A rant...Sorry. Delivery charges.

[The Artificer]

So, there I am checking out the prices on a well known parts suppliers website. See that lovely claim, 'FREE UK DELIVERY'

See the prices, think, yeah, nice...and create an account. Purchase loadsa lovelies...(oil, air, pollen, fuel filters, for a start). Nice price.

Ohoh...hang on Mr Artificer, you live in the highlands, past Inversnakey...Oh happy us, here ye go, SLAP. Delivery £17.95. End of transaction.

WHY!!! They lured me in with promises of free delivery...they now email me with 'special offers', all with FREE DELIVERY! AARRRGGGHHH!!!

Actually, have had this all to often. Funny though, I never have to pay that much if I have to post something back. The common answer when asking the company why they hit me with these charges is "you live on an island" (its a KW postcode) but as I do live on the mainland, albeit in a rural area, I always counter that with "Don't we all?"

The other funny thing, why is it that one company charges the surcharge, and cant deliver within a weeks timescale, and yet another company (though not fiat parts, sadly) can deliver next day, and with free carriage??

Mutter, mumble...something wrong with this world...gripe, mumble.

Off for a brew! Or maybe, just maybe...(read, more than likely) something stronger. Maybe I'll go out and have a riot later.....

 

[Stu DemonD]

If £17.95 is so bad, I suggest you go and collect it from their premises at your cost

Yes, they may make claims, but hoo hum.

 

[Britny]

We have the same problem in Elgin even though I can spit on the A96 from my house! Really boils my blood I am not highlands I am mainland Scotland.

With some companies I can get away with having it delivered to work. WOrk is more rurally located but with an AB postcode they let me off with the extra delivery!

We ordered a £40 BBQ in the summer and were then emailed to say it would be £40 delivery, Needless to say we told them what to do with teh BBQ

 

[Doofer]

Nobody makes you live up there. You could always move to a city and have far less lovely surroundings, but get free delivery. Your choice.

 

[The Artificer]

Nobody makes you live up there. You could always move to a city and have far less lovely surroundings, but get free delivery. Your choice.

Yes, My Choice, and dont it make you jealous?

Actually, work makes me live here, but thats a different kettle of fish. Mayhaps I should become one of the jobless and live in a slum on benefits....

My point, exactly, was that I dont see why these companies can get away with hitting their customers with large carriage charges, when other companies can deliver free. Why advertise free delievery when it isn't? Would you accept it?

 

[The Artificer]

If £17.95 is so bad, I suggest you go and collect it from their premises at your cost

Yes, they may make claims, but hoo hum.

Yeah...true. It would cost me a lot more.... BUT, is it not a prime example of how complacent we are? If I offered you a nice cold pint of beer, and handed you a glass of lemonade, you'd be upset. Offering free delivery, and then adding caveats is the same.

It doesnt effect you personally...so why bother about it? No, just make a wisecrack instead. Story of the human race I guess. It dont effect me, so tough to anybody else.

 

[Doofer]

Yes, My Choice, and dont it make you jealous?

Totally. Scotland is the best bit of the UK to my mind. To visit anyway, not sure about living there (I haven't been in the winter).

Do they not give a disclaimer, e.g.:

FREE DELIVERY*

* To civilised parts of the country only. If you wear a kilt and smell of whisky and haggis then forget it.

 

[ben]

You think that's bad - I had to pay £20 to send a FF Tshirt to Ireland!!

And this is why the FF shop doesn't send them there anymore

 

[The Artificer]

FREE DELIVERY*

* To civilised parts of the country only. If you wear a kilt and smell of whisky and haggis then forget it.

:

S'about the size of it! Aye, there is an asterisk, when you look close. I got sucked in by the promise of something free. And, no...I'm not an Aberdonian.

I'm still on the mainland though...... Tell you what, I'll get me coat, shall I?

Scotland is the best bit of the UK to my mind. To visit anyway, not sure about living there (I haven't been in the winter).

It can be.....Harsh. We got down to minus 27 C last winter here (I'm not too far from Altnaharra) but even then the Marea started every time. Brakes didnt work too well though, they started working right at about minus 7. Haven't got to the bottom of that yet...new fluid, so nothing to do with hydroscopy...

