View Full Version : Delivery charges!!!
Getting back to the debate of delivery charges to the Highlands.
I recently tryed to order a shower enclosure of the internet normal delivery £25 ( not to bad) delivery to the highlands £95!!:eek:.
I also tryed ordering a bed from the Bed Shed, if I ordered from the store £35 delivery, if i ordered from the internet £55! both beds were coming from the same place:confused thought it would be cheaper to go & get the bed from the actual store but oh no I wasnt allowed to do that because they dont keep stock so has to be delivered [evil]
Its disgusting what we get charged for the privilage of living up here, maybe we should start charging stupid prices for delivering things south too.
ShelleyCowie
29-Jan-10, 12:15
This bugs me too! Thats why i shop around to check if they charge extra delivering to here. I ordered a livingroom unit from ebay last year and the seller did state there would be extra charge for anywhere further than Aberdeen. To be honest the extra £25 didnt bother me cos i wanted it so bad and the seller was very helpful!
But i tend to use the same sites for buying furniture if i can now. Same as clothes and things. At least then i know what they charge and if they are going to charge extra!
i ordered a large item from ebay last year which stated there would be an extra charge for the highlands I didnt think it would be much extra but how wrong was I! original delivery charge £25, delivery to me £150!! yes £150!! I think i could of paid someone to carry it up here on their back for that!:lol:
Invisible
29-Jan-10, 12:23
I ordered a Guitar from Ebay 4 months ago and postage by Courier was £15 it said on the advert. Because I paid instantly with Paypal the postage wasn't recalculated for Highlands and the seller ended up making a loss for paying the extra postage price I should have paid. Think it was bout £7 or £8 more.
This needs to broken into two parts:
1. Royal Mail & Parcel Force, this is where the thievery is taking place. This is where the "Mainland UK but not Highlands" should be dealt with by Trading Standards and online Company's like eBay need to address their ToS. It's OUTRA...... calm, think calm thoughts
2. Courier & Delivery Networks, now here's the unfortunate truth. For some it does cost more depending who are being used. Remember the majority of parcel companies hubs are in Birmingham and the Midlands, some have satellite hubs at Carlisle. And until you get involved with Scottish delivery companies who have hubs or depots this far North, say Inverness there aren't that many National UK wide carriers, especially for larger stuff.
The reality is it does often go to a second or contracted carrier and this is costing more.
But, some of the hikes are way out.
So how can this be addressed?
We can't force a trader to go out and find a specifically cheaper carrier for the odd delivery they send that is outside the scope of their existing contract.
Can we force them accept collection of the goods by a customers chosen carrier, and without a handling charge?
A postcode change won't really help, for the sootheners anything north of Watford is just a wasteland for them.
One of my favourite soap box subjects. Just had to pay through the nose for delivery of a package It really isn't right so folks what are we going to do about it.
Mrs Sweetie
29-Jan-10, 13:02
I am currently trying to arrange a delivery from south and I suggested DHL or the post office. The company told me DHL won't accept the order because the postcode means we are not mainland. So your vans that go past my house daily are amphibious, are they DHL? [mad]
Invisible
29-Jan-10, 13:19
This needs to broken into two parts:
1. Royal Mail & Parcel Force, this is where the thievery is taking place. This is where the "Mainland UK but not Highlands" should be dealt with by Trading Standards and online Company's like eBay need to address their ToS. It's OUTRA...... calm, think calm thoughts
2. Courier & Delivery Networks, now here's the unfortunate truth. For some it does cost more depending who are being used. Remember the majority of parcel companies hubs are in Birmingham and the Midlands, some have satellite hubs at Carlisle. And until you get involved with Scottish delivery companies who have hubs or depots this far North, say Inverness there aren't that many National UK wide carriers, especially for larger stuff.
The reality is it does often go to a second or contracted carrier and this is costing more.
But, some of the hikes are way out.
So how can this be addressed?
We can't force a trader to go out and find a specifically cheaper carrier for the odd delivery they send that is outside the scope of their existing contract.
Can we force them accept collection of the goods by a customers chosen carrier, and without a handling charge?
A postcode change won't really help, for the sootheners anything north of Watford is just a wasteland for them.
are you stuck on repeat?
onecalledk
29-Jan-10, 13:22
Surely postcodes WILL help, Tesco for example "dont deliver" to certain postcodes. I worked with a lady who had a postcode that was different to the next village up where they did deliver to, and DROVE THROUGH her postcode to get to it.
KW comes up as Kirkwall which is of course NOT mainland , perhaps we should have a postcode which is a mainland postcode. However on saying that living in Inverness i regularly received packages delivered by courier that stated INVERNESS, NON MAINLAND HIGHLANDS on it !
I refuse to deal with companies that use the excluding highland and island excuse. Recently got a futon mattress delivered from somewhere in deep england, after trying lots of companies that were trying to surcharge up to £50 extra i got one delivered for no extra charge. Bulky and by courier firm .......
thought this was being highlighted in the scottish parliament ?
