Shipping guitars (from Northern Ireland)

bingefeller

Again, I'm doing lots of pre-sale research.

Normally, when I sold my guitars, I sent them with Parcel Force and it cost me a fortune.  I've also used Hermes, without any problems, but I understand a lot of people don't like Hermes so I would be reluctant to use them now.

As it's likely I'll end up having to ship across to the mainland, I have a few questions:

1). Is sending via a third party company, who contact the courier and they then come to your house the best option?
2). Does the courier bring shipping labels with him?
3). @Chuffola @lonestar @Wolfetone  how do you ship your guitars across the water?  

Thanks.

Chuffola

I’ve only done it once and I used parcelforce without any problem - it was a bolt on neck so less likely to be damaged. However there’s no insurance so risky.

To be honest, the hassle of a courier is why I haven’t done it more often and I’d have the same questions as you! So I’m left to run the gauntlet of local gumtree nutters which is always delightful. 

Interested in in other views on this

guitars4you

try looking at www.interparcel.com - you print labels as required - check out various options - easy web site to operate and navigate around - You can often leave at a 'drop off point' as well if required but again the site will show you options if required

GoldenEraGuitars

In the last month I’ve shipped to wales and England using anything from UPS to DPD to Parcelforce via parcelmonkey. You may need to print your own labels but that’s easy enough done. £13-14 gets a full guitar away

Jack_

My moto when it comes to this is, don't send anything you can't afford to lose.

I know that might sound silly, because no one wants to throw money away, but I usually have a limit on who I'll send with dependant on value - I'd let Parcelforce take a £300 guitar, but I probably wouldn't let them take a £1000 guitar.

The insurance offered is a con, they won't pay out - so that's why I say, what you're prepared to lose, if the worst happened.

I'm confident in my ability to package well, which also means I'm confident that they could use a guitar I send as a football and it would still arrive fine - I think this is the key.

bingefeller

lonestar said:

In the last month I’ve shipped to wales and England using anything from UPS to DPD to Parcelforce via parcelmonkey. You may need to print your own labels but that’s easy enough done. £13-14 gets a full guitar away

Well, good to know that Parcelmonkey operate in Northern Ireland.  I'm guessing you wait at home and the courier comes to your house to collect the parcel?   @lonestar

bacchanalian

This year I have shipped three guitars to GB and one to Prague. I used UPS and all went well. You can drop the parcel at a local access point but maybe check beforehand if they are happy to hold a large parcel until the courier arrives.  I think some have limits on the size they will accept.
Thankfully have not had to avail of the insurance but certainly paid a premium. 

streethawk

Shipped loads. Parcelforce is the only viable option I'm aware of.

 The broker websites tend not to service NI to mainland UK, though will take orders for the return leg - which is nuts. if they do, they're dearer than parcelforce.

Suppose you could pay a fair bit extra for, say, UPS. But why?

 So it's parcel force for me.

You can also join parcelforce rewards4u and get 15% off prices. They'll print labels for you if required.

GoldenEraGuitars

bingefeller said:

lonestar said:

In the last month I’ve shipped to wales and England using anything from UPS to DPD to Parcelforce via parcelmonkey. You may need to print your own labels but that’s easy enough done. £13-14 gets a full guitar away

Well, good to know that Parcelmonkey operate in Northern Ireland.  I'm guessing you wait at home and the courier comes to your house to collect the parcel?   @lonestar

Yes man, luckily my wife was in when I had stuff going out. Tbh, going forward with the business I’m going to arrange to have everything collected from me rather than going to the post office.

Wolfetone

When I have shipped guitars, I have always had them in a case supported in all the important areas but NOT overpacked. The whole case heavily bubble wrapped, put in a stout box and taped to death.

Never had a breakage.

bingefeller

streethawk said:

Shipped loads. Parcelforce is the only viable option I'm aware of.

 The broker websites tend not to service NI to mainland UK, though will take orders for the return leg - which is nuts. if they do, they're dearer than parcelforce.

Suppose you could pay a fair bit extra for, say, UPS. But why?

 So it's parcel force for me.

You can also join parcelforce rewards4u and get 15% off prices. They'll print labels for you if required.

Are you in Northern Ireland?

