Parcel Please / UPS

Mupette

I had to send a parcel to my father in France, and have used Parcel Please before, no complaints.

This time around it was a dog crate that i no longer used and they are about to reveive their new puppy so i gave them mine.

The crate was 15kg, and i got the original measurements wrong.

23 x 18 x 20 cm £12.50 + vat = £15.00

got a call today from them claiming that UPS who delivered the parcel claim......

As per our conversation on the telephone this afternoon I have outlined below the reason for the additional charges from UPS:

You declared the parcel on the online booking form as 1 parcel @ 15kg – 23 x 20 x 18cm and this was processed through the website with an accurate price for this size of parcel.
UPS picked up the item up and this was put through the scanning machine at the depot which measures the weight and dimensions to assure that customers are billed accurately.
UPS measured this parcel as 15kg – 145 x 82 x 66cm, which is billed at a volumetric weight of 157kg due to the size and in turn the space taken up on the van by this single parcel.
This is calculated as such: Length x width x height = ??? and then divide by 5000. So on this occasion; 145 x 82 x 66 = 784740 divided by 5000 = 156.95kg.
If these details had been entered into the parcels please website accurately the website would not have generated a price as this is too large and would have suggested you call us to look at alternative methods of shipping.

We did think that perhaps you had misread the instructions and entered the dimensions in inches, but as discussed on the telephone as inches your measurements would have equaled 58 x 51 x 46cm.

UPS have billed us based on the accurate details of 145 x 82 x 66cm (which seems more likely as you have told me this is a dog crate) and due to the miscalculation UPS have charged us accordingly. We of course, in turn must bill this back to you, the customer, and there is a difference to pay of £103.46. This includes vat.

We can accept payment by debit or credit card or by Paypal.

Please let me know how you wish to proceed with payment if you have any further questions.

Many thanks and looking forward to hearing from you,

I asked for something in writing and this is the email sent.

I called my dad and asked him to re-measure the crate, he came back with 43 x 49 x 56cm so how on earth i got the orignal figures i don't know, but using dad's measurements in their quote box gives me £14.00 + vat which means i only owe them about £2.

I emailed them back giving them the correct measurements and asked if UPS can explain their measurements..
they didnt answer but asked for the make and model of crate, well i bought it in a independant pet store a few years ago and there doesnt seem to be a make or model, But i sent them a picture that shows my then 13 week kitten sat in it, and perry the pup stood beside it, the picture was taken just a few days before it was sent to my dad. It is a small crate for a small dog..

I really don't know if UPS are trying to pull a fast one or what...

What do i do if parcel please still insist i have to pay £103.46
I dont have that type of money and i don't believe this is right.

http://www.parcelsplease.co.uk/

RichGold

UPS do bill by volumetric weight. but they also bill differently for different customers. The way I see it, you'll be very lucky to get it delivered for less than they are asking, especially as its through a "broker" as such.

Is it in France already? Has it been finally delivered? Or is it still at the collecting depot? If its still local to you collect it yourself and try another carrier, as UPS are not the cheapest.

Interlink aren't too bad, and I'm sure Parcelforce wouldn't want anywhere near as much as UPS.

Mupette

Delivery has already happened, my parents live in France, although it didn't actually get delivered to the house as dad was called and asked to meet the driver...

dad has the crate now, and as proof he could take a picture of the crate holding a tapemeasure next to it if needs be but what concerns me, it still falls under the 30kg to Europe for just.... From £12.50 + Vat.

The measurements UPS have come up with are wrong, and I have emailled parcel please and told them perhaps UPS have my parcel mixed up with another.

Oliver14

I used parcel please a couple of years back. Worst courier I have ever tried. A parcel that should have taken 2 days took 10 days whenever I asked about it no one new a thing about it. Terrible company with terrible customer service.

scheming_gypsy

what kind of dog crate is it? your measurements of 43 x 49 x 56cm would be tiny and more like a 'taking a dog to the vets' carry cage but their dimensions are almost 5ft x 3ft x 2ft.
The biggest dog cage i've seen is about 4ft but they flat pack for delivery.

RichGold

Mupette wrote: »

it still falls under the 30kg to Europe for just.... From £12.50 + Vat.

Thats wrong I'm afraid. The larger the item the more it costs regardless of true weight, due to the lost revenue from other parcels that could have occupied the extra cargo space your item did on the plane. The cost they will pursue you for will be more than the standard £12.50 + vat.

Major courier companies are pretty good at going legal early on non paying customers - I've worked for most of them and have experience of this. Your saving grace may well be that you've gone through Parcel-Please, as they will have to pay UPS whatever happens or they'll be put on stop which I doubt they will risk.

You'll still have to sort out what to do with Parcel-Please though.

Mupette wrote:

I have emailled parcel please and told them perhaps UPS have my parcel mixed up with another.

That's very unlikely. UPS use a barcode and parcel ID system and I would be surprised if it was wrong. Also they have parcel scanners that can instantly calculate the parcels volume, that's aside from all the other rigmarole that airfreight has to go through.

Mupette

the dimentions are right 43 x 49 x 56 it was for a jack russell puppy, i bought the smallest crate, it's weight of 15kg was because we put a few things in the crate for dad, breakfast creal, dried foods like multipacks of crisps, no tins or anything like that.

The picture is the one i emailled to show how small it is.. perry the pup would not be able to get in there now he is 3, Georgie the kitten was i'd say 13 weeks as it was only a week or so ago this picture was taken.

maninthestreet

23 x 18 x 20 cm dog crate? You would have trouble squeezing a chihuahua in that, it's only 9 x 7 x 8 inches!

Mupette

maninthestreet wrote: »

23 x 18 x 20 cm dog crate? You would have trouble squeezing a chihuahua in that, it's only 9 x 7 x 8 inches!

yup thats the measurements my son gave me typical teen, they were wrong and i agreed with parcel please that is was wrong and then rang my dad to give me the acurate measurements of..43 x 49 x 56 cm

Mupette

Bit of an update, have not heard from parcel please in several weeks so popped off an email this morning to see what the situation was....

Apologies for not coming back to you sooner on this. I have spoken with our fianc! dept this morning and I can confirm that there is no additional payment required. This was a mistake made by UPS.

Please accept our apologies for any upset caused. We appreciate your co-operation; you’re photograph and detailed explanation helped us to sort this matter with UPS.

Many thanks again for choosing Parcels Please and we hope to work with you again going forward,

With much thanks and best regards,

apart from the fianc!! bit hehe.

Lesson learnt, question extra costs..