To All U.S. Record Sellers................ A tip for the future, send all packages to Europe, via the US Postal Service using their 'Global Priority' service. Trouble this end is when you use any other service, Fed Ex, TNT etc they only have limited hubs in the European major cities and only have knowledge of those cities. They really only want the most profitable mail and do a very poor job with all others.. Please make our lives easier over here. These private companies are destroying our national postal services and delivering a shit service.

 

After numerous problems with these other Muppet companies, this is my personal advice, others may disagree. But if you live outside major cities the service these private companies offer is poor in the extreme.

 

Plus a single 45 is only about $12.00 to the UK and tracked via 'Global Priority', no need for all these $24+ services that offer nothing better

Edited September 27, 201311 yr by Dave Thorley

Just to clear up any confusion and thanks to Andy Noble, the U.S. service I referred to is called 'First Class Int '

I disagree. Round here Post office is mediocre and Fed Ex very good especially for high value items.....Horses for courses and depends on where you live I guess Dave.

Edited September 27, 201311 yr by Steve G

  On 27/09/2013 at 17:51, Steve G said:

I disagree. Round here Post office is mediocre and Fed Ex very good especially for high value items.....Horses for courses and depends on where you live I guess Dave.

It's all well and good for you home county oiks, but we in the rest of the country get shit service from these private companies

It's alright for you country bumpkins with your village postman that's been doing the round for 30 years on the same bike :

 

In all seriousness when I lived in Crewkerne the Post Office was excellent....Here it ain't.

Edited September 27, 201311 yr by Steve G

  On 27/09/2013 at 17:56, Steve G said:

It's alright for you country bumpkins with your village postman that's been doing the round for 30 years on the same bike :

 

In all seriousness when I lived in Crewkerne the Post Office was excellent....Here it ain't.

 

 

Simple, move back to the country, you know you want to !!!!

  On 27/09/2013 at 15:08, Dave Thorley said:

To All U.S. Record Sellers................ A tip for the future, send all packages to Europe, via the US Postal Service using their 'Global Priority' service. Trouble this end is when you use any other service, Fed Ex, TNT etc they only have limited hubs in the European major cities and only have knowledge of those cities. They really only want the most profitable mail and do a very poor job with all others.. Please make our lives easier over here. These private companies are destroying our national postal services and delivering a shit service.

 

After numerous problems with these other Muppet companies, this is my personal advice, others may disagree. But if you live outside major cities the service these private companies offer is poor in the extreme.

 

Plus a single 45 is only about $12.00 to the UK and tracked via 'Global Priority', no need for all these $24+ services that offer nothing better

USPS is IMO still about the only game in town. UPS FedEx etc are the same tossers in different uniforms, and expensive.

1st class Int is fine but has no tracking to UK. There is the new EDelCon thing from EB but it doesn't Del Con in my experience. 2 parcels France & Germany in last month

Both got there but no confirmation.

FYI these are the options USPS offers for a 45 to uk.

first class international officially has delivery confirmation to the UK and 12 other countries as of 7/29/2013. That is the service that costs $12.50 retail. There is no other cheaper USPS option to the UK. The next step up, global priority, is $25 if you print online and use a flat rate box.

 

UPS or Fedex literally cost close to ~$100 if you don't have higher volume account with them.

  On 27/09/2013 at 19:10, boba said:

first class international officially has delivery confirmation to the UK and 12 other countries as of 7/29/2013. That is the service that costs $12.50 retail. There is no other cheaper USPS option to the UK. The next step up, global priority, is $25 if you print online and use a flat rate box.

 

UPS or Fedex literally cost close to ~$100 if you don't have higher volume account with them.

 

 

Hi Bob

 

I'm sure in the main your right, but I have had records sent TNT, Fed Ex, UPS + others and every time it's taken me weeks of phone calls to actually get it delivered.

USPS is still the only game in town at which ever cost is charged. Simply because, apart from Holland, it then uses the local national postal service to deliver in Europe.

  On 27/09/2013 at 17:56, Steve G said:

It's alright for you country bumpkins with your village postman that's been doing the round for 30 years on the same bike :

 

In all seriousness when I lived in Crewkerne the Post Office was excellent....Here it ain't.

 

That`s cos i left the p/o in the 80`s Steve,funny enough i did your area/walk a few times  in Herts   

Edited September 27, 201311 yr by Hammersoul

Ah that's where the records went then..... :lol:

I only moved here in the 90's though...

Edited September 27, 201311 yr by Steve G

  On 27/09/2013 at 18:41, Mr Smithy said:

USPS is IMO still about the only game in town. UPS FedEx etc are the same tossers in different uniforms, and expensive.

1st class Int is fine but has no tracking to UK. There is the new EDelCon thing from EB but it doesn't Del Con in my experience. 2 parcels France & Germany in last month

Both got there but no confirmation.

FYI these are the options USPS offers for a 45 to uk.

