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Couriers & packing.


tom1946

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A word to the wise - after recently selling a Sadowsky Preamp here at BC I attempted to ship my parcel to Spain to a fellow member using the parcel2go company. I would advise anyone here to AVOID this company as they messed me around no end.

I booked my parcel uplift with them and payed in full using google wallet - a matter of hours before the booked uplift I find that parcel2go have cancelled it (without telling me) as they asserted I had not payed! My parcel was not uplifted despite me providing proof of payment. After several days of "tooing & froing" I eventually receive a grudgingly made apology and a refund.

Beware parcel2go and avoid - I will never use them again. After delving into google reviews of this company it becomes alarmingly obvious that I am not the only person to have had very negative experiences of this company.

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  • 2 weeks later...

UPS

[size=6][b]U[/b][/size]ndelivered [size=6][b]P[/b][/size]arcel to [b][size=6]S[/size][/b]cotland

Read from top to bottom. Won a guitar from Charvel and Fender GB sent it immediately. Poor Russell North of Fender sent the tracking number and said it would be with me Friday the 3rd of August. Then we both had a laugh as it moves around the British Isles like the Olympic torch!

Arrival Scan: Tamworth, United Kingdom, 08/05/2012 11:51 P.M.
Departure Scan: Dublin, Ireland , 08/04/2012 12:13 A.M.
Arrival Scan: Dublin, Ireland, 08/03/2012 6:45 P.M.
Departure Scan: Tamworth, United Kingdom, 08/03/2012 3:51 A.M.
Arrival Scan: Tamworth, United Kingdom, 08/03/2012 12:59 A.M.
Departure Scan: Barking, United Kingdom, 08/02/2012 10:22 P.M.
Order Processed: Ready for UPS Germany, 08/01/2012 10:12 A.M.

OK - how difficult is it to send a guitar from England to Scotland? UPS are really giving it a go! Feel sorry for Fender who have been great and are being let down by UPS's circuitous meanderings. I'm fully expecting my plank to be multi-stamped by passport control!

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I am absolutely seething after dealing with Interparcel. I've used them lots of times before and they've generally been ok, but I will never use them going forwards.

Sold a bass and booked collection Wednesday. Paid additional insurance, and it all came to just over £35, so I wasn't using a super-cheap option. The bass needed to be in London by Monday at the latest, since the buyer is on holiday from then onwards. We were on holiday from Thursday, too, but neither was a problem seeing as I'd booked a Wednesday collection. Just to be double sure, I confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that collection was going to happen on that day, and Interparcel rang the driver, and confirmed he was on the way.

Needless to say, the courier didn't turn up, and of course, Interparcel's office closes at 17:30, so it's now Thursday, and we've had to delay leaving for holiday until I knew what was going on with the bass. I called Interparcel at 08:30, and they basically told me that the collection was cancelled on their system yesterday morning (they have no idea why), and that it would have said that when their colleague called to check yesterday afternoon, so they don't know why I was told that the collection would definitely happen. So, the girl yesterday basically told me that she'd ring the driver to check, put me on hold for 2 minutes, and then said "yes, he's on the way". Nice.

So, I accept that problems occur, and the true measure of a company is how the problems get sorted out. Interparcel's suggestion was that "there's nothing we can do apart from re-booking the collection today". I repeat that we were due to leave to go on holiday at 7AM, and that I've already wasted 2 hours trying to sort out their problem. Her reply "Sorry, but that's all I can do", and adds that even if I do rebook, she's unable to even tell me whether it would be a morning or afternoon collection. So I'd waste an entire day of my holiday. She then helpfully suggests that we go on holiday, and I leave the bass on my doorstep for the driver, and then adds as an afterthought "but if it goes missing, you wouldn't be covered by insurance". Perhaps not, eh? Her next inspired suggestion is that I drive the parcel to the Nuneaton depot, which is a two hour round, in the opposite direction to where we're heading for holidays. I tell her that's not really an option. "Well, there's nothing else I can do. Do you want me to cancel the collection?".

