Furniture Courier?

[sitefive]

Currently using parcelforce for not so large items,not that their prices are good but no1 else really offers anything where you can send bulky items so no choice really.. Was wondering what service do you use here when for example you want to send even bulkier items such as a table set for example?
I have seen people selling table sets on ebay and charging just £45-£50 to deliver nationwide so there must be someone who specializes at this?

 

[YorkshireMartin]

I can't speak with authority on this at all as such, but..humour me...

We've held a credit card merchant account for a long time (not relating to furniture). Periodically we are asked, in the manner of bank account marketing, to switch to a new provider. Anyone who has done this will tell you that one of the very first questions they ask when applying for a merchant account, even by "invitation", is whether or not you are retailing furniture (or certain other goods). Some acquiring banks (the banks who take responsibility for the transaction on behalf of Visa/Mastercard etc) won't cover for furniture at all, or those that do, charge enormous fee's.

Out of interest, I did ask my provider why this question was raised. It's to do with the amount of claims raised against card companies in that class of retail. Whilst that doesn't reflect negatively purely on couriers, on pressing further, I was informed that the majority of complaints from card holders was down to damage. Most of which, one would logically assume, was in transit.

My point is, I suppose, that if its considered a very specific area of concern by card companies and banks, then you may want to look very closely at the subject.

They know their onions when it comes to risk and even if you do not perform credit card sales, you'd perhaps be wise to research further. Even if I was a professional maker, which I'm not, I wouldn't trust a "standard" courier company with any item of furniture destined for a customer. Based purely on my experience as a consumer.

Also, the standard compensation (incorporating all financial values) from most "national couriers" isn't worth the paper it's printed on so you're leaving yourself open to a financial black hole, potentially.

Be careful.

 

[sitefive]

Well aware of that..and btw most of the couriers who offers you insurance- does not covers furniture, they will still sell you insurance but it won't be worth anything that why I like to stick to a region where I can deliver myself However I realize that the time &Fuel wasted to do that costs me actually more than It would if I were to use a courier.

 

[Droogs]

My BIL works for a moving company. They do alsorts of moves, mainly stuff for museums and galleries. He was at the guggenheim recently preparing to ship about £38M worth of stuff. Little while back he moved a mammoth. They also do a lot of moving here in the UK including machinery. Will get the company details when SWMBO gets back from work as she has his business card

 

[sitefive]

Well this is Kinda ridiculous but.. Since I'm not Originally from UK I asked a few private couriers back in my country how much would it be to transport smaller/flatpacked where possible furniture pieces to UK, and what would you know? It is a bit cheaper/or same price to deliver from 1800miles away to UK than it is here to transport usually just 100-200miles away

 

[doctor Bob]

Give it a rest, all you do is moan about the UK.

 

[No skills]

Yeah! That's our job.

 

[Droogs]

TBH I had forgotten about this thread. But here are the details as promised:

Phil Stewart
National Development Manager
Clark & Rose
Email: [email protected]
Mob: +44 774 131 3800

 

[adidat]

A client a few months back used a high end firm to move some valuable paintings....

Didnt stop them taring a 250 year old painting. And smashing a corner on a cabinet!

Adidat

 

[Student]

Sitefive

Perhaps you should ask the private couriers in your country what method they use for delivering to the UK and where in the UK they deliver to.

It seems to me that they have two options:

a) Load a van/lorry with all their deliveries to the UK, drive to a Channel Port and then drive to the delivery destination although 1,800 miles is quite a way to come. In this case, their costs are driver’s pay, fuel, toll charges if going via France and Italy, ferry costs plus hotel expenses. Their costs may also depend on how far they have to travel in the UK from the ferry port. Where do they normally deliver to? Delivering from Dover, say, to addresses in Kent is substantially cheaper than delivering to Northumberland, Cumbria or Scotland. Similarly, if they arrive at a port in the north of England, Kent, Cornwall etc. are not so easy to get to. However, if they have already travelled 1,800 miles, an extra 200-300 may not matter. Presumably, compared to the UK, their driver's pay (plus add-ons such as social insurance, pensions etc.) isn't that much and they may not have to pay VAT on their charges. Finally, do they only deliver once they have a full van load.

b) They only collect in your country and then use other transporters (truck/rail/sea) to deliver to the UK or else they deliver to the UK themselves. Do they then get a local, UK, firm, to deliver within the UK. In this case, why not ask them who they use for the final miles? If their costs in delivering to the UK are the same as you can find at the moment within the UK, if you deduct their costs of delivering to the UK in the first place, the UK elements of their costs ought to be cheaper than anything you have found so far.

 

[blackrodd]

Sitefive

Perhaps you should ask the private couriers in your country what method they use for delivering to the UK and where in the UK they deliver to.

It seems to me that they have two options:

a) Load a van/lorry with all their deliveries to the UK, drive to a Channel Port and then drive to the delivery destination although 1,800 miles is quite a way to come. In this case, their costs are driver’s pay, fuel, toll charges if going via France and Italy, ferry costs plus hotel expenses. Their costs may also depend on how far they have to travel in the UK from the ferry port. Where do they normally deliver to? Delivering from Dover, say, to addresses in Kent is substantially cheaper than delivering to Northumberland, Cumbria or Scotland. Similarly, if they arrive at a port in the north of England, Kent, Cornwall etc. are not so easy to get to. However, if they have already travelled 1,800 miles, an extra 200-300 may not matter. Presumably, compared to the UK, their driver's pay (plus add-ons such as social insurance, pensions etc.) isn't that much and they may not have to pay VAT on their charges. Finally, do they only deliver once they have a full van load.

b) They only collect in your country and then use other transporters (truck/rail/sea) to deliver to the UK or else they deliver to the UK themselves. Do they then get a local, UK, firm, to deliver within the UK. In this case, why not ask them who they use for the final miles? If their costs in delivering to the UK are the same as you can find at the moment within the UK, if you deduct their costs of delivering to the UK in the first place, the UK elements of their costs ought to be cheaper than anything you have found so far.

After Reading the above post, I had a look at a map, Shortest distance is to drive 829 miles latvia to Hoek, then the Hoek ferry to Harwich, do the deliveries and get the ferry and drive 829 miles back.
Diesel for 1,600 miles and return ferry, I would think you need a big truck, filled right up to make that pay.
Regards Rodders

 

[lurker]

Yep the uk really is the pits. Full of scammers and idle ignorant folks who have not got a clue.
So it's not surprising everyone is leaving and no one wants to come and live here, they would be mad to when they have the option of all the Eastern European Utopias.

 

[lurker]

Yeah! That's our job.

It's a right I have earned after obeying the laws and paying my taxes for 45 years :lol:

 

[marcros]

Yep the uk really is the pits. Full of scammers and idle ignorant folks who have not got a clue.
So it's not surprising everyone is leaving and no one wants to come and live here, they would be mad to when they have the option of all the Eastern European Utopias.

where the premium timber is almost given away and the couriers are plentiful.