Parcel Hero parcel weight adjustment ages after

BadBehaviour

I sent a packet to my sister in Italy on the 23rd of June this year using TNT via Parcel Hero.

She received it fine. It contained 2 pairs of linen trousers.

It wasn't even a parcel, but a bag, the original bag SimplyBe uses to ship their products. I purchased them from them to send to her and used the packaging they arrived to me in.

I always use the measuring tape to measure and overestimate to be on the safe side. I always weigh as well and err on the side of caution when giving the weight.

In the email it says TNT found the weight to be 5kg versus the weight of 1kg stated by me.

Now, it's practically impossible 2 pairs of linen trousers weigh 5kg and impossible I underestimated the weight by that huge amount.

Since we're talking about June sister obviously got rid of the bag they were in ages ago.

It's ridiculous they want me to prove anything after all this time.

Why don't they advise me of the weight adjustment before even going ahead with the delivery?

I appealed and requested proof of these measurements but how do I go about proving my measurements were correct? I have to disprove them and not the other way around. Thanks in advance.

dj1471

It's likely that the weight they're referring to is volumetric weight rather than actual weight:
https://www.tnt.com/express/en_gc/site/how-to/calculate-size-and-weight.html

BadBehaviour

dj1471 wrote: »

It's likely that the weight they're referring to is volumetric weight rather than actual weight:
https://www.tnt.com/express/en_gc/site/how-to/calculate-size-and-weight.html

I measured the packaging with a measuring tape anyway. No way I have made a mistake with them by what must be several centimetres.

Even if I had actually got them wrong, they can't turn around 2 months after and deny me the chance to decline their services if it meant I was incurring a surcharge. I'm sure it's legal somehow but it's dishonest and no one would think of keeping some packaging for weeks on end.

It was my sister so not a stranger who would have a reason to claim anything after delivery and thus retaining the packaging. Also, how am I gonna prove now my measurements were correct? When the original packaging is long gone since they waited all this time to notify me?

I have asked TNT to help me and tell me what records do they have about these measurements as I have read an old thread on here where some guy did the same and found ParcelHero were trying it on.

shaun_from_Africa

dj1471 wrote: »

It's likely that the weight they're referring to is volumetric weight rather than actual weight:
https://www.tnt.com/express/en_gc/site/how-to/calculate-size-and-weight.html

Volumetric weights are normally only applicable if the package being sent is very light in comparison to its size. There is no way that a couple of pairs of trousers in a shipping bag should attract volumetric pricing.

Geoff1963

How does ParcelHero fit into the process, which aspects do they do ?

Is it ParcelHero or TNT which is quoting the weight ?
Whichever it is, ask the other firm what they thought.

Also ask them : Is it an "Isaac Newton" weight of 5kg, or a volumetric-adjusted value ; and if the latter what were the dimensions ?

Is postage maybe calculated in wide weight bands : up to 1kg, 1 to 5kg, 5 to 20 kg etc. ?

visidigi

You have no contract with TNT - your contract and dispute is with Parcel Hero and Parcel Hero alone.

You cannot go through a middleman and expect direct TNT levels of service.

Parcel Hero were billed by TNT, but the TNT customer is Parcel Hero not you. Parcel Hero never saw or touched your package, therefore they have nothing to go on other than what the courier advises them (again why middlemen shouldn't be used) and they work on small margins so weight adjustments are usually not written off unlike the courier who might for customer satisfaction.

BadBehaviour

visidigi wrote: »

You have no contract with TNT - your contract and dispute is with Parcel Hero and Parcel Hero alone.

You cannot go through a middleman and expect direct TNT levels of service.

Parcel Hero were billed by TNT, but the TNT customer is Parcel Hero not you. Parcel Hero never saw or touched your package, therefore they have nothing to go on other than what the courier advises them (again why middlemen shouldn't be used) and they work on small margins so weight adjustments are usually not written off unlike the courier who might for customer satisfaction.

