Freight & Couriers - Shipping Hi-Fi

[Southerly]

Timely thread this. On another thread someone mentioned they were going to sell a cartridge that I have been looking to buy for some time. So I PMed him but when he found out I live in France it was a no-go. Reason he gave was that so many parcels are lost or damaged. This simply is'nt true - the only no-show for me was a s/hand CD from Germany, that was 18 years ago and I have bought items literally from all over the world online for over 23 years. I did buy a s/hand Kenwood TT  from a hi-fi shop in Germany that was very badly packed, that in itself is very unusual but when I contacted the seller I renegotiated the price down to the equivalent of £120 and apart from a damaged corner to the plinth worked perfectly, so got a KD990 for a song.

 

Sadly once a myth get's started it just keeps getting regurgitated. My biggest beef is how expensive shipping has become. The reason often is that virtually all shipping is'nt shipping but is airfrieght. OK shipping is slow but for heavy objects the cost would be a fraction of airfreight. 

 

I love living in France but La Poste is really expensive, same as the Netherlands. Germany is without doubt the cheapest post in the EU and that is with DHL which was bought by Deutsche Post. Your lucky in OZ re. import duties but the EU imposes a 20% tax on anything over €30 and that tax is levied on the shipping costs as well - so it goes.

[RussB]

On 16/06/2020 at 6:31 PM, candyflip said:

I wouldn't recommend Shopmate (hideously expensive and awful online reviews).

I was lucky - I got my stuff from the States on time, but I wouldn't use them again due to the cost and potential for real delays and losses.

Well said.  I recently had an item lost in the US.  Tracking for delivery from seller to Shopmate warehouse said delivered.   Aus Post said they haven’t received it at the warehouse.  There is now a shipping update on Shopmate website under FAQ stating there is an issue with their warehouse address and many items are not reaching them because they are being delivered to wrong addresses.  Perhaps not their fault, but doesn’t make for a reliable service.

[cookster]

On 02/07/2020 at 4:03 PM, cookster said:

Thank you for all of your kind and informative responses.

 

I have booked using transdirect who have contracted with TNT.

 

thanks again,

 

Mark

So an update: Transdirect were very easy to work with with TNT picked up the packages bang on time, BUT the speakers arrived damaged and the buyer (who is a trader) did not pay for insurance. 

 

A sad note to all to please always have items insured. Despite my friendly advice for the seller to take up directly with the courier service, in this case the buyer has started to get a little unfriendly with his private messaging suggesting that I packed damaged items and questioning my audition and FS photos. It leaves a bit of a sour taste, but this is the first time I have encountered damage during a postal sale.

 

I won't send anything uninsured again regardless of buyer choices!

 

[Snoopy8]

41 minutes ago, cookster said:

Despite my friendly advice for the seller to take up directly with the courier service, in this case the buyer has started to get a little unfriendly with his private messaging suggesting that I packed damaged items and questioning my audition and FS photos. It leaves a bit of a sour taste, but this is the first time I have encountered damage during a postal sale.

Sorry to hear what happened. On top of insurance, suggest photos of the items before closing the packaging as well as the carton. If possible, add a second heavy duty carton on the outside.

 

And more ticks for Star Track, Couriers Please and Australia Post as per my original post...

[khairilazhar2010]

Hi All

You’ve read one side of the story.

At the moment, I don’t really want to tell my side except to correct these 2 facts.

1. The packaging had Zero damage inside and outside.
2. I am not a Trader as Mark has stated.

I do not know how Mark came to this conclusion or if it’s his nature or conduct to make baseless conclusions.

i own a Record Shop in Adelaide..

Almost 60 years old now and I think quite well known as a record collector here, own multiple systems  and have been an audiophile for over 35 years.

As a qualified accountant and also a statistician,  I can make  inference from Mark’s behaviour. But I will for now keep it to myself.

[sloper]

Goodaye all

 

l Just Purchased a pair of speakers from a guy in Canberra.

Sent couriers Please last Thursday.

Got one today, says on the box one of two.

 

Rang them up to see whats going on, hopefully it will get here tomorrow.

 

regards Bruce

[Guest deanB]

On 06/07/2020 at 5:48 PM, Snoopy8 said:

 

And more ticks for Star Track, Couriers Please and Australia Post as per my original post..

Couriers Please are now 1-1 with me now.

My latest purchase (courier booked by the distributor) was picked up in Melbourne at 4pm last Thursday and arrived unscathed at my address in Perth just after 8am this morning.

 

[sloper]

Goodaye all

 

Second speaker all safe and sound today.

Very happy with price and service.

 

regards Bruce

[rantan]

1 minute ago, sloper said:

Goodaye all

 

Second speaker all safe and sound today.

Very happy with price and service.

 

regards Bruce

Good to know mate. It must be a load off your mind

[Searching for Magic]

Hi everyone. Just beware of using Courier Please to send items to buyer. I sold a brand new 5.1 definitive tech cinema pro600 to a SNA member here and the package never arrive to they buyer. contacted courier please and they were couldn't trace the package at all. We were lucky we purchased insurance but still require to pay excess fee to get a refund plus refund to the buyer. Avoid COURIER PLEASE at all times. 

Raph

[Ratbob]

Interesting to read both comments and experiences above, especially around insurance.

Recently I wanted to purchase an amp from fellow member harfdef in WA for shipping to me in SA, about 35kg. 

Best quote was $250 plus $200 for insurance but in questioning I found the item would only be covered if it went missing or the packaging was severely damaged.

