Problems with suppliers

This topic has 25 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 10 August 2017 at 16:23 by Mike.

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9 August 2017 at 11:11 #311131
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
Why is it that suppliers do not wish to deliver to the Highlands of Scotland,North of Ireland,or certain Iselands ? Are they not all part of the UK ?

Either they are or they are not ! I doubt if the same suppliers would have any problem taking their money if they collected the goods in person .

Seems to be a case of "Sometimes you,re in the club,sometimes you,re not,it all depends"

Some of them appear to think there are still Headhunters over here [OK,there are a few ]
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9 August 2017 at 11:11 #25425
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
9 August 2017 at 11:20 #311132
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Quite a few will if you are willing to pay extra which is quite understandable as the couriers charge them more simply because one man in his white van can't do as many drops in a day as one delivering withing the M25. Couriers that come to me often have a couple of 100 drops on their list so only get a few mins between drops where in the back of beyond it may be 1/2hr of more between drops.

Others don't as there are more scammers pretending to be in these places, the highlands being a particular hot spot for them.
9 August 2017 at 11:32 #311134
Martin Kyte
Participant
@martinkyte99762
I don't really think we should blame the suppliers. Most of them do not do their own delivery service. Rather you should point the finger at the Carriers.

In the case of machinary sales I don't blame them only quoting a price for Mainland UK.

regards Martin
9 August 2017 at 11:46 #311137
Mike
Participant
@mike89748
Martin is right – it is the courier firms who either refuse to deliver to what they call "remote areas", or charge a premium for doing so. I live in the AB (Aberdeen) postcode area, and although I am 60 miles from the city I live within a mile of main road routes, and it is amazing what trouble I have in getting reliable deliveries. I think the worst I had was for a small item worth £25, for which the courier demanded £28 for delivery. The best service we get for small items here is Royal Mail. A lot of it is down to the gross ignorance of Scottish geography displayed by English firms. I could go on the ages about this stupid situation. Grrrrrrrr! There, now I've had my rant for the day!
9 August 2017 at 12:13 #311141
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Deleted previous posts before it degrades into a political rant

Edited By JasonB on 09/08/2017 12:15:08
9 August 2017 at 12:15 #311142
KWIL
Participant
@kwil
Its not deregulation at all, its pure economics, if you live in the back of beyond, everything costs more, including the petrol/diesel you presently use to drive.

The universal postal service was fine when labour costs were low, now everything costs more. Ask yourself the simple question, would you charge the same for delivery of 2 heavy (or even light) items to the Western Isles or just up the road to Aberdeen?
9 August 2017 at 12:20 #311143
Martin Kyte
Participant
@martinkyte99762
If that was aimed at me Jason I appologise, but I don't really see how pointing out a direct consequence of a policy qualifies as a rant when it was merely an observation, but maybe I was causing Mike to get hot under the collar so whatever.

regards Martin
9 August 2017 at 12:26 #311144
Mike
Participant
@mike89748
I apologise, Jason, if I offended – but the points I made were meant to be a reflection on the problems of rural life, and were not meant to be "political." Personally, I wouldn't live in a city, or even a large town, if you paid me.
9 August 2017 at 13:16 #311151
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
Hi Everyone,

I too found that the cost of postage to Ireland was a lot more expensive than the other way around.Perhaps the water is deeper coming this way ! I too have found that often the cost of postage for some items was more than the cost of the item itself.However,the Post Office here have an arrangement whereby I can have deliveries made to an address in England and they will then deliver to me at a most reasonable cost. Since some suppliers deliver free anywhere on what they call "The Mainland",I use this service. While machines are not included,the limits regarding size and weight,are quite generous,and all I have do is pick it up at my local Post Office. Can,t do better than that.

Do you have anything like that over your way ?

PS Neither would I move back to live in a town,got enough of that,give me the sticks any day !
9 August 2017 at 13:21 #311153
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
Hi Mike,

Your problem is one of the side effects of Hadrian,s Wall ! Ye should never have let him build it in the first place !!
9 August 2017 at 13:51 #311156
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
Perhaps if suppliers explained why they dont deliver,instead of just a blank refusal,we might be more understanding. Yet,there is no problem accepting money,no matter how far it has to travel—————————-!
9 August 2017 at 14:18 #311161
David Jupp
Participant
@davidjupp51506
In addition Jason's point about how many deliveries a driver can make in a day, there is also trade imbalance to take into account. If there are a lot more goods going into an area than are going out, the inbound traffic has to pay for the largely empty return trips.

