PROBLEM SOLVED!!! :D :D :D

[Mykesbass]

Great to hear everything's worked out Marty - hey perhaps you'll hang on to this one - never known anyone with such bad GAS

I can't believe how lax courier firms are - I spent some time last year door to door leafleting for my new business - the amount of catalogue deliveries - Next etc I could have picked up, all left on doorsteps, out of view to of the road. Likewise, the amount of times parcels have been left in my doorway when someone's been in.

[phil.i.stein]

[quote name='martysprior' post='1047553' date='Dec 4 2010, 05:15 PM']Hi Don & Bass Chat,

Firstly, although bloody cold, stressed Eric, and at the same time very relieved that the Mayones has finally turned up, let me thank you for your kind efforts and the very postive and constructive comments from all the other bass chat members. THANK YOU ALL!!!

I've just come in from walking around for the last 40 minutes or so with my girlfriend.

We've been knocking at most of the neighbours doors in my village. To my surprise the neighbour across the road from me, came over and just delivered my bass!!!! He's the unknown chap who had signed for my bass yesterday!!! The Home Delivery driver had assumed that my neigbour knew me and didn't even ask for my neighbours details, ID etc., where I was or anything!! However my neighbour had signed receipt of the bass and had taken it back over to his house because he assumed that we were out at the time. Incedently my neighbour, which I've just found out, was about to go on shift at work as well.

The really stupid thing about this Don is that I'd clearly stated my address to you and courier was trying to deliver my bass to No 5 which is my neighbours house.

In actual fact I'd be in most of the day awaiting the arrival of this bass after several painfull telephone conversations with Home Delivery Network both Customer Service and the local Ipswich Depot. Our driveway is at the rear of our house and is shared be three other houses. My backgate is always bolted and locked because of my dog. The courier driver should have come to the front of the house, that's were my front door is!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

Thank God my neighbour was a genuine guy, he said the courier driver just assumed that leaving the bass and signing for the bass was acceptable for him. This is definitely something that I'm going to follow up on Monday. I'm issuing a formal complaint in writing to Home Delivery Network. I really do not feel that it is at all acceptable for a Company that has been contracted to deliver an item, whether or not its value should have just let anyone sign for this item, apart me!!!!

I don't know whether their is a post or thread on this forum or not, but it would make complete sense to address couriers as a whole, especially ones like Home Delivery Network who have been contracted by Belgian Post to delivery this bass and at every step of the process have failed, apart from the fantastic result that I've got the bass and tonight and tomorrow I'm looking forward to playing it!!!!!!!


Yours Relieved !!!!

Marty

NB The Bass by the way is fantastic[/quote]
i'd collect anything (uninsured) over £1K or consider myself a numpty.

[Bassdude BE]

pfuuw..
you can't imagine how relieved i am, i bought ,sold and traded lots of gear on basschat,talkbass and other related forums,but this is the first time i almost got a stress-related heart-attack due to an incompetent courier service...

Glad i turned out OK in the end, but this surely makes me rethink how i'm going to handle shipment in the future!

thanks BC'ers for the support to both of us,
let's hope all the other gear-related deals will turn out to be less stress-full...

ps: I'm glad you like your new bass Marty, it is an amazing looking/.sounding instrument and i liked it a lot, but i'm done with wooden necks, it's all graphite for me now!

[4-string-thing]

As a former "white van man" myself, although I never did parcel deliveries, I would have to say that I would never leave a parcel with someone who just happened to be outside of the address. Too many delivery drivers are just happy to get a signature, any signature will usually do. If there is nobody in and they leave it with a neighbour, surely it would be better to leave a note through the letterbox explaining where its been left, rather than hoping the neighbour will take the item round?

Very shoddy on the couriers part.

Glad it all worked out ok in the end though!

[pete.young]

[quote name='martysprior' post='1047553' date='Dec 4 2010, 05:15 PM']I don't know whether their is a post or thread on this forum or not, but it would make complete sense to address couriers as a whole, especially ones like Home Delivery Network who have been contracted by Belgian Post to delivery this bass and at every step of the process have failed, apart from the fantastic result that I've got the bass and tonight and tomorrow I'm looking forward to playing it!!!!!!![/quote]

There certainly is! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=36625"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=36625[/url] . It would be good if you'd add some feedback.

