good run then. I only post eBay satchels (both 500g and 3kg), have never lodged at a post office, and in more than 50 postings, only 1 has failed to receive a scan after pickup. I've just checked the last 10 postings, and all have had more scans than the pickup and delivery events. I print my labels using a laser printer, so maybe the barcode is well defined and more easily scanned?

I'll be the first to admit posting in the red post boxes is not 100% secure, but I would recommend it for those who work business hours. My goal is to post within 24 hours of payment, and I can only achieve this by using the reds, and so far they have not let me down!