I've had numerous arrive requiring a signature having been sent Del Con in the last 4 - 6 weeks and every item sent this way I've had to sign for upon delivery/collection.  Initially, when arriving home to find the usual card on the mat, I thought I was going to get rushed for import duty + R.M. handing fee when I collected the record from the local sorting office.  I was delighted when I collected the first 45 and just had to sign for it.  Someone had stuck a post it note with hand written "SPECIAL" on the mailer to differentiate the package.  Subsequently this situation repeated itself to the point where it's a bit of a nuisance having to keep going to the sorting office to collect mail.  I asked the guy at the sorting office why can't they just post it through the letter box as normal and he told me that they, Royal Mail, have to account for items sent via this service as it earns them more revenue than regular international mail.

 

In summary anything being delivered in my locality which has been sent Del Con is likely to have delivery confirmation in the form of a signature.  Whether this is the norm across the UK I have no idea.

  On 27/09/2013 at 21:00, Dave Thorley said:

Hi Bob

 

I'm sure in the main your right, but I have had records sent TNT, Fed Ex, UPS + others and every time it's taken me weeks of phone calls to actually get it delivered.

USPS is still the only game in town at which ever cost is charged. Simply because, apart from Holland, it then uses the local national postal service to deliver in Europe.

 

the only time i've gotten records sent to me usps or fedex from us sellers is when the sellers worked in a mail room or had access to a mail room and were scamming their jobs.

  On 27/09/2013 at 21:54, tiberius said:

I've had numerous arrive requiring a signature having been sent Del Con in the last 4 - 6 weeks and every item sent this way I've had to sign for upon delivery/collection.  Initially, when arriving home to find the usual card on the mat, I thought I was going to get rushed for import duty + R.M. handing fee when I collected the record from the local sorting office.  I was delighted when I collected the first 45 and just had to sign for it.  Someone had stuck a post it note with hand written "SPECIAL" on the mailer to differentiate the package.  Subsequently this situation repeated itself to the point where it's a bit of a nuisance having to keep going to the sorting office to collect mail.  I asked the guy at the sorting office why can't they just post it through the letter box as normal and he told me that they, Royal Mail, have to account for items sent via this service as it earns them more revenue than regular international mail.

 

In summary anything being delivered in my locality which has been sent Del Con is likely to have delivery confirmation in the form of a signature.  Whether this is the norm across the UK I have no idea.

No idea if there was any signature or owt required on mine to France & Germany. I did ask but got no reply, so .....................?

Do any US dealers offer free postage? If they did across the board, sellers would use the lowest cost/maximum security approach that Dave advocates. Too many small dealers skimp on packaging to profit from postal charges. Generally speaking, the main dealers use USPS and pack the records well. However, in an unregulated industry with more amateurs than professionals involved, it usually makes sense to pay whatever it takes to ensure the record arrives safely. However, with some UK collectors taking delivery of a dozen or so packets a week, it makes sense to keep postage costs down hence Dave starting this thread.

  On 28/09/2013 at 09:00, FRANKIE CROCKER said:

Do any US dealers offer free postage? If they did across the board, sellers would use the lowest cost/maximum security approach that Dave advocates. Too many small dealers skimp on packaging to profit from postal charges. Generally speaking, the main dealers use USPS and pack the records well. However, in an unregulated industry with more amateurs than professionals involved, it usually makes sense to pay whatever it takes to ensure the record arrives safely. However, with some UK collectors taking delivery of a dozen or so packets a week, it makes sense to keep postage costs down hence Dave starting this thread.

 

 

Hi Mate

 

I'm was not so focused on the cost, although USPS is the cheapest. It 's more the use of private post services that deliver a poor service this end. Which come to Bob's point, sellers on Ebay are using other services other than USPS, as is demonstrated by myself and Helana Stromdahl having had the same problem with something sent TNT in the same week.

in USPS terms, delivery confirmation and signature confirmation are different things. delivery confirmation means that the postal carrier scanned the package at the destination. signature confirmation means someone actually signed for it. yes, something might be confirmed delivered and the carrier could have thrown it in a river, a neighbor stolen it, or it gotten to the wrong house, but that's what the cheaper service of delivery confirmation offers, at least some indication that it got to the destination.

For records over $250 say the best way I find is to get them sent international express which is tracked right thru to your door with signature. The parcel tends to be only in the system for 3/5 days. Yes it costs $50 but at least you get it quick and I live in the country. The best I got was one posted in Detroit Friday afternoon and I received it 10.30 Monday morning.

  On 27/09/2013 at 21:19, Steve G said:

Ah that's where the records went then..... :lol:

I only moved here in the 90's though...

 

 

I wasn`t collecting anymore mid 80`s so you would have been safe 

 

I also worked for Fedex afterwards so i know this courier/delivery business inside out .Fedex or ups,Dhl  was never a cheap option for vinyl unless you were a big shipper and got discount. We picked up/Delivered to all the record companies/shops in London and most of Essex,Kent,Herts,Surrey. That`s how i got a lot of my new promos (not nicking them lol) cos  a lot of my couriers were into soul so would  pick them up while on premises.    .

 

We did take on Cambridge and the surrounding villages plus the 2 big U.s air bases nearby.Rest of the uk was contracted out to securicor so i had no control over them areas,that was given to an Agent to deal direct with.Which is why Dave Thorley and a few others might had some problems.Funny enough the  guy who i trained up in Dispatch is now Dispatch Manager,meet one of my old gang out on the road a few months ago who gave me the low down.So be afraid cos he could`t give a shit when i was there lol.