Selling to Northern Ireland...Delivery Costs

gazfocus

We've had this a couple of times now and it's putting us out of pocket, but basically a customer orders from us via ebay with delivery to Northern Ireland...ebay classes it as UK so allows them to buy, but couriers charge us a fortune to send the parcel to Northern Ireland (even looking on Parcel2go, the cheapest next day delivery option is £26 for a 10KG parcel).

Is there a way of setting in eBay so that Northern Ireland is classed as a different delivery rate? Or should I just suck it up and deal with it?

curty510

not used couriers, but royal mail & parcel force charge the same as the rest of the UK.

Sambella

Northern Ireland IS in the U.K.

Always try to use Royal Mail where you can as they don't charge extra.

Some items can be done via Argos pick up

You can change your delivery details to mainland U.K. only or ask that NI customers contact you first.

theonlywayisup

Site preferences - Postage and packaging preferences - Exclude postage locations from your listings - edit - domestic - tick Northern Ireland - apply to all current live listings (tick) - apply.

http://cgi5.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ExcludeShippingList

molerat

Last time I posted a large parcel it was £7.98 for up to 10 Kg PF48 through Ebay postage, £16.40 at the PO.

gazfocus

curty510 wrote: »

not used couriers, but royal mail & parcel force charge the same as the rest of the UK.

Parcelforce don't charge the same looking at Parcel2Go (unless they are just very expensive anyway). I agree Royal Mail charge the same but who's going to send a 10KG parcel with Royal Mail?

Sambella wrote: »

Northern Ireland IS in the U.K.

Always try to use Royal Mail where you can as they don't charge extra.

Some items can be done via Argos pick up

You can change your delivery details to mainland U.K. only or ask that NI customers contact you first.

Yes, that was my thinking as well that NI is UK, but doesn't stop couriers charging the earth.

theonlywayisup wrote: »

Site preferences - Postage and packaging preferences - Exclude postage locations from your listings - edit - domestic - tick Northern Ireland - apply to all current live listings (tick) - apply.

http://cgi5.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ExcludeShippingList

Thanks for this. I've also found that I can set up a postage rate table so looking into how to do this.

mrcol1000

My Hermes do not charge extra for Northern Ireland. It is £7.95 for 2-3 day drop off service. Little bit extra and an extra day for collection.

Mistral001

As a buyer who lives in NI, I see a completely different side of the story. I bought one item recently which was to be picked up by Argos pick up and the buyer wanted to charge me a premium to deliver to NI despite Argos not charging extra for this service in NI. They would not negotiate and I had to cancel the order and get a refund.

There was a time when most couriers charged extra for delivering to non-mainland UK such as Scottish Islands and NI, but most do not charge extra now.

I think part of the problem could be that Ebay which is an international company get confused about Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Also I think some people in England Scotland and Wales sometimes get confused. I cannot see why though.

So my advice is, is to check with the courier and if you are using a courier that charges extra for non-mainland deliveries, then actually state that in the description. It will mean that you will lose some business, but at least you will not get this problem. Also lobby Ebay perhaps.

PS. Or you could change your courier.

campdave

Mistral001 wrote: »

As a buyer who lives in NI, I see a completely different side of the story. I bought one item recently which was to be picked up by Argos pick up and the buyer wanted to charge me a premium to deliver to NI despite Argos not charging extra for this service in NI. They would not negotiate and I had to cancel the order and get a refund.

Why did you not query the cost with the seller BEFORE ordering rather than trying to change the cost after you made your purchase.

Being originally from NI, it isn't down to your fanciful suggestion that Ebay don't realise the distinction, because they do.

It's because many couriers do charge a surcharge. Most large scale sellers have a contract with a courier who comes and collects every day. They're not going to pop down to the post office and send it that way because it's cheaper for you - because that's a massive cost implication for them.

You need to source a seller that sells what you want and sends by Royal Mail rather than expecting a seller to fall in with what you want to do.

mrcol1000

Agree with Mistral. It is just lazy to ban Northern Ireland. Royal Mail is not the only company that does not charge extra for Northern Ireland. Even if you just use them only for Northern Ireland. So you can have it collected instead of queuing up in the post office. Or is your business so successful that you can ignore 2 million potential customers?

donnac2558

A few years back I was buying duvet covers(always check Ebay for deals), found a business seller. Thought okay good deal buy a few then noticed in the p&p, Republic of Ireland Free shipping, Northern Ireland £10!

So I messaged and queried the postage saying NI is part of the UK, always tell them we use sterling and the Republic uses the euro. Got a reply and an sorry we got the two mixed up and its free to NI.