I try to make her understand that this is Interparcels problem to sort out, but it clearly doesn't register. I ask if the bass can be collected from our holiday address, and she says "I suppose so, but it'll mean rebooking it, and there may be an additional charge that you'll have to pay". Fantastic (and I'd be delighted to pay some more money for this sterling service), let's at least check that option, remembering that the bass needs to be in London for Monday. I provide the postcode (for the place we've owned for 12 years, go to once a month, receive utility bills at etc), and "it's not showing on our system, which means we can't collect from there". I give her the address of the Sainsburys store just down the road "ah yes, it's found that, do you want me to book collection from there instead?". I say yes, and point out though that the driver will need to call my mobile when he arrives, as it'll take me 2 minutes to drive down there. "Sorry, but the drivers won't do that. You'll need to wait at Sainsburys for him to turn up, and we can't promise whether it'll be a morning or afternoon collection". So the proposal is for me to wait on a Sainburys carpark for 8 hours, on the first day of my holiday, on the off chance that the driver turns up, all the time remembering that the cock up wasn't down to me in the first place? Not really a great suggestion.

To cut a very long and boring story short, the solution is for me to take the bass on holiday with me, drop the family off in Dartmouth, and then drive the 90 mile round trip to the depot in Exeter, so that the bass is delivered on the day I promised the buyer. Wonderful.

You can imagine how much I love Interparcel right now...

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Aah, it seems I'm not alone in being significantly less than satisfied with Interparcel....

Used them to ship a bass to London based on the positive feedback they've received on here, it went via TNT for next day delivery by 12 noon at the princely price of £55. So I sat in all day waiting for the couriers who were due by 5.30, and guess what..... 6 came and went so I called TNT - apparently as it was booked through Interparcel they weren't allowed to give me any information about why they failed to collect it. So I tried Interparcel, whose offices close at 5.00....

So extremely annoyed I called Interparcel in the morning who checked with TNT and gave me the old 'The driver knocked on the door but no-one was in' chestnut. No no said I, I was sat in the office all day which has two windows overlooking the drive, and is right next to the door. Long and short of it was, no refund/compensation for abysmal service as 'we don't guarantee delivery times' (so why exactly do you charge more for "12 noon next day delivery"....).

It eventually went the next day, complete with driver ringing me to ask which house it was (I thought you'd knocked on my door yesterday afternoon......?) but I certainly won't be using a 3rd party portal like Interparcel again, far too easy for both companies involved to blame the other...

Edited by AxelF
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In my experience : just use the best service available from any company, and always insured. I get all my cardboard cases/packing made by professionals who send stuff literally around the world (for the cost of 50/70 euros). Shipping a one K bass to the Uk from belgium is about 100 euro in total. Is it expensive? Yes of course, I am not gonna deny that (shipping a wal to finland was 200 euro in total with UPS). If the buyer is a bit reluctant to pay those kinda cost (all my buyers can attest for outstanding packaging), i'd rather get a bit in my pocket to have a safe sale...

nothing worse than having to claim anything with UPS or any shipping company, as they will use any reason to screw you up ( to them a cardboard case can't be used twice : for all people using bike cases, if anything happens they will claim it is "not safe packing we are not responsible for anything, as if you re use a case, the carboard is weakened"

Not meaning to be patronizing at all ... but just play it on the "safe side".... :), and don't waste anytime with interparcel or any kind of weak company like that... there's so many horror stories about those :)

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I had a turntable delivered yesterday by Yodel - its a write off and it had been packed really well! They must have been playing football with it in the warehouse. I'd personally never use them but people do try to cut corners by using these amateurish companies. Avoid!

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[quote name='pierreganseman' timestamp='1345319734' post='1776326']
sadly, I think only major companies should be used when shipping : DHL / UPS / FEDEX

... with those 3 you are sorted for I am gonna guess about 99,99% of hearth! :)

so :)
[/quote]

Agreed - I've also used Parcelforce 24/worldwide and have had no problems provided you use a case and pack very well. They are more expensive but what price peace of mind?

