Postage caution!

OilCityPickups

A word of caution for my own customers (and other peoples) regarding posting small, high value items.

Of late I've had several instances of customers sending pickups that due to their rarity have a very high price indeed - for repair and or rewind - by non tracked and signed mail services and even by EVRI. 

For almost irreplaceable items don't be bloody daft, don't cheap out, and send things by the most cut price means possible. 

First of all EVRI don't care if a package is delivered or not, have abysmal customer services ... and drivers who are happy to throw stuff over your gate in the rain ... or as they did with a hundred pound guitar neck 'left it under your bins mate'. 

At very minimum you should use a service offering compensation that will give you a reasonable chance of replacing your item - and for vintage pickups that means Royal Mail Special Delivery. 

We have had only lost two parcels destined for us disappear in 13 years, and NONE was sent special delivery, I know it's more expensive, but so is loosing gear. 
FedEx is good too ... and DPD used to be ... but now seem determined to attempt delivery out of commercial hours (like 7.00 in the evening) 
Sending precious items uninsured is like Russian Roulette. 

ICBM

My brother-in-law used to work for Royal Fail (his term!) as a sorting office manager… his advice was to *never* send anything of real value by any other service than Special Delivery, because first of all the loss rate is much smaller, and secondly it’s the only one which will actually pay out any compensation without extremely difficult hoops to jump through (if even then) if they do still lose it. From the horse’s mouth!

RaymondLin

This has always been my take and if it is irreplaceable, I hand deliver it myself.  Like when I had to retake a module at uni and had to submit the work (Architecture, so it was A0 drawings. by hand).  I could not risk posting it from home and I took a 6hour train journey from home to uni through 3 trains and then back on the same day.  

Wazmeister

I say it everytime, ALWAYS use Special Delivery 

Danielsguitars

I sent some pickups recently signed for by royal mail and something very dodgy happened.
It was signed for and not by my guy, it wasn't given to the neighbour they said, the signature wasn't recognised either.
45 mins on a phone a few days later and that day they get delivered no idea wtf happened but won't use that service again.

TTony

OilCityPickups said:

For almost irreplaceable items don't be bloody daft, don't cheap out, and send things by the most cut price means possible. 

the old saying has never been more true ...

"a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing"

Don't buy cheapest price.  Buy best value

Snags

Danielsguitars said:

I sent some pickups recently signed for by royal mail and something very dodgy happened.
It was signed for and not by my guy, it wasn't given to the neighbour they said, the signature wasn't recognised either.
45 mins on a phone a few days later and that day they get delivered no idea wtf happened but won't use that service again.

Signed for, rather than Special Delivery is just that - they want a signature. Doesn't matter whose, or even if it's the right address ...

SquireJapan

I’ve had something signed for delivered to a neighbour. Never to be seen of again. 

It had a photo of delivery and status was just “delivered”. The photo was of a white wall. 

Royal Mail just said it was delivered to me, but it wasn’t. After digging they then said to a neighbour. Checked with that neighbour and all the ones around. Nothing. 

So yeah … Special Delivery is my recommendation too by default. 

It was a rare thing, but not expensive. 

inewham

How does special delivery differ?

I sent something valuable, I'm sure it was SD. It was signed for but not by the person I sent it to and RM just kept dismissing me saying it's been delivered. The signature just said Berta. Luckily the intended recipient was given it 3 or 4 months later because Berta said he looked like the sort who might like it! RM were totally unhelpful 

RaymondLin

inewham said:

How does special delivery do differ?

Minimum compensation for SD is £500.  Signed for is like £25 or is it £50?  

SD is tracked through a different system, not the normal post.  SD do not deliver on Saturday unless you pay extra.  Signed For it's basically normal post and can arrive on Saturday. 

ElectricXII

For items up to £100 or so, I used Royal Mail Tracked 48 which has compensation up to £150. Never had a problem.

OilCityPickups

inewham said:

How does special delivery differ?