I'm very glad there's a happy ending to this saga. By the sound of it Home Delivery Network are well worth avoiding.

[Chris2112]

Glad this all worked out OK as it looks like a stunning bass!

[adledman]

i think with all things its just who you use. i will never use home delivery network but currently use city link and have nothing but good experience of them. glad it all turned out ok in the end and hope i dont see something on this site i need posted now as no bugger will ever post again after this near miss me thinks? ha!

[Chris2112]

I've never had any trouble with a courier in years of shipping basses, but I'll certainly be avoiding these idiots.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Glad it worked out chaps.

[spinynorman]

[quote name='adledman' post='1047360' date='Dec 4 2010, 02:45 PM']home delivery network are getting a bad reputation. throwing items over back garden fences. i have has two items damaged in transit by them. cheap company with unsatisfied poorly paid drivers. i will never use them again. the local driver here picks up and drops off stuff in her beaten up car full of kids!
i dare say you will get your maney back but it takes ages and they usually use tactics and expect you to just give up. took me over six months once. that was not hdn though.[/quote]

+1

My daughter used to have stuff delivered here by HDNL. The driver would turn up in her own car with no uniform, badge or identification. Several times, when they were supposed to pick up returns we had a "you weren't in" card when we were. Once the doorbell rang, I went to the door, no one there. We live on a high street, it happens. Bit later the bell goes again, there's the HDNL driver, she'd "popped into the shoe shop next door".

Big problem with using your local PO for international shipping, UPS through a consolidator like Interparcel is actually cheaper and you know who's responsible for it all the way.

Edited December 4, 2010 by spinynorman

[merello]

Hope you like the bass now!

[Davko HUN]

I've just read over this confusing story. Great that it ended well, I can't imagine what Don and Marty went through
Again, nice to hear that it turned out like it did, but it could have happened differently...the courier didn't give a f**k what will happen with a 1K parcel.
Seems to me that anyone could pick up your package. Anyone from the street or who would be there at the moment. The courier just needed "a" signature quickly, doesn't matter from who, just someone sign it and "my job's done, let me go". In my opinion the way the courier handled the package is simply unacceptable and should be investigated even if the package popped up at the end.
I am desperately searching for a right bass now here on bc, but in my case posting will be inevitable, as I live in the middle of nowhere, in the Highlands. After reading this case, I realised I'll definitely need to be very careful and cautious with the couriers.
Any courier company recommendations here in UK guys?? Any experience about a reliable company?
Anyway Marty, be happy with your bass now and best wishes. Bass looks fantastic btw

sorry abt poor English guys :S

[Chris2112]

I've always found UPS, FedEx and even Parcel Force to be pretty good. However, I'd book with UPS or FedEx from now on, as you're assured they'll carry your kit from start to finish rather than sub contract the work to people like HDN! They sound like a cowboy outfit.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='phil.i.stein' post='1047570' date='Dec 4 2010, 05:35 PM']i'd collect anything (uninsured) over £1K or consider myself a numpty.[/quote]

This has appeared a few times in this thread but Im not sure how many people have read where the bass came from? Granted I see your saying uninsured (not sure why you would do that what insurance cost, A few quid?) but many others say they would only collect/deliver in person full stop.

To be fair I would drive to Belgium for that value of bass but only because I want to try before buying so if it was really special sure a road trip is always a good adventure. If it was an amp or something that if in full working order I was already familiar with how it should sound then on this occasion it would have to be a courier. Realistically what will it cost for you and a mate to go to Belgium? Fuel,Ferry,Food possible stay over If you were from oop north. You cant use the never use a courier stance for everything if its a bit out the ordinary ie something like the bass in the OP.

Main thing is its all turned out OK!

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I use UPS via interparcel economy - Although its not sold as a 24hr service, each time I've used them the package been safely delivered the next morning, even when I had it picked up at 5pm. Its a paperless internet-booked service, but the UPS man is always happy to sign a second copy of the label for me to keep as a receipt when picking up.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Glad it worked out in the end.Bought some stuff from Amazon, who used HDN to 'deliver' my stuff.
They put cards in the door'we were unable todeliver....etc' In the end ,I asked Amazon to send it to my work address,
which I would've done had I not been taking a few days holiday at home. HDN suck!

I prefer to meet people in person ,when selling bulky musical equipment. I wouldn't wish this hassle on anyone.