"Rant: Gen. complaint re: switiching shipping method" Topic

Online sellers,

I know you are trying to do me a favour by switching from a national mail service to a courier. I do not like dealing with a courier because of their usury brokerage fees and poor service. I do not mind paying duties, taxes, and a reasonable brokerage fee. Also the delivery time in this case is longer than using Royal Mail (usually 3 to 5 days to Canada not 5 to 14 days using the courier). Please ask first, a simple email would have been nice. Now I'll probably pay $25 USD+ just in brokerage fees for a $75 USD order. All I wanted was some Winsor series 7 brushes because of the mess regarding kolinsky sable brushes.

Courier services just suck and it seems like certain gov'ts are trying their hardest to kill off their national postal services.

Rant over. Sorry.

You're projecting your own experiences onto others though – in many countries, especially in Europe, couriers are quicker and more reliable than the post.

In Canada that's evidently not the case, but the average overseas seller isn't to know that. So if you're particularly against switching to a courier, be proactive and say so when you place your order – the seller isn't a mind reader, and is unlikely to know the ins and outs of imports into every different country, so tell them – you're the one with the local knowledge.

The problems I had with Canada post I would think that a courier would be more reliable – they'd have real difficulty being worse from my experience.

The shipping method I chose was RM not courier, maybe I did not make that clear in my post. They changed it without consulting me. Them being a mind reader is irrelevant since I made a decision on what method I'd like my goods shipped by.

Projecting my own experience was what I was doing, hence the prefix of my title 'Rant'. But you are right I should have been more proactive and used the notes field informing them to not switch my shipping method.

At least Micky Ds would ask me if I wanted to supersize my order.

I've never had an issue with Canada Post, could be because I live in Vancouver proper. Purolator was a nightmare a few years ago during the strike. Order some books from chapters, since no CP they sent via Purolator. Got home to a note saying since I wasn't available the package had been sent back to Chapters. Damn rights I wasn't home, I have a 9 to 5 job. Chapters was even dumb founded by it and informed me that this was happening quite often.

I think once you have selected a shipping method there should be no more instruction necessary. They shoudn't have switched methods on you. I live in Canada as well, and won't buy from a seller who wants to use a courier. My experiences with them have been similar to yours.

SurfingMoose wrote:

Courier services just suck and it seems like certain gov'ts are trying their hardest to kill off their national postal services.

Heartily agreed. Not for years have I experienced any difficulty with Royal Mail, and the staff at the local parcels depot have been known to see me coming and get the package I was picking up on the counter before I even walked in the door. They don't quibble about re-delivering, either, if you want that.

Couriers, on the other hand, have been a decidely mixed bag -- CityLink not too bad, but DHL I have to say incompetent, obstructive and bloody rude.

Of course now Royal Mail is being privatised, I am sure some thrustingly entrepreneurial management wizard will make sure that their service sinks to the levels of surly ineptitude that characterise courier services.

All the best,

John.

Hate UK courier services – too much hassle if I'm not in to receive parcels.

Just noticed that my Canadian edumacation failed me in the title: switiching. FAIL!

Just wait until a well-meaning vendor splits your order in half and sends both by fee-sucking courier !

UK couriers are dreadful. If you're not in it's either a trek to collect it, cash to redeliver or they stick it in the recycling bin.

There are a more and more things I feel compelled to put in the comment section of the order forms.

Do not Split Ship
Do not back order.

I guess you could add: Ship Via XXX