I sent something valuable, I'm sure it was SD. It was signed for but not by the person I sent it to and RM just kept dismissing me saying it's been delivered. The signature just said Berta. Luckily the intended recipient was given it 3 or 4 months later because Berta said he looked like the sort who might like it! RM were totally unhelpful 

With Special Delivery the postman has to take a picture of you actually receiving the parcel - not just a signature. 
You can then pretty much identify what address and person the parcel was taken in by. Signed For don't care who signs or even if it's the right address.
Special delivery:
Compensation Includes compensation up to £750 as standard Additional compensation is available, up to £2,500: Cover up to £1,000 for an extra £1.00 Cover up to £2,500 for an extra £3.00

Kittyfrisk

OilCityPickups said:

inewham said:

How does special delivery differ?

I sent something valuable, I'm sure it was SD. It was signed for but not by the person I sent it to and RM just kept dismissing me saying it's been delivered. The signature just said Berta. Luckily the intended recipient was given it 3 or 4 months later because Berta said he looked like the sort who might like it! RM were totally unhelpful 

With Special Delivery the postman has to take a picture of you actually receiving the parcel - not just a signature. 
You can then pretty much identify what address and person the parcel was taken in by. Signed For don't care who signs or even if it's the right address.
Special delivery:
Compensation Includes compensation up to £750 as standard Additional compensation is available, up to £2,500: Cover up to £1,000 for an extra £1.00 Cover up to £2,500 for an extra £3.00

Sounds good, but if an individual refuses to have their photo taken (not entirely unreasonable?) then there isn't much a postie can do other than attempt to snap a delivery of a faceless individual at a location that may or may not be the delivery address.

Danielsguitars

Snags said:

Danielsguitars said:

I sent some pickups recently signed for by royal mail and something very dodgy happened.
It was signed for and not by my guy, it wasn't given to the neighbour they said, the signature wasn't recognised either.
45 mins on a phone a few days later and that day they get delivered no idea wtf happened but won't use that service again.

Signed for, rather than Special Delivery is just that - they want a signature. Doesn't matter whose, or even if it's the right address ...

I didn't know this at the time, it's rubbish if you ask me.

m_c

Kittyfrisk said:

OilCityPickups said:

inewham said:

How does special delivery differ?

I sent something valuable, I'm sure it was SD. It was signed for but not by the person I sent it to and RM just kept dismissing me saying it's been delivered. The signature just said Berta. Luckily the intended recipient was given it 3 or 4 months later because Berta said he looked like the sort who might like it! RM were totally unhelpful 

With Special Delivery the postman has to take a picture of you actually receiving the parcel - not just a signature. 
You can then pretty much identify what address and person the parcel was taken in by. Signed For don't care who signs or even if it's the right address.
Special delivery:
Compensation Includes compensation up to £750 as standard Additional compensation is available, up to £2,500: Cover up to £1,000 for an extra £1.00 Cover up to £2,500 for an extra £3.00

Sounds good, but if an individual refuses to have their photo taken (not entirely unreasonable?) then there isn't much a postie can do other than attempt to snap a delivery to a faceless individual at a location that may or may not be the delivery address.

They don't take a photo of your face due to GDPR. It's a headless torso with parcel/letter at feet/being held in shot.

OilCityPickups

m_c said:

Kittyfrisk said:

OilCityPickups said:

inewham said:

How does special delivery differ?

I sent something valuable, I'm sure it was SD. It was signed for but not by the person I sent it to and RM just kept dismissing me saying it's been delivered. The signature just said Berta. Luckily the intended recipient was given it 3 or 4 months later because Berta said he looked like the sort who might like it! RM were totally unhelpful 

With Special Delivery the postman has to take a picture of you actually receiving the parcel - not just a signature. 
You can then pretty much identify what address and person the parcel was taken in by. Signed For don't care who signs or even if it's the right address.
Special delivery:
Compensation Includes compensation up to £750 as standard Additional compensation is available, up to £2,500: Cover up to £1,000 for an extra £1.00 Cover up to £2,500 for an extra £3.00

Sounds good, but if an individual refuses to have their photo taken (not entirely unreasonable?) then there isn't much a postie can do other than attempt to snap a delivery to a faceless individual at a location that may or may not be the delivery address.

They don't take a photo of your face due to GDPR. It's a headless torso with parcel/letter at feet/being held in shot.