Been working on a jcb this morning, I have a bucket of coal nearby, lit and smoking, its the best way to keep the midges at bay (Thats the other BUGbear...midges. Can put up with them though, for everything else.)

 

[The Artificer]

You think that's bad - I had to pay £20 to send a FF Tshirt to Ireland!!

And this is why the FF shop doesn't send them there anymore

Ahh...Overseas.... I could have saved you £2.50, and you could have sent it to me instead!

 

[ben]

I still think that is a con in itself, as Northern Island is still £4.50 (the same as the rest of the UK) - but to cross the "border" adds on £15.50 ....

 

[The Artificer]

Cool Tees by the way. And very acceptable delivery price!

I shall be ordering one soon (just had my account phished, and am awaiting a new card)

 

[The Artificer]

I still think that is a con in itself, as Northern Island is still £4.50 (the same as the rest of the UK) - but to cross the "border" adds on £15.50 ....

Yeah, thats how daft it is. You could have thrown it over the border.....

I once tried to arrange delivery of a new gearbox for an Argo..supplier took the money quite the thing, but no gearbox arrived.

So, rang them and was told I had got a refund, as they dont ship any further north than the caledonian canal. I had to ask if it was coming by barge..... Some companies have no sense of humour you know.

 

[Doofer]

Doesn't the existence of the Caledonian canal mean that you do live on an offshore island?

 

[BLKC99]

I do know of your pain due to working for a courier company for over 5 years. I am well aware of the current excessive prices to dispatch an item to the highlands and surrounding areas of north Scotland and they are truly horrendous my friend, at times it can be 3 to 4 times extra on top of the £4.95 or £5.95 standard delivery charge

All I can simply say is that for anyone who lives in these areas to always be careful when shopping online as no courier company in my experience or knowledge can deliver any goods to these areas for FREE or at standard rates, it will always be at an extra cost on top of normal rates. Any company who dispatches items will go via a courier companies price list and the highlands and surrounding areas as well as Isle of Wight and so on are always the UK areas which have over inflated delivery charges.

EDIT: Best way to avoid this happening again is to search for the delivery rates on a company's website, most companies have a price list for their delivery rates on their website, always worth checking before ordering.

EDIT: weight also plays a very big factor...

 

[custard]

I still think that is a con in itself, as Northern Island is still £4.50 (the same as the rest of the UK) - but to cross the "border" adds on £15.50 ....

If you are talking about Royal Mail then the "con" is its only £4.50 in the first place
they have to charge a flat price for the UK regardless of where it is

 

[ben]

Well that;s the thing, they *used* to send it via Royal Mail, which was great - that's why postage in the shop used to be lower (£2.95 to anywhere) - then they started using a courier, who have stupid minimum charges

That Ireland quote for example, allows the package to be up to 31kg!!!!

 

[The Artificer]

Doesn't the existence of the Caledonian canal mean that you do live on an offshore island?

...Nicely put, and a valid point. Interesting to note though, that some areas on the North side of the Caledonian canal dont actually get hit with the surcharge, so its kinda wrong whichever way you look at it.

EDIT: weight also plays a very big factor...

You saying I'm fat?

No, seriously, you're quite right. Usually parts sent by royal mail or parcel farce are cheapest, as its a flat rate...as you rightly say its the couriers that hyke the price.

I use one company for spares, they have a flat rate for delivery, £6.95 to any area in the uk. So, if you order an axle, its £6.95, order a nut and bolt its £6.95. Though, to be fair, they have a quote system for parts too, if you want a nut and bolt, ask for a postage quote, and they'll bung it in a jiffybag and send first class letter instead. I suppose the flat rate saves them time. To be honest, unless its a tiny item, I pay the £6.95, as generally I order a large amount of stuff, or a large part. I feel its fair to take the rough with the smooth same as they do.

 

[M21MFS]

Funnily enough, I've had this issue on one or two occassions having stuff posted as far as Aberdeen. Doesn't seem to happen that often, thankfully, but last time I checked the Highlands started approx 100 miles up the road.

I've made it policy now that if they classify me as living in the Highlands, I just take my order elsewhere. Simples