Parcel packing and delivery

[Anthony Darby]

Here's a moan that kills two birds with one stone. Pixmania and DHL. I ordered a camera for Lucy's 10th birthday on 23rd March. I had £69 credit because Pixmania wouldn't refund me the money for a cheapie Satnav I'd ordered for driving to Croatia last summer - it worked for a week, and because I'd omitted a small cloth bag when I returned it for repair they sent it back. It was only when I complained that it still didn't work they said I'd sent it back with something missing. (WTF had that to do with it not working only they knew, and they wouldn't tell me? Apparently I wouldn't understand!) Need less to say the £69 pounds only came useful when I realised they had a camera that Lucy would like (i.e. pink). I ordered it and keyed in the amount on the voucher. No joy. Apparently if you've got a voucher for £69 the maximum it is worth is £68.99. Anyway, that was sorted and the method of delivery ticked (DHL). Yesterday I received through the letter box a note saying DHL had tried to deliver but I was out (now there's a surprise) and it had been taken back to the depot. The GPO depot is a mile away. The DHL depot is in Perth, 30 miles away, so I phoned. Do you you want to collect it. (** * ****!) No, can I have it redirected? No problem. Where? Graeme High School, Falkirk. Sorry sir, that is covered by our Edinburgh depot and we can't deliver there, how about a neighbour? They all work during the day. I eventually decided to put upon my mother in Doune. That's OK sir. The parcel arrived, and I enclose pics of the way the ignorant sods have packed it, loose in a box with no note or packing material. I have no idea if everything is there, and to his credit, the DHL delivery man did apologise for the state of the parcel. It's not his fault. These idiots clearly have never heard of bubble wrap. I will be sending this link to them!

[David Nicholson]

You can't get the staff these days!

[Maggi Young]

That is deeply irritating ..... but will the camera work and will Lucy like it?

[Anthony Darby]

That is deeply irritating ..... but will the camera work and will Lucy like it?

A good question? I'm assuming the camera will work, and I will try it when she's not around. She will like it as it's pink (and its a Canon, which also take video with sound). 10mp and half price, but then who sells anything at full price these days?

[Anthony Darby]

I have had two replies from Pixmania:

"Mr. Darby ,


Thank you for contacting our Customer Service department. We would like to confirm that a request  for an investigation is being sent to DHL.


We will keep you informed concerning the progress of your file."

and one from someone called "noreply"

"Dear Anthony Darby,

Thank you for your e-mail.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused.

A request has been made for an investigation with DHL to check your case. This process can take up to 30 days.

We will inform you by e-mail once the investigation has been concluded.

However, I invite you to send the pictures of your received parcel to transport@pixmania.com .

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Best regards,

 
Team Pixmania

30 days to sort it out is a fat lot of use to me if Lucy's camera is broken! They also appear to be blaming DHL. Why? Perhaps DHL are supposed to open the parcel, wrap the camera in bubble wrap so it is secure in the oversized box, and then forward it? When I receive packages of bulbs I am always delighted in the care that the sender has taken to ensure safe delivery. These guys are supposed to be professionals!

[David Shaw]

I recently had to return a consignment of soft back books to the supplier THREE times because the books had just been dumped in an overlarge box before despatch. We sorted it out eventually.

[Michael J Campbell]

My son had a mobile phone delivered a few days ago in a box 30cm x30cm x15cm. The phone was in a small box 12cm  x 8cm and was tumbling around in the large box with no packing material inside at all,

[Carol Shaw]

30 days to sort it out is a fat lot of use to me if Lucy's camera is broken! They also appear to be blaming DHL. Why? Perhaps DHL are supposed to open the parcel, wrap the camera in bubble wrap so it is secure in the oversized box, and then forward it? When I receive packages of bulbs I am always delighted in the care that the sender has taken to ensure safe delivery. These guys are supposed to be professionals!

Hi Anthony
If the used DHL then, in my experience the package has to be open for DHL to inspect when they collect... it is possible that it was not properly wrapped after that. I recently sent a computer to Holland and forgot this rule - the whole thing had to be unpacked an repacked in front of the DHL guy!  Seems that folk use DHL to sending things it is not legal to send...

[Anthony Darby]

DHL don't have the authority to open parcels. I certainly would never use them. I wonder if Mickey Mouse has a DHL watch?

[Carol Shaw]

DHL don't have the authority to open parcels. I certainly would never use them. I wonder if Mickey Mouse has a DHL watch?

Anthony DHL requires that the package not be sealed up when they collect - they inspect the contents thereof and it is then sealed, usually by the person sending the package and DHL applies their tape proving it was sealed in their sight or, if small, puts into a DHL bag. Obviously I have no way of knowing what happened in your case.

As David has already said it took GBS three goes to send us 5 copies of Macro Photography... meaning that 10 copies of the book were wasted. Each time we had to get GBS to send us a credit note and re-send the books... GBS also had to collect said damaged books from us. David had ordered in time to take to the AGM where he knew he would make sales but with all GBS's faffing around the books were far to late for that!  This was the worst example of GBS's lack of care and quality control in the warehouse, there have been others.

[Anthony Darby]

Thank goodness for the Post Office.

DHL don't have the authority to open parcels. I certainly would never use them. I wonder if Mickey Mouse has a DHL watch?

Anthony DHL requires that the package not be sealed up when they collect - they inspect the contents thereof and it is then sealed, usually by the person sending the package and DHL applies their tape proving it was sealed in their sight or, if small, puts into a DHL bag. Obviously I have no way of knowing what happened in your case.

This can't be the norm, as, allegedly ( - I'll deny it) a friend in America has sent me cocoons on several occasions labelled 'child's toy' using DHL and they haven't been opened. All they do is slap VAT on them!

[Paddy Tobin]

David,

Referring to your posting on books through the post. I regularly receive books directly from various publishers. The ingenuity of the design of the cardboard packaging for these books has always impressed me. If several books are being delivered, they are usually parcelled individually and then put into a box to contain all together and then into a strong sack which is securely tied at the top.

This contrasts with your experience.

Paddy

[Carol Shaw]

David,

Referring to your posting on books through the post. I regularly receive books directly from various publishers. The ingenuity of the design of the cardboard packaging for these books has always impressed me. If several books are being delivered, they are usually parcelled individually and then put into a box to contain all together and then into a strong sack which is securely tied at the top.

This contrasts with your experience.

Paddy

Paddy GBS is going through a bad patch, they moved their warehouses and, seem, to have slightly lost the plot! If you order, or are sent, one book it is likely to arrive in perfect condition and if it is very slightly damaged you will probably not worry. As David, or myself, are ordering for the club to sell on to the members the books HAVE to arrive in perfect condition. GBS is Timber Press' distributor and, at present, they have serious problems with their book packaging!