Yes I know that already, thanks.

What I want from TNT is just the measurements they have recorded for my parcel. Guess they can do that if it's not too much trouble for them . don't expect them to do anything more than simply give me this info since I don't believe ParcelHero are telling the truth. Seems like they like to turn around with this weight adjustment practices AFTER delivery has been done and ages after delivery.

I still have no idea how to prove now, after practically 2 months, that my measurements were correct, since packaging is long gone and I challenge anyone to say my sister should have kept it for that long. It wasn't even a box that you could reuse, so really no reason to keep some torn shipping bag.

I simply took the packet SimplyBe sent me with the 2 pairs of trousers and forwarded it to her with the new label on it. I measured it with a measuring tape and no way it was over 1kg in weight. I even overestimated when taking the dimensions of the packet. Absolute no way I made an error that means this packet is not 1kg but 5. Whatever the method they use to calculate the weight is. Volumetric or not.

They want 21 pounds on top now. They can charge them back to my original method of payment automatically if I have no evidence. How is this correct?

CAB words:


Once a price has been agreed between the trader and consumer it is deemed reasonable and legally binding. If the trader asks you for more money then you can argue that you are under no legal obligation to pay them. Furthermore; if the trader didn’t want to carry out the service at the agreed price then they should have informed you of this prior to performing to the contract. This would have given you the chance to either agree or decline the amended price.

Citizen's Advice have now reported Parcelhero to Trading Standards.

BadBehaviour

Geoff1963 wrote: »

How does ParcelHero fit into the process, which aspects do they do ?

Is it ParcelHero or TNT which is quoting the weight ?
Whichever it is, ask the other firm what they thought.

Also ask them : Is it an "Isaac Newton" weight of 5kg, or a volumetric-adjusted value ; and if the latter what were the dimensions ?

Is postage maybe calculated in wide weight bands : up to 1kg, 1 to 5kg, 5 to 20 kg etc. ?

Parcel Hero just let you book the service, but they never see the parcel or have anything to do with weighing and measuring it. I have no idea if they even send to the courier all the measurements and weight or just the weight.

I have asked TNT to kindly let me have the measurements they hold for my packet, since I can't trust ParcelHero to be correct.

I don't have them. No way to retrieve the shipping label from my account on the ParcelHero website now after 2 months and they are not stated in the confirmation email they send. The delivery took place on the 23rd of June so my sister doesn't have the shipping bag they were sent in anymore.

I'm amazed at how no one seems to have anything bad to say about this happening 2 months after the delivery of the packet. Any normal person would think you should contact the sender prior to delivery to let them know the price has to be adjusted and let them have the chance to not go ahead at the new price. This is what an honest company would do.

The only evidence they accept is the original packaging and that, after 2 months, is long gone. Thanks a lot ParcelHero for putting me in the position of not being able to even defend myself now.

dj1471

BadBehaviour wrote: »

Any normal person would think you should contact the sender prior to delivery to let them know the price has to be adjusted and let them have the chance to not go ahead at the new price. This is what an honest company would do.

It's standard practice and you agreed to it when you ordered the service. You did read the T&Cs you agreed to, right?

BadBehaviour

dj1471

Yep, I did see they could charge extra etc. That's not the issue.
Didn't say this can occur weeks after the parcel has been delivered and packaging most likely has been disposed of. I assumed, like any person I guess, they would adjust the weight while processing the parcel, not 2 months later.

If it's really standard practice to come out with weight adjustments so long after is really disgraceful.

With all due respect, the reason why I posted is to know how do I prove that the parcel wasn't overweight or oversized when so much time has passed and packaging is not available anymore.

Comments like yours are not helpful and I did read the terms and conditions.

BadBehaviour

If it's standard practice then I guess I could receive a weight adjustment for parcels i sent a year ago and so on. Depending on when they feel like checking the measurements of the parcels they process. It's simply ridiculous.
Why they don't just check at the time of processing is beyond me.