K
are you stuck on repeat?
Yeah, I'm so outraged.
tinterweb playing up had to refresh to send and obviously it did it twice!
Surely postcodes WILL help, Tesco for example "dont deliver" to certain postcodes. I worked with a lady who had a postcode that was different to the next village up where they did deliver to, and DROVE THROUGH her postcode to get to it.
Yeah, we've suffered with this. had to have things delivered to family a couple of miles away. But this is a glitch in their systems, it's not a Highland thing it is specific parts of the sub postcode.
Part of the answer lies with approaching the hauliers and freight delivery associations, maybe they can help with some inside info.
Maybe they can help by getting the right hauliers & couriers up here speak with them "down there" so to at least keep changes of courier to the minimum.
Has anyone done any investigation into a change of postcode?
It's almost exactly a year since a petition was posted on here
http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?t=60747&highlight=Delivery+charges
and Gordon Brown's response?
http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19603
Not telling us anything we didn't know already and definitely not going to do anything about it. Seem to remember John Thurso also raising the matter but don't know what the outcome was except that nothing changed.
I refuse to buy from companies that treat us as if we were on the moon but they don't care. Even if we all did that I don't think they would care. Wrote to the MD of a chain of mailorder once (Scotts of Stowe etc.) - complete waste of time.
It's almost exactly a year since a petition was posted on here
http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?t=60747&highlight=Delivery+charges
and Gordon Brown's response?
http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19603
Not telling us anything we didn't know already and definitely not going to do anything about it. Seem to remember John Thurso also raising the matter but don't know what the outcome was except that nothing changed.
I refuse to buy from companies that treat us as if we were on the moon but they don't care. Even if we all did that I don't think they would care. Wrote to the MD of a chain of mailorder once (Scotts of Stowe etc.) - complete waste of time.
Yes that is the thing to do Vote with our feet :lol:
We're on difficult ground trying to get the Gov't to intervene of pricing in the private sector, hiding to nothing for everyone.
I would suggest a step by step approach.
New petition for a Postcode, CN is available I think, this may be a starting block. Is it feasible?
But we need to get some clear evidence this would improve issues like the Mainland v Highland nonesense.
Also let's hear from the local couriers, some inside info, how can we work with them?
And before anyone goes running off and starting a new N10 petition just wait a wee whiley, let's get organised first.
How much has been done before, no point wasting our time.
How many people run their own business or work in a business that can easily show that we are suffering from disadvantaged postal & delivery charges?
I have the capacity to host a website in support of this, but I'm gonna need a little help with content etc. Sensible ideas and help please.
We could name and shame the companies that abuse this, i.e. I got charged extra by Dabs.com for highland delivery and then they sent it via Royal Mail, the delivery cost about £3 and I was charged £10. This type of thing can be highlighted.
Thoughts.....
ragdollyanna
29-Jan-10, 15:34
It's a simple matter for me: if they charge extra delivery for being in the Highlands and Islands, or WORSE try to tell me I live on the islands because I have a KW postcode, I tell them to BOG OFF and take my custom elsewhere.
shamrock2007
29-Jan-10, 15:36
Delivery charges for the Highlands are crazy, was ordering some stuff for the business & £28 p+p crazy, don't think the company was to happy when I told them that I would just buy from Tescos as it would be cheaper and no delivery charge! They all moan about the supermarkets taking over but who would pay that for postage!
wickscorrie
29-Jan-10, 16:11
also if they state free delivery for uk mainland but charge for delivery to the highlands, then report them to the trading standards, i was grumping one day about charges and contacted the inverness trading standards and they are quite happy to take any details of companies who do this, they pass it on to the advertising standards branch of trading standards to file a complaint with that company.
so if anyone finds they are being charged extra for up here when it states that we shouldn't then please report them
though with the response from previous threads maybe we should just post it on the org and let org power persuade them otherwise
tonkatojo
29-Jan-10, 16:14
also if they state free delivery for uk mainland but charge for delivery to the highlands, then report them to the trading standards, i was grumping one day about charges and contacted the inverness trading standards and they are quite happy to take any details of companies who do this, they pass it on to the advertising standards branch of trading standards to file a complaint with that company.
so if anyone finds they are being charged extra for up here when it states that we shouldn't then please report them
though with the response from previous threads maybe we should just post it on the org and let org power persuade them otherwise
Aye but what did trading standards do about it ??.
I have the capacity to host a website in support of this, but I'm gonna need a little help with content etc. Sensible ideas and help please.
We could name and shame the companies that abuse this, i.e. I got charged extra by Dabs.com for highland delivery and then they sent it via Royal Mail, the delivery cost about £3 and I was charged £10. This type of thing can be highlighted.
Thoughts.....
