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Couriers & packing.


tom1946

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[quote name='blunderthumbs' timestamp='1428594804' post='2742848']
Latest delivery from YODEL. Used to be an Epiphone Les Paul.
[attachment=188986:Les Paul damaged by YODEL.jpg]
[attachment=188987:Les Paul Damaged by YODEL2.jpg]
[attachment=188988:Les Paul damaged by YODEL 3.jpg]
[/quote]

Bloody hell. How was it packed? And what have Yodel said?

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  • 1 month later...

!WARNING DONT USE PARCEL2GO OR HERMES!
Ihave just had a bad experience with a lost parcel
i booked it through parcel2go using hermes
The parcel made it to 2 hermes depots then disappeared.
tried to contact someone at hermes and told i have to go through parcel2go.
parcel2go only use live chat and email there isnt a telephone number to speak to anyone.
parcel2go have offered me £10 compensation for a parcel valued at £120
just read the online reviews for both companies , i wish i had before using either of these cowboys

Jay

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Don't use UPS. I thought they were okay before but they've just chucked around and smashed up a 30yr old 95lbs Ampeg SVT-ii. It survived two world tours but couldn't make a journey across UK in a van.

It must have been dropped or thrown pretty hard for it to come out of the rack mountings and every single valve to come out, one of them smashed into pieces in the back of the amp.

Sad photos below..





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  • 4 weeks later...

Chaps, just after some advice...

I'm shipping a gig bag from London to "oop north". It's a posh one, but still lighter than most basses. A bit longer too obviously. I've got it adequately packed up, but have spent lunchtime on interparcel, parcel2go, parcel monkey, parcel pete, parcel tongue and so on trawling through quotes. The biggest problem I'm coming up against is that nobody seems to be ok with this 133 cm length, even on their larger parcel sizes. Of the few who will take it, the quotes are ranging from just shy of £30 (with no cover) up to over £150 (presumably with a whole heap of advantages that I'm missing). What happened to people being able to ship for around a tenner when this thread started - the gigbag isn't that much bigger than a bass!

Here's the dimensions of my package (ooh er!)
Length: 133 cm
Width: 69 cm
Height: 16 cm
Weight: 4.9 kg

It doesn't need to arrive particularly quickly, but it ideally does need to not cost all that much to get it shifted.

Any advice appreciated...

Scott

Edited by Scotticus
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  • 3 months later...

Whoop whoop. Thanks to Interparcel and UPS I've managed to transform my Saturday this weekend from having a mind numbingly tedious "lie in" followed by a hideous "easy day" in order to have a thrilling drive to South West London and deliver the bass I sold to a fellow BCer which was meant to be collected today by UPS...........but wasn't!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Was messed around last week by Interparcel/UPS - delivery did not occur on the day stated, despite guaranteed premium service. But just to say, Interparcel were good and responsive on Twitter, which seems by far the best way to raise a customer complaint in public. Just state that the delivery is late and then they will get in touch via direct message so you don't share sensitive details.

I was then phoned by UPS - had to put my foot down as they were a bit vague - and all was well. The packaging (by a fellow basschatter) was superb so the extra day in the van meant no ill effects!

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On a brighter note I'm happy to report I had a parcel due to be collected yesterday. It was UPS booked via Interparcel. Late on Sunday fellow BC'er itsmedunc discovered
he might not have enough ink to print the labels.

I phoned Interparcel first thing Monday,phone was answered right away and after explaining to the lass the circumstance she re-booked collection for this morning. Got
an email from Dunc at 10am saying it had been collected. Still haven't received the text alert saying it's been collected but quietly confident for delivery tomorrow.

Really hope I don't have to write a retraction tomorrow :D

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The best experiences I've had with posting guitars has been with Royal Mail Special Delivery. I send a Warwick Streamer on Monday, very well packed in a gig bag and in a Spector Box. Cost £27 which included £600 of insurance and was with the buyer before 1pm the next day as promised. In my mind it's worth paying the extra for a fast and safe service like that.

My lovely Everson arrived via Special Delivery too. The tracking is always bang-on, which more than can be said for Parcel Force!