So if I don’t have any labels at all, I can take my parcel to the post office and get them to print address labels for me?

bingefeller

Was just looking and Parcel Force have their own courier service on their website, I never knew this existed.  

https://send.parcelforce.com/

gavin_axecaster

^You've always been able to book on Parcelforce's website and the Rewards4U has been running for a while now but that site and allowing non-business accounts is new since the end of October.
Parcelforce direct using the R4U discount is handy for lightweight domestic shipments but anything over about 4KG or anything international it's cheaper to go via Parcelmonkey.

streethawk

bingefeller said:

streethawk said:

Shipped loads. Parcelforce is the only viable option I'm aware of.

 The broker websites tend not to service NI to mainland UK, though will take orders for the return leg - which is nuts. if they do, they're dearer than parcelforce.

Suppose you could pay a fair bit extra for, say, UPS. But why?

 So it's parcel force for me.

You can also join parcelforce rewards4u and get 15% off prices. They'll print labels for you if required.

Are you in Northern Ireland?

So if I don’t have any labels at all, I can take my parcel to the post office and get them to print address labels for me?

I get them to collect, and the checkout process allows you to choose whether to print your own labels.

@gavin_axecaster I don't think parcelmonkey is cheaper from NI.

The other thing about PF from NI is that the 24hr guaranteed service rarely makes it over to UK in 24hrs so not really worth paying the extra.

gavin_axecaster

Once you get over about 5KG PM is cheaper - I can ship 30kg to NI for £19.99 48 hr service via PM but that is £41.98 direct with Parcelforce. As far as I know it works the same coming from NI - I just had a batch of bodies come over on 24hr service for £25 via PM.

bingefeller

gavin_axecaster said:

^You've always been able to book on Parcelforce's website and the Rewards4U has been running for a while now but that site and allowing non-business accounts is new since the end of October.
Parcelforce direct using the R4U discount is handy for lightweight domestic shipments but anything over about 4KG or anything international it's cheaper to go via Parcelmonkey.

I didn't know that, wish I had of though!

streethawk said:

bingefeller said:

streethawk said:

Shipped loads. Parcelforce is the only viable option I'm aware of.

 The broker websites tend not to service NI to mainland UK, though will take orders for the return leg - which is nuts. if they do, they're dearer than parcelforce.

Suppose you could pay a fair bit extra for, say, UPS. But why?

 So it's parcel force for me.

You can also join parcelforce rewards4u and get 15% off prices. They'll print labels for you if required.

Are you in Northern Ireland?

So if I don’t have any labels at all, I can take my parcel to the post office and get them to print address labels for me?

I get them to collect, and the checkout process allows you to choose whether to print your own labels.

@gavin_axecaster I don't think parcelmonkey is cheaper from NI.

The other thing about PF from NI is that the 24hr guaranteed service rarely makes it over to UK in 24hrs so not really worth paying the extra.

I might just use Parcelforce in that case.

I was looking on Parcelmonkey and a lot of the suggested options were indeed Parcelforce, so it's probably just easier to go to the Parcelforce website and book it from there myself.

streethawk

gavin_axecaster said:

Once you get over about 5KG PM is cheaper - I can ship 30kg to NI for £19.99 48 hr service via PM but that is £41.98 direct with Parcelforce. As far as I know it works the same coming from NI - I just had a batch of bodies come over on 24hr service for £25 via PM.

The NI to UK prices, or even availability, are usually different in my experience.

I'll do a comparison when I get a spare minute.

GoldenEraGuitars

The issue is...

Parcelforce recognises NI as part of the U.K. (leave the political comments to the Off Topic section). This is basically how Royal Mail acts. 

Couriers treat NI as “Ireland” or foreign land. Tbf the Irish Sea is extremely expensive to cross for some reason. I can confirm I sent 9 Guitar bodies to the mainland for £25 with parcelforce via parcel monkey. It was fully unsured too otherwise it would have been about £8-9 less.

uksaint7

Another issue is insurance- when I've sent reasonably expensive guitars from NI before the cheaper options don't seem to cover musical instruments or have a cap on value so I've ended up paying a small fortune for Parcelforce but at least having peace of mind it is covered if the worst happens..