Sounds like a good idea and a list to name and shame would at least tell us who to avoid. Some companies are getting canny about this and make you phone for delivery charges so they're not displayed on their websites. I'm sure between us we could produce a list and that might give our MP/MSPs some ammunition as well.
DeHaviLand
29-Jan-10, 21:53
I am currently trying to arrange a delivery from south and I suggested DHL or the post office. The company told me DHL won't accept the order because the postcode means we are not mainland. So your vans that go past my house daily are amphibious, are they DHL? [mad]
DHL deliver all over the world. They cross a hell of a lot of water. Your supplier lied to you, probably because they dont have an account with DHL
Sounds like a good idea and a list to name and shame would at least tell us who to avoid. Some companies are getting canny about this and make you phone for delivery charges so they're not displayed on their websites. I'm sure between us we could produce a list and that might give our MP/MSPs some ammunition as well.
There is also a neat little trick of calling it "post & packing", this could be another step (which would benefit people UK wide), lobby for a change of law to specifically cost them separately. We are generally reasonable, we want goods well packed but not as a profit margin.
northener
29-Jan-10, 22:18
I think Phill has the postage and package charging 'wrapped up'. We have to accept that living where we do, we will attract extra haulage charges for goods. However, the practice of ramping up an attractive goods price by charging ridiculous freight costs could do with sorting out.
But, as Phill says, this is the private sector, not some Gubberment dept that can be held accountable.
Perhaps some sort of legislation where the company has to display the true freight costs by their courier of choice would help - along with contact details to enable the customer to verify the true freight cost?
I think Phill has the postage and package charging 'wrapped up'. We have to accept that living where we do, we will attract extra haulage charges for goods. However, the practice of ramping up an attractive goods price by charging ridiculous freight costs could do with sorting out.
But, as Phill says, this is the private sector, not some Gubberment dept that can be held accountable.
Perhaps some sort of legislation where the company has to display the true freight costs by their courier of choice would help - along with contact details to enable the customer to verify the true freight cost?
I used to (try to) make a living selling stuff on ebay. When you calculate P & P you have to take into account: the price of the postage, the cost of the packaging, the time it takes to package, the fact that the PO is 10 miles away so 20 mile round trip petrol and time. I calculated I was earning about £1 an hour so a gave it up.
So what I am trying to say in my ramblings is that if you actually paid the true cost it would be a lot dearer than you think it is now.
:confused
This subject makes my blood boil, why O why do we have to pay more ?
Its mainland Uk isnt it ?????
This subject makes my blood boil, why O why do we have to pay more ?
Its mainland Uk isnt it ?????
Because it costs more-I thought we had established that [evil]
So what I am trying to say in my ramblings is that if you actually paid the true cost it would be a lot dearer than you think it is now.
Private sellers on fleabay are always going to be a bone of contention, but if you are doing it as a business then you work all this in your pricing.
A reasonable cost for packing is acceptable, but when you've paid a tenner and the goods turn up in a 60p envelope and £1.20 for postage you get a bit peeved when you can bet Royal Mail collected the post from them as part of the contract.
Because it costs more-I thought we had established that [evil]
Yes maybe so, but I felt like a rant & feel better for it. Hope you dont mind ? ROFL
Private sellers on fleabay are always going to be a bone of contention, but if you are doing it as a business then you work all this in your pricing.
A reasonable cost for packing is acceptable, but when you've paid a tenner and the goods turn up in a 60p envelope and £1.20 for postage you get a bit peeved when you can bet Royal Mail collected the post from them as part of the contract.
I refer the honourable gentleman to....[lol]
KW comes up as Kirkwall which is of course NOT mainland
Oh but it is so Mainland.
Look at a map and you shall see. :cool:
Yes maybe so, but I felt like a rant & feel better for it. Hope you dont mind ? ROFL
Sorry, I thought the protocol was that you had to announce it was a rant, so sorry-a bit new to this
:Razz
northener
30-Jan-10, 01:30
I used to (try to) make a living selling stuff on ebay. When you calculate P & P you have to take into account: the price of the postage, the cost of the packaging, the time it takes to package, the fact that the PO is 10 miles away so 20 mile round trip petrol and time. I calculated I was earning about £1 an hour so a gave it up.
So what I am trying to say in my ramblings is that if you actually paid the true cost it would be a lot dearer than you think it is now.
:confused
Fair comment, D. But there is a lot of companies out there who will happily stiff you for, say, a £6.00 P&P charge for a letter sized going first class. Even though they will be despatching enough to drive the costs right down.
I've just forked out £6.00 p&p for some vinyl lettering in the above instance, a tad steep, methinks. But I take on board your comments about materiels and labour.
Overall, I don't think we get a bad deal up here. But it does seem to vary enormously from company to company.
Caveat Emptor an' all that.
Boozeburglar
30-Jan-10, 01:41
I have been a power seller on Ebay for many years. I post volume, I generally send everything twice a week. All postage is pre applied on the items.
It is not difficult, and I don't make money from postage.
:)
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