Cheap Parcel Delivery - official discussion

Cashstrappedlandlord

Hi
I hope somebody can help. I sold a musical instrument to a buyer in Spain who has claimed it is faulty II disagree but seems not much I can do!).
Apparently it is now down to me to organise a courier to get it returned. Can anybody suggest a courier in Spain where I can pay for the delivery and the buyer in Spain can return it. The parcel is about 7kg and 50cm x 40cm x 30cm, it cost about £20 for me to send it to Spain.

collectmyparcel.com offering a DHL service for the weight dimensions you provided for £24.23 including VAT. Seems reasonable?

Good luck.

rogermunns

I'm in France. I needed to send a heavy telescope mount from here to a private address in Paris.


I looked at reviews in Trustpilot and was happy at the 85%+ good result that parcelmonkey had been given. So I went ahead.


This was late October 2018.



They put my delivery (I had packed the mount in three parcels) with UPS. Pickup was a day late - a bit inconvenient, but since I'm retired and at home much of the time, it wasn't really a problem.


Delivery took 4 days. Not a problem. The cost was £72 (euro equiv.).


Here is the problem. Parcelmonkey yesterday took another £27 from my Paypal account. I have now made sure nothing else can be taken by them, but I did not realise they were still able to make more charges. A lesson I suppose.


And here is something much more disturbing about parcelmonkey.



Trustpilot give then high reviews (85%+), whereas on reviewcentre they get 1* out of 5* and the individual reviews are, on the whole, terrible.


There was absolutely no notice that this extra £27 was going to be taken from my Paypal account. Is there a way I can get this reversed? Paypal seems tricky to negotiate - their resolution centre seems to take me in circles.

dj1471

rogermunns wrote: »

.There was absolutely no notice that this extra £27 was going to be taken from my Paypal account. Is there a way I can get this reversed? Paypal seems tricky to negotiate - their resolution centre seems to take me in circles.

What did they say when you asked them about it?

Most likely UPS disagreed with the weight or dimensions you supplied, or charged by volumetric weight per their T&Cs, so there was a surcharge to pay.

rogermunns

They just said it was a surcharge. I was fastiduous about the sizes and weights (plus or minus 1cm; plus or minus 100g). And anyway, at 16kg or so even 2kg discrepancy would not shift a parcel into another charge band.

rogermunns

I see UPS are saying dimensions were wrong. No. They were not, simple as that. But now, after digging in UPS' site, I see:


Additional Handling applies to the following:

• Any article that is encased in an outside shipping container made of metal or wood
• Any cylindrical item, such as a barrel, drum, pail, or tire, that is not fully encased in a corrugated cardboard shipping container
• From 6th August 2018, any package with the longest side exceeding 100cm (39.5"), or a second-longest side exceeding 76cm (30")
• Any package with an actual weight greater than 70 pounds (32 kg)
• Each package in a shipment where the average weight per package is greater than 70 pounds (32 kg) and the weight for each package is not specified on the source document or the UPS automated shipping system used

UPS also reserves the right to assess the Additional Handling Charge for any package that, in UPS's sole discretion, requires special handling.


Nothing said in the booking terms about wooden containers nor about the 100cm. I made a wooden box for the most delicate piece to ensure it didn't get knocked about. In fact one box was exactly 100cm long.


I can't see how to phone UPS - UK would do, 'cos I can talk to them, whereas to try to speak in French on the phone? - forget it.

martindow

rogermunns wrote: »

Nothing said in the booking terms about wooden containers

You no doubt ticked a box agreeing to their terms and conditions and it's up to you to read them. Additionally I wonder if their insurance covered what you were sending - carriers have lots of exceptions.



I've just downloaded a label from UPS and at the bottom of it is a large section saying:


This must be packaged in a CARDBOARD BOX or you will be charged!


The capitals, bolding and underlining are all theirs. Even at that late stage you could have opted out, contacted them and ask for a refund.

soolin

With Christmas fast approaching if anyone sees news of offers on parcel costs or of any of the warnings (as we have had in previous years) of some couriers starting to struggle with volume, do please post it up here.

jaybeetoo

Just had a missed delivery card put through the door from APC even though my wife and I were in. !!!!!!!

I think James May called it a can’t be a***d to deliver it card!

GTsIan

Can anyone recommend a company / man with a van that can deliver a freestanding freezer weighing 75kg? Thanks in advance.

jaybeetoo

GTsIan wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a company / man with a van that can deliver a freestanding freezer weighing 75kg? Thanks in advance.

It would help if you said where from and to.