# Recommend me a courier



## CoffeeDiva (May 9, 2013)

I have agreed to purchase a lovely machine from Iroko and would like to arrange for a decent courier company to pick it up.

Any recommendations for good ones which will do heavy items (I think this machine is 25kg according to the web - although it is going to get weighed tomorrow)? Are there any with a good rep for being careful with their goods? It will be double boxed but I want to minimise chance of damage.

Also if anyone uses a broker/comparison site to book, let me know. I thought of parcel monkey, but it seems to be just throwing up city link and parcel force.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Check Parcel2go. You'll find the cheapest prices. Then you have to decide if you want to insure during transit which will double the overall cost. I paid £20.00 to ship a roaster inc insurance a week ago.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

I used parcel2go as well, I think mr coffee chap uses it to for a lot of his stuff again insurance will add to the price , but probably worth it .


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## CoffeeDiva (May 9, 2013)

Parcel2go gives me the choice of yodel. Parcelforce, TNT, or city link. Is there anything between these?

Will happily insure it, just hoping there is one company who have a rep for actually being careful with delicate goods.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Some a prices , collection or drop off. I don't hear good things about yodel but never used them


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

CoffeeDiva said:


> Parcel2go gives me the choice of yodel. Parcelforce, TNT, or city link. Is there anything between these? Will happily insure it, just hoping there is one company who have a rep for actually being careful with delicate goods.


Heard mixed reports about Yodel. Make sure it's well padded - well marked 'fragile' and take some pics to show this in the event of insurance claim - better safe than sorry.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

try parcelmonkey.co.uk

same principle but they have a special overnight service for large heavy parcels. Will be under £15 but the bonus is the insurance is very reasonable


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Agree with Dave for bigger items go with parcel monkey overnight


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## drude (Apr 22, 2013)

Avoid Yodel - terrible. Just to hijack this thread a little, anyone have views on MyHermes? Am about to send a parcel myself and was going to use them.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

My Hermes are cheap and cheerful they take ages to get there but get there in the end


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Used my hermes before , always got there ok, but like cc says can take ages !


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Myhermes were reasonably quick for me. Only thing I don't like is the lack of a depot but that hasn't actually presented a problem yet


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## TonyW (Jul 17, 2012)

I would avoid Yodel too. When Amazon started using them there were a flood of complaints and an online campaign asking Amazon to stop. They may have improved since then, but why take the chance if you have options.


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## Jollybean (May 19, 2013)

Used Yodel twice and a disaster both times.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

No issues with MyHermes here. Book them from parcel2go and they arrive next day. Deliveries have always been completed within the stated 3 days


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

with a heavy item, you want ti in the hands of the courier for as short a time as possible. As stated. the Night Service on parcelmonkey is designed for such itms, overnight and very good. I always use it for larger items. I have an account with My Hermes and always use them for smaller stuff but I have to say their 2 day or 3 day service, if you read the terms is actually upto 5 working days. The 2/3 is just a banner advert. Their tracking system never works and they have no phone support of any substance.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Avoid Yodel like the plague, terrible company.

Also ask the seller to pop to the PO and pick up some "delicate" or "fragile" labels, which can help prevent a courier chucking an item around.


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## alisingh (Dec 31, 2012)

Have received a couple of large parcels delivered by Myhermes. We weren't very impressed. Both times the boxes were extremely battered and were just left outside the front door. Maybe we were just unlucky, but it has put me off using them.


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## CoffeeDiva (May 9, 2013)

Thanks everyone - will avoid yodel and my hermes (although mixed reports noted).

Have found the nightfreight service on parcelmonkey and this seems to be fine - will add on the insurance to it. The system says book by 4pm for collection the next day and delivery the next working day after that. Won't get to book until tomorrow so that would mean collection on a Friday - might have to wait until Monday as I don't want it sitting in a depot over the weekend.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

And do not forget, this needs to be well wrapped in bubble wrap, then cardboard packing. Once boxed, ideally it needs to go into a second box with as much cardboard and packing material to help absorb andy bumps it will suffer! I once received a machine that had been placed into a box with nothing else and guess what, it arrived like a jigsaw puzzle!


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## CoffeeDiva (May 9, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> And do not forget, this needs to be well wrapped in bubble wrap, then cardboard packing. Once boxed, ideally it needs to go into a second box with as much cardboard and packing material to help absorb andy bumps it will suffer! I once received a machine that had been placed into a box with nothing else and guess what, it arrived like a jigsaw puzzle!


Not to worry the seller is on the case with the double boxing.


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## CoffeeDiva (May 9, 2013)

The night freight service is coming out quite expensive becaase of the increased size of the package due to the double boxing.

Has anybody got any views on city link (coming up via parcelmonkey as well)?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

City link are excellent


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## reneb (Nov 2, 2011)

dfk41 said:


> City link are excellent


Sad to say, that's not been my experience, but maybe I've just been unlucky.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

That's the point though...... You pays your money and takes your chance

Insure the product, you would be mad not to


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## reneb (Nov 2, 2011)

Absolutely.

And if someone offers a service that's cheaper than everyone else, you've got to ask yourself why.

Definitely insure the package, it's just asking for trouble if you don't.


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## CoffeeDiva (May 9, 2013)

All sorted. Booked with night freight anyhow as they got a couple of thumbs up on this thread. Twasn't the insurance what did it, but the extra centimetres added because of the second box.

But hey ho, what's a bit extra in the grand scheme of buying a nice machine that I want to still be nice when it reaches me.

Thanks for all the advice folks - I'll report back on the service. The machine will be well padded so hopefully I will be a happy fully-caffeinated camper by friday.









Edit - sooooo excited, can't wait for this to arrive.


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## glevum (Apr 4, 2013)

Should arrive just in time for free pour Friday:act-up:


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## CoffeeDiva (May 9, 2013)

glevum said:


> Should arrive just in time for free pour Friday:act-up:


Ha ha yes maybe, but I suspect the free form art I'll be able to pour will just look like a non-descript blob. Even going on the HB course, I only managed a semi-decent heart right at the end of the day.


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## glevum (Apr 4, 2013)

that Izzo is an excellent steamer, no doubt.....go on give it a go!


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## CoffeeDiva (May 9, 2013)

glevum said:


> that Izzo is an excellent steamer, no doubt.....go on give it a go!


I'm hoping I'll be okay on the stretching and texturing, it's the hope of actually doing any passable latte art that I'm not so sure about!


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

CoffeeDiva said:


> I'm hoping I'll be okay on the stretching and texturing, it's the hope of actually doing any passable latte art that I'm not so sure about!


You'll get there in the end and feel very pleased with yourself when you do.


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