Well lets put it this way ... if the headless delivery picture features a 23 stone geezer in a gimp suit at the gates of a country mansion ... your pickup hasn't gone to Oil City Pickups :-) 

Any speculation of which of my competitors it will have gone to in this event ... is futile ... your secret's safe Seymour :-)

TTony

OilCityPickups said

Well lets put it this way ... if the headless delivery picture features a 23 stone geezer in a gimp suit at the gates of a country mansion ... your pickup hasn't gone to Oil City Pickups :-) 

No mansions in your part of East London.

OilCityPickups

TTony said:

OilCityPickups said

Well lets put it this way ... if the headless delivery picture features a 23 stone geezer in a gimp suit at the gates of a country mansion ... your pickup hasn't gone to Oil City Pickups :-) 

No mansions in your part of East London.

Lots of Albanian 'entrepreneurs' though ... huge, matt black AMD Mercedes, black puffer jackets and faded, stretch jeans ... Ray Bans and Rolex watches ... 
Independent ... er ... traders  

Kittyfrisk

OilCityPickups said:

m_c said:

Kittyfrisk said:

OilCityPickups said:

inewham said:

How does special delivery differ?

I sent something valuable, I'm sure it was SD. It was signed for but not by the person I sent it to and RM just kept dismissing me saying it's been delivered. The signature just said Berta. Luckily the intended recipient was given it 3 or 4 months later because Berta said he looked like the sort who might like it! RM were totally unhelpful 

With Special Delivery the postman has to take a picture of you actually receiving the parcel - not just a signature. 
You can then pretty much identify what address and person the parcel was taken in by. Signed For don't care who signs or even if it's the right address.
Special delivery:
Compensation Includes compensation up to £750 as standard Additional compensation is available, up to £2,500: Cover up to £1,000 for an extra £1.00 Cover up to £2,500 for an extra £3.00

Sounds good, but if an individual refuses to have their photo taken (not entirely unreasonable?) then there isn't much a postie can do other than attempt to snap a delivery to a faceless individual at a location that may or may not be the delivery address.

They don't take a photo of your face due to GDPR. It's a headless torso with parcel/letter at feet/being held in shot.

Well lets put it this way ... if the headless delivery picture features a 23 stone geezer in a gimp suit at the gates of a country mansion ... your pickup hasn't gone to Oil City Pickups :-) 

Any speculation of which of my competitors it will have gone to in this event ... is futile ... your secret's safe Seymour :-)

Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much... :-D

OilCityPickups

Kittyfrisk said:

OilCityPickups said:

m_c said:

Kittyfrisk said:

OilCityPickups said:

inewham said:

How does special delivery differ?

I sent something valuable, I'm sure it was SD. It was signed for but not by the person I sent it to and RM just kept dismissing me saying it's been delivered. The signature just said Berta. Luckily the intended recipient was given it 3 or 4 months later because Berta said he looked like the sort who might like it! RM were totally unhelpful 

With Special Delivery the postman has to take a picture of you actually receiving the parcel - not just a signature. 
You can then pretty much identify what address and person the parcel was taken in by. Signed For don't care who signs or even if it's the right address.
Special delivery:
Compensation Includes compensation up to £750 as standard Additional compensation is available, up to £2,500: Cover up to £1,000 for an extra £1.00 Cover up to £2,500 for an extra £3.00

Sounds good, but if an individual refuses to have their photo taken (not entirely unreasonable?) then there isn't much a postie can do other than attempt to snap a delivery to a faceless individual at a location that may or may not be the delivery address.

They don't take a photo of your face due to GDPR. It's a headless torso with parcel/letter at feet/being held in shot.

Well lets put it this way ... if the headless delivery picture features a 23 stone geezer in a gimp suit at the gates of a country mansion ... your pickup hasn't gone to Oil City Pickups :-) 

Any speculation of which of my competitors it will have gone to in this event ... is futile ... your secret's safe Seymour :-)

Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much... :-D

I'm only twelve stone I'll have you know :-)

Kittyfrisk

^ Those gimp suits will put 11 stones on you, easily. 






Ermmm... allegedly, cough cough.