They couldn’t explain who defines what would be considered severe but if say the box was dropped flat on its base and say an internal board cracked, it wouldn’t be covered. 

As usual the devils in the detail.

So sadly I didn’t buy the amp.

[s7e6e]

Gents,

 

I need to ship my amp and preamp to Brisbane by this Friday. Is there a shipping company, easy to deal with, offering insurance, online tracking and signing for delivery?

 

Thanks.

[GregWormald]

On 29/07/2020 at 11:59 AM, s7e6e said:

Gents,

 

I need to ship my amp and preamp to Brisbane by this Friday. Is there a shipping company, easy to deal with, offering insurance, online tracking and signing for delivery?

 

Thanks.

AFAIK nobody does signing any more. The most you can hope for is the driver asking to sight ID.

3 days is pushing it unless $$$, two days now is ... Maybe DHL.

[BrianK]

I've had recent good experiences with TNT here in Perth.  I had a DAC shipped from Vic sent on Mon and delivered Fri which in these times is exceptional.  Only gripe was their online order status hadn't changed (in transit) when I checked early on Fri only to have them attempt delivery later that morning.  Then trying to contact them on the phone proved almost impossible as they persist in diverting you to their online website.  I did eventually speak to a customer service individual who confirmed that they would email and or SMS me later in the day to arrange collection from a local depot.  By 4:00pm, not having received any message from them I checked on line where it confirmed my package was at a local newsagent.  So never received the promised info from TNT.  It will be interesting to see how TNT's merger with FedEx unfolds in the coming weeks and months.

[Ittaku]

I had something very heavy and expensive shipped interstate. Was stunned at how cheap allied express road freight interstate was after having shipped with regular couriers, and more to the point, how they easily handle massive and heavy loads too (choose tail lift).

 

The quote page isn't right at the front of their website but here it is

https://sendit.alliedexpress.com.au/booking/?qquote

Edited August 2, 2020 by Ittaku

[Guest niterida]

I have used e-go couriers for over 10yrs with zero issues. I recently bought 2 40kg amps and 2 powered PA speakers from 2 different vendors - both professional businesses - and neither of them packed  the items with any sort of effort. Both had just filled the cartons with small empty cardboard boxes , a bit of foam and some peanuts. By the time they arrived the cardoard boxes had been squashed by the weight of the speakers and amps and there was so much empty space that everything could move around inside the cartons easily. But credit to e-go all the items arrived without a scratch  

[DMax]

On 02/08/2020 at 7:26 PM, BrianK said:

I've had recent good experiences with TNT here in Perth.  I had a DAC shipped from Vic sent on Mon and delivered Fri which in these times is exceptional.  Only gripe was their online order status hadn't changed (in transit) when I checked early on Fri only to have them attempt delivery later that morning.  Then trying to contact them on the phone proved almost impossible as they persist in diverting you to their online website.  I did eventually speak to a customer service individual who confirmed that they would email and or SMS me later in the day to arrange collection from a local depot.  By 4:00pm, not having received any message from them I checked on line where it confirmed my package was at a local newsagent.  So never received the promised info from TNT.  It will be interesting to see how TNT's merger with FedEx unfolds in the coming weeks and months.

I've also had good experiences with TNT express through Transdirect. Make sure you open an account with Transdirect online too to get extra discount!

[Eggmeister]

Has anyone used uber as a courier ?

[rantan]

On 10/08/2020 at 10:57 PM, DMax said:

I've also had good experiences with TNT express through Transdirect. Make sure you open an account with Transdirect online too to get extra discount!

100% agree with this.

 

I very recently sent a package from Adelaide to Perth using Transdirect/TNT. It was collected Monday afternoon and arrived safely in Perth on Wednesday morning. IMO, this is fantastic. 

 

The 10% off  price for members is the cherry on top.

[Snoopy8]

From the Age, for those living in Melbourne's lockdown zone.

Why your Australia Post parcels are making a 1500 kilometre detour

 

Interestingly, Amazon, from its Melbourne warehouse, is delivering as fast as normal through Australia Post.  They must pre-sort prior to sending to Aus Post.

[curtankerous]

Can anyone recommend a fair priced shipping method for an amp from Adelaide to Melbourne?

 

Pack and send have quoted me $200 which seems a bit much based on what I've paid previously.

 

Australia Post seem to have a cap at 20kg and the amp is 22kg plus packaging.

 

Any suggestions please?

[Jventer]

If you pack yourself try Northline

[hopefullguy]

check out ego couriers.

 

do a depot to depot drop off.. to save money but more importantly less people handle the item

 

bunnings heavy duty box+good internal padding

 

label correctly

 

usually under $30

 

pack & send? i wouldnt sent an empty box with that mob. same for couriers please or aust post.

Edited August 23, 2020 by hopefullguy

[Snoopy8]

24 minutes ago, curtankerous said:

Can anyone recommend a fair priced shipping method for an amp from Adelaide to Melbourne?

 

Pack and send have quoted me $200 which seems a bit much based on what I've paid previously.

 

Australia Post seem to have a cap at 20kg and the amp is 22kg plus packaging.

 

Any suggestions please?

Couriers Please have a max 30 kg limit. Other than 1 parcel which got left on a lawn, have had lots of success with them. (But some people do not like them).  Recently sent an expensive 25 kg package to Brisbane.

 

I used to like eGo, but they use very casual contractors. My last one looked like someone jumped out of bed in their little Van to do a pickup.  Fortunately, it arrived intact.

[hopefullguy]

hence depot to depot.. for ANY courier service.