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Just a quick word of warning if you're thinking, or may in future, purchase or trade anything from Spain. One of their biggest and main couriers are SEUR, which is part of DPD. They have the most pathetic and appalling approach to shipping that I have come across. Firstly, they failed to turn-up to collect the item in Spain. The Seller had to then travel quite a journey to actually deliver the parcel to SEUR. The parcel was to be delivered within 3-4 days. Their limited tracking stated that the parcel was 'in transit' four days after being taken to their depot. After contacting DPD UK, they confirmed that the parcel was still at the depot in Spain and that the 'in transit' message simply meant that DPD UK had been informed to expect a parcel - no mention of when or how! Now, seven days later, DPD UK assure me the parcel is still in Spain and a message from SEUR confirm that the parcel hasn't yet managed to leave their depot. They cannot explain why or precisely where the parcel is in their depot. Their attitude is "We have your money, we have your bass and you don't...tough".
I have to state that the situation is not, in any way, the responsibility of the sender who went out of his way to get the parcel to SEUR's depot after they couldn't be arsed to collect it. It does make you think that it might be more expedient and less stressful to fly out to wherever you have sourced your item and collect it yourself - quite possibly cheaper too and you get a bit of a holiday into the bargain.
Anyway, be warned, SEUR/DPD are a nightmare.

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Just a word ....sorry clarification......regarding 1st class post .

I have been reliably informed ( after chasing a package from Coventry to Birmingham ) by the PO , that " NEXT DAY DELIVERY " is only

a target they aim for !

Then I ask why do we have to pay extra for it ........NO REPLY !

Sent a small parcel 10:20am on wednesday 09/12/15 - 1st class signed for , to Birmingham ... not received on Thursday , Friday or

Saturday - tracking showed it was " in their system ".

Buyer received on Monday - tracking still showing " in their system " !

What a farce !

Edited by petetexas
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Im in a similar position with a signed-for 'next day' parcel containing a pedal which I bought from a fellow BC'er. Posted on the 9th and it's still showing as 'in the system' on the 15th. I've even been to the local depot to make sure it's not say there.

'Next day' is a crock! The only true next day service is special delivery which has never let me down.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm having a nightmare with parcelforce, and for the first time too. Missed last collection on new years eve. It was collected on Monday the 4th from my local PO according to tracking info, it's now Wednesday the 7th and no more updates on the tracking. At least I took out enhanced compensation, took photos of the packing and box and informed teller of the contents in case it wouldn't be covered. I expect their hella busy still so fingers crossed. Last bass I sent with them was delivered within 20 hours.

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Seems Parcel Force haven't settled in since the Holidays. Discreet sent a bass last week ,delivery due Hogmanay,I called them at 8am to confirm it was going out that day.
When they said Yes I sat in and waited,at 2.30pm I check the tracking.It was listed as "Failed Delivery Attempt"

No card was left and no animals went nuts at the door getting chapped. Called Parcel Force again who said they'd message the driver and get him to turn around and deliver it.
By 16.30 it was back in the depot. :angry: Well angry by this time I vented my spleen on their FB page,10 min later it's getting dealt with for re-delivery on Tuesday.

First thing Monday they contact me again saying they'd tried a date change but it had already went out," But they told me Monday was a Scottish holiday " I said." System fault ! " was
the reply " if you don't get it Tuesday it'll definitely be there on Wednesday and enjoy your day off ".

Bass was delivered that morning :D Guess it wasn't a holiday after all.

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  • 1 month later...

[quote name='fearthebassplayer' timestamp='1455911466' post='2983640']
So what is the best way to send a bass at present? Can't seem to find anything positive and recommended on here now :(
[/quote]

Boxed in a hard case with 3 address labels (2 for recipient and 1 for sender), sent by a firm that definitely insures musical instruments with the correct insurance value.

The guy who used to collect from me told me to put on an extra recipient label as he reckoned their yard was full of boxes with no labels on them!

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  • 1 month later...

Looking for some guidance on courriers.... All seems a bit bleek here :(

I have no issue with packaging a bass in a bomb proof manor, im more concerned with tge reliability of the service ? Are any of them reputable by ANY means ?

Im slso having trouble getting prices ? When i pit in the dimensions and weight they all say its too big ? Surely to god they will take somthing the size of a bass hard case ?

Help please !

:)

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UPS will take a bass in a hardcase no problem in fact I sent 3 basses to Spain in the big Thomann cardboard box for £40,took 4 days to get there.

Use a courier broker like Interparcel. They're cheaper and allow more options like choice of courier,delivery times and even collection windows.
Insurance is 2% per £100.

I've used UPS through Interparcel many times for both home and abroad without a glitch.

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