Delivery / Shipping Experiences

Posted by: Russt on 05 February 2012

Which delivery companies would you recomend for shipping Naim Equipment within the UK?

Has anyone had any good or bad experiences?

 

Looking into the costs, to cover for the actual value of the equipment the price rockets dramatically so do most people send their loved equipment without proper cover? Also, should you cover for the price of the actual value or the replacement cost?

 

Any guidance most welcome.

Posted on: 05 February 2012 by Richard Dane

Russ,

 

Recently I have found City Link to be pretty much the best.  Insurance is usually charged at around 5% of value by most couriers.  Use an agent like Parcelmonkey or Parcel2go to get the best rates.  Packaging is key.  I would double box and add extra padding internally - lots of screwed up newspaper is pretty much ideal.

Posted on: 05 February 2012 by GraemeH
Photograph the packaged product before sending as many will try the 'unsuitably packaged' claim to try and weasel out of paying insurance if the goods arrive damaged. Been there, got the T-shirt. G
Posted on: 05 February 2012 by fatcat

Would original Naim packaging fall foul of an insurance claim. I'll be shipping a piece of Naim equipment to Europe in the near future, I wouldn't like it not to be fully insured.

Posted on: 05 February 2012 by GraemeH
The Couriers (non)definition of 'suitably packaged' gives them enough wriggle room to raise the counterclaim that the items were not adequately protected when things go wrong - in my experience. Saying that, it's once in quite a few transactions over the years, but it was enough to make me think twice about accepting courier liabilities again. Anything in future will be sent at buyers organisation cost and risk. G
Posted on: 05 February 2012 by Russt

Thanks for your responses.

 

Richard - Am I right in thinking that Naim use Interlink to send their items from the factory. All the Naim boxes I own have an Interlink sticker on them.

I tried the interlink website but the max insurance cover is £750.

 

With most of the other companies, if I want to send an XPS2 for example worth £2000, the insurance alone is around £100!!!!

Posted on: 05 February 2012 by Richard Dane

AFAIK, Naim use Interlink, TNT and a few others - depends where it's going and who's doing the best job at any time.

 

If you don't have a commercial sendings policy then Insurance is very expensive.  It all depends on how much risk you're willing to take on.  If none, or as little as possible, then it costs.  Probably cheaper to jump in the car and deliver yourself.  At least you know it got there safely and all was OK. 

Posted on: 05 February 2012 by Southweststokie

I find it best  for buyer to collect, meet halfway by car or if too far buyer to arrange their own packing and shipping. That way it's not your loss.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Ken

Posted on: 06 February 2012 by intothevoid

I've used Interparcel as a broker many, many times in the past as they offer good rates and a reliable service, but insurance is always expensive. The weight of Naim kit also adds to the cost.

 

Only once have I had to make a claim and was fortunate enough to have taken pictures of the consignment before it was collected and as it was delivered. The courier didn't contest the claim.

Posted on: 06 February 2012 by Officer DBL

I think with couriers it is always going to be a bit of a lottery. Have had experience of a range of them delivering boxes to me over here and the service has ranged from OK to horrendous.

 

When my CD555 was delivered a few years ago, I chose to pick it up from the depot to take at least one journey out of the equation. At the depot I asked for the item and out of curiosity followed the guy into the warehouse.

 

He came around the corner carrying the PS box and rolling the CD555 box along with his foot.  I shouted at him and explained that he had a £10k football!  He was suitably abashed, but so was the box!

 

There was a decent sized dent in the box that pierced the cardboard.  I told him that there was a very good chance that I would be claiming if the contents were in anyway damaged. He didn't have a foot to stand on.

 

On getting home I unpacked the box and the 555 head unit was intact. Credit is very much due to Naim for the bombproof nature of their packaging.

 

I endorse the advice given above in that whenever you are packing a Naim box for shipment, the more the packing you can get in to cushion the item, the better.  I use foam chunks.

 

Brad

Posted on: 07 February 2012 by mista h

A few years ago i was talking to the depot manager at out local depot in Croydon(now rebranded as DPD or G4S or something).

He made the comment that if any of their drivers are caught chucking parcels around they get a warning,get caught a 2nd time and they get a P45.

 

Mista H