Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
On Monday I posted three bears..I had to use a courier service because due to the postal strikes here in the UK they have suspended the Royal Mail Special Delivery services till they clear the backlog. So better be safe than sorry I used DHL, my usual choice if I have to use a courier.
Two of the parcels were heading for places in the UK, one of those going to South Wales...and the third parcel was off to the USA.
I regularly checked the tracking on-line and was noticing that the one going to the USA was making better progress than the one going to South Wales..and lo and behold the US one was delivered yesterday..within just over 24 hours of my sending it...and yes, you guessed it...the one going to Wales ain't there yet....
The other one got to it's destination in the UK yesterday too, but how can it be that a parcel going somewhere no more than a couple of hours drive from my house takes longer to be delivered than one travelling thousands of miles?
That's outrageous!! :crackup: Why aren't I surprised?!! 
what?????? 
How??????? Why??????
hmmmm...I'm a bit miffed by this one - and yet it seems so typical of services in the UK!!! 
Ellen - its so infuriating isn't it, when a business makes a mistake and then expects us to pay for it!!! 
I don't get surprised these days..in fact, I am always pleasantly surprised when things don't go wrong LOL...and funnily enough according to the on-line tracker the UK parcel still hasn't got to it's destination!! How hard can it be?
Ellen I have heard bad things about UPS....I think they have a reputation for being disorganised!!
Little Bear GuyWell luckily enough we only use UPS and have never had a major problem. In April we were doing a show in Schaumburg and I shipped the boxed and it was guranteed three days delivery and it should have been received on the Thursday. It didn't arrive until the Friday which was still in time for the show, but we had paid a huge amount of money to have the boxed shipped three days guranteed. I called UPS and told them that I wanted my money back as they did not meet their gurantee. They instantly credited our account with the shipping amount, I was amazed as I thought I would have a major problem with them regarding this.
We did ship a bear to Florida one time and the collector received it then called us as she had to pay a 28.00 fee, UPS had told her it was because we didn't pay for the shipping cost same as you Ellen. When we called UPS ourselves they explained that it was a processing fee that they charged as the box went through customs. The collector was not happy with us but I explained to her that our website clearly states we are not responsible for customs or duties or any other charges that may be incurred with shipping. Yet it still bothered me that UPS tried to blame us for the charge instead of telling the collector it was their own fee.
Sometimes you just can't win, but I know you do have to stay on top of UPS and watch them. The problem for us though is it is cheaper for us to ship with UPS than it is with Canada post and quicker.
big hugs
Shane
Newelley.BearsJenny...
Are you sure you aren't secretly living in Canada? Our postal service is notoriously bad. It has come to the point where most of the time, firends of mine just go to Detroit in the US to mail their items...At least they are reliable!
Jeremy
Jenny, I guess the parcel to the USA got on a plane with a tail wind and the one going to Wales was put on a truck which is now stuck in the mud. :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
Ellen, I'm confused we don't have VAT here in the states so why would your collector have to pay VAT? This is one of the reasons I very rarely use UPS. DHL is much better if you have access to them.
Hugs,
Teddies to TreasureTis is a little OT but I bought a bear from the US 2 weeks ago.I paid the seller for the bear and postage.She sent it to me by UPS.When it got to my door I had to pay another $135.00.The value for customs was $500.I was expecting to pay the 14% Canadian tax and a $5.00 handling fee.However the other $65.was what UPS charged as their"broker's fee"to bring my parcel into Canada from the US.I nearly fell on my well-cushioned tush!! When I order mohair it comes "Airmail to Canada" where I pay the tax and handling. I feel that parcels sent internationally should just be sent airmail without involving a broker. I am in a real quandery as to what to do another time that I want to buy a bear from the US. I really love my bear but it did end up being so much pricier than I had originally thought.Sincerely Jane D. ( Just a FYI so others won't be shocked at the door)
Matilda Huggington-beareIt would have been quick to take it there yourself Jenny 
Little Bear GuyWow that's interesting Jane. What we have to do when we ship a bear to the US we have to advise on the form that it is a Teddy Bear and falls under NAFTA as a toy therefore it won't go through customs and there wouldn't be any brokerage fee's applied. We learned this the hard way, we never ever have anything shipped from the US by UPS because of brokerage fees.
Next time Jane just ask the seller or the artist to send it by regular or priority mail and not through UPS.
big hugs
Shane
Newcastle, OntarioJane,
I agree with Shane - state emphatically that you will not deal with shipping to Canada by UPS! ALways ask for airmail letter post or some other way! You'll get dinged every time by UPS!
hugs,
Brenda
Newcastle, OntarioJenny,
I had a similar incident a couple of weeks ago, going in the reverse direction. I mailed four parcels - two to the U.S. and two to Europe. The two European ones were there in three days and the U.S. ones took over two fulll weeks!
hugs,
Brenda
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)So, then...
it would be safe to assume that you lot in GB/UK don't still receive twice a day deliveries???
That's it! I'm off the Beeb/Granada for the duration!
We haven't had lunch-time post for ages....it's been so long I had forgotten we ever had it.....