The same is true the other way around – a large excess of outbound freight will have to cover the costs of bringing in empty lorries or ships to move the goods.
9 August 2017 at 14:30 #311164
Mike
Participant
@mike89748
Hi Larry,

I've never heard of that postal system before. Regarding Hadrian's Wall, it was not so much to keep the Scots out of England as to give the Romans trying to colonise parts of Scotland something to retreat behind if the locals turned really nasty. There are some claims that there were hundreds of miles of Roman roads north of the Border.
9 August 2017 at 17:01 #311193
Gordon W
Participant
@gordonw
I live near Mike, in the AB area, I can't understand how I can send stuff away from here very much cheaper than I can get delivery here.
9 August 2017 at 17:14 #311194
David Jupp
Participant
@davidjupp51506
Posted by Gordon W on 09/08/2017 17:01:31:

I live near Mike, in the AB area, I can't understand how I can send stuff away from here very much cheaper than I can get delivery here.

That follows from my earlier post on trade imbalance. If there are lots of empty lorries coming our of your area (having delivered there), the competition will be fierce for what little business that is available in that direction, hence keen prices.
9 August 2017 at 17:46 #311200
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
Hi Mike,

I never knew about this system either until I picked up a leaflet about it in my local Post Office one day. So I said to myself [I often talk to myself,it,s due to old age ,I think ] "Bingo,this could be right up my street",even though we dont have streets out in the sticks. All I had to do was apply "on line" giving my address ect and within a few days,I received a card,same size as a credit card,giving the address of a depot of some kind to which I could direct any deliveries .All I need to do is give this address to the supplier [It,s somewhere in Hants ] and wait to receive a text from the local Post Office to pick the item up there , just like that ! It,s great,no more silly delivery charges.

PS To Gordon You are missing the whole point,You are not supposed to understand these things,I gave up trying years ago. Example When things are in short supply,the price goes up [think petrol ] When there is a glut,the price goes up [think petrol again ] See what I mean ?
9 August 2017 at 17:56 #311203
Barnaby Wilde
Participant
@barnabywilde70941
There's a legend in the distribution industry that I'm not sure if it's true.

Some bloke in the very north west of Scotland needed 1000's of a certain style of brick for a project. Although there's builders merchants up there the cost for getting these particular bricks on site was astronomical.

So he had each one labelled, stamped & sent by Royal Mail.
9 August 2017 at 18:18 #311208
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
He was what is known as "A Crafty Scot" ! A man after my own heart !
9 August 2017 at 19:01 #311219
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
I forgot to mention that the Post Office also have a similar arrangement with America,to which I have also signed up. Not that I get much stuff from America,but last year I tried to buy an ACME tread gauge from a crowd called "Shars". The cost of the item was about 8 dollars but the delivery cost was 32 dollars extra ! Needless to say,I told them where to stick it. Got a post from a guy in Canada,who said that he was quoted much the same price to deliver just across the border. He too told them where to stick it. Makes me wonder about their mentality.
9 August 2017 at 19:18 #311224
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
I just e-mail Shars and get an individual price when I buy from them. Bought one item that was about $100 and the website calculated $125 postage. After an e-mail they did it for $9.99 and got it in 5 days. very helpful and good to deal with.

If you have the mentality to ask nicely rather than kick off you may be pleasantly surprised

Edited By JasonB on 09/08/2017 19:19:12
10 August 2017 at 12:47 #311331
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
The kick off only came when they gave me the ridiculous delivery costs.
10 August 2017 at 13:00 #311332
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
Hi Mike,

Just checking out that Post Office service.

It,s called "Addresspal" and it appears to be a depot in The Merlin Centre St Albans Herts.

When you sign up,you are given a unique number about this long —————.

So,you just give this address to your supplier and that,s it !

They must have something like that over your way,even we have it,and we only got electric light a few years ago !

Check it out next time you,re down for the pension !!
10 August 2017 at 14:24 #311341
Andrew Tinsley
Participant
@andrewtinsley63637
I had a strange experience, It was suggested that I googled Interparcels to get a quote for picking up and delivering a heavy parcel.

Cheapest was just under £12 using ParcelForce Express 48. Later I went to book this on the ParcelForce website. Imagine my surprise when I was quoted near £44 for exactly the same service!

I went and booked it on the Interparcel website. The only difference is that Parcelforce quoted insured maximum value at £100 and Interparcel was only £25. Strange, but still, I increased the insured value to £100 and it cost me an extra £3. So I got the Parcelforce Express 48 delivery for £15 rather than about £44. Some difference! So who is ripping off who?

Andrew.
10 August 2017 at 16:14 #311357
larry Phelan
Participant
@larryphelan54019
Mike,

Just a little more info on that Post Office service,only just found the leaflet !

They will deliver packs up to 72cmx31cmx25cm with a max wt of 20kg.

That,s not bad for 3 or 4 Euro !.
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