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  • 2 weeks later...

A new recommendation - specifically for folks in the South East needing to send a bass or amp (or any other parcel) to elsewhere in the UK, but also may be of interest if any one needs delivery to the South East.

Aylesford Courriers - 01622 790637

I know the owner personally. Paul Taylor has many years experience in logistics. They offer a very personal service and will let you know by phone when your package has been delivered. All parcels are handled by people at every stage of the journey, no automated parcel hubs, so your parcel will not be dropped or bumped.

Prices are very reasonable too.

If you do use them, please say Nic Lambert put you in touch.

Also Paul does storage, so any Kent bands looking for somewhere to store band equipment, give him a ring.

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Can anyone recommend a decent hard case for shipping that is also value for money (ie cheap!)?

I want to consider the option of offering a hard case if I sell my bass. I'm thinking it might ease any shipping concerns a potential buyer may have. I have sold two basses before that had soft case - I shipped them mummified in various layers of bubble wrap and polystyrene and they arrive safely. However, I was thinking for a higher value bass, the extra security of a hard case may be worth it.

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  • 1 month later...

Booked a parcel to be picked up through parcel2go via city link on Tuesday last week. Stayed in all day waiting for them and no pick-up. Around midnight went on the website and if they fail to pick-up [b]you have to rebook for the next day.[/b] As I failed to do this till after midnight it wasn't picked up till Thursday. Beware!

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  • 2 weeks later...

My friend Jack just wrote this great guide on packing a guitar for shipping If anybody's interested in how he couriers guitars in and out of his workshop.

[url="http://jacksinstrumentservices.com/how-to-pack-a-guitar.html"]http://jacksinstrumentservices.com/how-to-pack-a-guitar.html[/url]

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  • 1 month later...

Having a horrendous time with Parcel Force at the moment.
Parcel sent on Monday from Newcastle via Express24 (by 5:30pm next day), didn't turn up, assured it would be next day (automatic 50% refund on shipping cost).
Then next day, it has been sent to the wrong depot, ensuring that it would take a further 24 hours to arrive after being sent to the correct depot.
So it might turn up Thursday, Parcel Farce indeed!

Si

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Being a bit picky about my speakers (EA VL series) I found a new old stock VL210! Only problem it was in New Jersey!
I contacted UPS in the States about shipping it over and was quoted $850 (£530) ............OUCH!
I rang a company I've used many times before who are a DHL agent and really cheap!
£139! plus £17 insurance.
They are parcelflight.co.uk
Check them out!

Mike

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Orange arranged with TNT to pickup my faulty bass terror yesterday between 3:30-4:30. they didn't turn up. The tracking number was 'not found'.

Orange rescheduled for collection before 12. At 11:51 TNT rang to say they wouldn't be there for 12, that they would get there between 1:00 and 3:30. No mention of yesterdays no show. Still waiting. Fun fun fun.

I have no recourse really as I didn't arrange it.

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[quote name='Davy' timestamp='1317298254' post='1389168']
I use interparcel/UPS all the time and have never had any problems with anything getting lost or damaged.
[/quote]

+1
Interparcel/UPS are excellent; never had a problem. As regards packaging, I just ring one or two of my local(ish) music stores and can usually blag a cardboard box that would have been destined for the re-cycling bin.

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[quote name='Clarky72' timestamp='1361800941' post='1991038']
Interparcel / UPS aren't that amazing. I've used them many times with no problem until this happened last week....

The bass was in a hardcase (now also broken) and a padded-out Fender packing carton.




[/quote]

What a depressing sight :(

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[quote name='Clarky72' timestamp='1361800941' post='1991038']
...I've used them many times with no problem until this happened last week...
[size=4]The bass was in a hardcase (now also broken) and a padded-out Fender packing carton.[/size]
[/quote]

Ouch! :(

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