Hermes parcel weight on threshold border - what to do?

RainbowDrops

So I have a parcel that seems to be borderline less than 1kg.
On one scale it's a couple of grams over, and on another a couple under.
I was wondering if people knew how strict Hermes are - has anyone been charged for going overweight?
I realise the sensible option would be to pay for the higher weight, but this is MSE ( )
Just interested if anyone has any insider info, or if anyone has risked the cheaper option & got away with it.

shaun_from_Africa

Is there any possibility of opening the package and taking a small bit of packing material out?
Even as little as 10 grams would probably be enough to ensure that it stays in the lower weight band.

mgdavid

does any carrier other than the PO ever check weights? For heavier stuff I use bathroom scales which are so inaccurate that I do 'best of 3' weighings, some of mine must be a bit over every now and then but I've never been pulled up for it.

theonlywayisup

RainbowDrops wrote: »

So I have a parcel that seems to be borderline less than 1kg.
On one scale it's a couple of grams over, and on another a couple under.
I was wondering if people knew how strict Hermes are - has anyone been charged for going overweight?
I realise the sensible option would be to pay for the higher weight, but this is MSE ( )
Just interested if anyone has any insider info, or if anyone has risked the cheaper option & got away with it.

For the sake of the small difference in price, pay for the heavier costing. If they weigh it, you get a huge admin charge and they return the parcel if you haven't paid the correct price.

kalsha

Depending on what sort of box it is, try cutting it down slightly. Even cutting part of the flap will reduce it by 10g or so. I once had to do exactly that after having been to the post office and their scale showed that I was 10g over - it meant a large jump in postage costs to the next band. Also take out some stuffing or change it. I usually use shredded paper. Sometimes I substitute it by those polysterene pea nuts when the weight is on the borderline.

soolin

I have digital scales that's weigh up to (I think) 10kg , but I have paid for the heavier weight on one item where it went just over 1kg by about10 g despite removing bits and bobs of packaging. In the end I decided as it was MyHermes I'd pay the extra and use the weight to add another box to really make my packaging bomb proof.

RainbowDrops

Thanks for the tips all.
I tried reducing the packaging and got to the point where I was a couple of grams each way.
I think I already knew that the sensible way to go is to pay for the heavier band.

RFW

mgdavid wrote: »

does any carrier other than the PO ever check weights?

Yes. I think it depends on how you are sending. I used to occasionally get pulled up by Parcelforce, had one driver who collected from me who didn't like picking boxes up (no, really!) and would complain at heavier ones and have them checked at the depot.
If you're sending one or two and it's only a few hundred grams over then the chances are it will cost the courier more in sending it back than sending it on to its destination. Most couriers will be different and vary at depots, the majority will only check the blatantly oversize ones.

harveybobbles

My local Post Office (at the back of the Spar) leave the scales on when the PO is closed. So I just use their scales if I'm ever in doubt.

Did get a funny look from shop staff when I took a Range Rover wheel in once..

theonlywayisup

harveybobbles wrote: »

Did get a funny look from shop staff when I took a Range Rover wheel in once..

Was the Range Rover still attached to it?

RainbowDrops

Well, the dilema has resolved itself.
Was about to print off postage when I realised the delivery address was 5 mins down the road from my office.
I'd contacted the buyer asking if she'd be happy for me to deliver it in person for a cash discount, and she's happy with that