Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Jun 7th 2006, 6:15 am
#16
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Originally Posted by Bleech
We had a problem with Robinsons.
They gave us a quote which we agreed to, they turned up and packed up all our stuff, cool. Then we had a call to say that they underestimated how much space we'd need and said we need to pay an extra 700 pounds!! WTF?!??
It's not our fault you cocked up your estimates. Rang them back and they sayed it was either that or they'd have to bring our stuff back, I was that close to telling them to bring it all back, but we just wanted it shipped out. Rang them back and they somehow managed to reduce the 700 quid to 400 which we begrudgingly paid.
Having said that though the stuff was shipped out on time as promised and delivered very quickly with no damages.
Not impressed with their estimates though.
They gave us a quote which we agreed to, they turned up and packed up all our stuff, cool. Then we had a call to say that they underestimated how much space we'd need and said we need to pay an extra 700 pounds!! WTF?!??
It's not our fault you cocked up your estimates. Rang them back and they sayed it was either that or they'd have to bring our stuff back, I was that close to telling them to bring it all back, but we just wanted it shipped out. Rang them back and they somehow managed to reduce the 700 quid to 400 which we begrudgingly paid.Having said that though the stuff was shipped out on time as promised and delivered very quickly with no damages.
Not impressed with their estimates though.
These people know they've got you by the short and curlies at a pretty stressful time - seems some would rather exploit that than try and smooth things along.
Jun 7th 2006, 12:01 pm
#17
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Location: Ontario
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Originally Posted by Mr Lee
Here are the five quotes + insurance we got in the order we received them (this is for a sole use 20' container, Manchester to Guelph, Ontario, shipper to pack, removal date 19-20 June) with a little info on each:
Anglo Pacific - £3,937 + 3%
They quoted a shipping time of 10 weeks which made us later think after hearing everybody else say 5-6 weeks that they were cheating us a bit here, possibly by sending us groupage or waiting for a 40' container going the same way without telling us.
Britannia - £3,590 + 3%
They would have been in the running as they came in with the third lowest price initially, but they are unable to shift on cost, apparently.
GB Liners - £3,948 + 2.75%
The salesman said he'd give us 2.5% insurance on his visit, but when the quote came in the post it had gone up to 2.75%!! He also said he'd call us with the quote before it came in the post. He didn't.
Robinson's - £3,500 + 2.75%
Their salesman originally gave us a price of £3,700 + 3% but said he knew he'd be more competitive with £3,500 and said he'd also give us 2.75%. He also said that he could do a bit more bartering to get it down if need be. However - see below...
White's - £3,505 + 3%
The guy came on Friday and called almost as soon as he was back at the office with his quote. I told a porky and said we'd had a quote for £3,400 and 2.5% - could he match that. He said he'd call back today (Monday) and true to his word, he did... He also said that they were booking up pretty fast though and we'd need to make a decision by Monday afternoon.
This is where the fun started.
White's said the best they could do would be £3,460 + 2.5%. I was confident that Robinson's would go down to £3,400 and match the insurance, which was the gamble I took in telling White's my little white lie.
Britannia called as well and got themselves out of the running by not being willing, or able, to negotiate on the price. So - I called Robinson's and told the salesman that if he could do it for £3,400 + 2.5% they'd have the business. Let me check the shipping, he told me, and I'll call you back in half an hour.
Three hours and three phone calls (to them) later, we get a call from somebody different.
The quote is £3,600 + 2.75%.
The £3,500 was apparently a "ballpark figure"...
We were pretty pissed off.
So - instead of Robinson's dropping their price, it had actually gone up!
Not only that, but we'd wasted an afternoon when we could have just said yes to White's who had already told us that they would be struggling to fit us in if we didn't give them a definite yes or no soon.
Fortunately, they're able to juggle a couple of things around and should be able to come to us as requested.
But as for Robinson's - pah! Bloody cowboys!
Anglo Pacific - £3,937 + 3%
They quoted a shipping time of 10 weeks which made us later think after hearing everybody else say 5-6 weeks that they were cheating us a bit here, possibly by sending us groupage or waiting for a 40' container going the same way without telling us.
Britannia - £3,590 + 3%
They would have been in the running as they came in with the third lowest price initially, but they are unable to shift on cost, apparently.
GB Liners - £3,948 + 2.75%
The salesman said he'd give us 2.5% insurance on his visit, but when the quote came in the post it had gone up to 2.75%!! He also said he'd call us with the quote before it came in the post. He didn't.
Robinson's - £3,500 + 2.75%
Their salesman originally gave us a price of £3,700 + 3% but said he knew he'd be more competitive with £3,500 and said he'd also give us 2.75%. He also said that he could do a bit more bartering to get it down if need be. However - see below...
White's - £3,505 + 3%
The guy came on Friday and called almost as soon as he was back at the office with his quote. I told a porky and said we'd had a quote for £3,400 and 2.5% - could he match that. He said he'd call back today (Monday) and true to his word, he did... He also said that they were booking up pretty fast though and we'd need to make a decision by Monday afternoon.
This is where the fun started.
White's said the best they could do would be £3,460 + 2.5%. I was confident that Robinson's would go down to £3,400 and match the insurance, which was the gamble I took in telling White's my little white lie.
Britannia called as well and got themselves out of the running by not being willing, or able, to negotiate on the price. So - I called Robinson's and told the salesman that if he could do it for £3,400 + 2.5% they'd have the business. Let me check the shipping, he told me, and I'll call you back in half an hour.
Three hours and three phone calls (to them) later, we get a call from somebody different.
The quote is £3,600 + 2.75%.
The £3,500 was apparently a "ballpark figure"...
We were pretty pissed off.
So - instead of Robinson's dropping their price, it had actually gone up!
Not only that, but we'd wasted an afternoon when we could have just said yes to White's who had already told us that they would be struggling to fit us in if we didn't give them a definite yes or no soon.
Fortunately, they're able to juggle a couple of things around and should be able to come to us as requested.
But as for Robinson's - pah! Bloody cowboys!
They initially were quoting six weeks for shipping time from UK to delivery to Waterloo in Ontario (very close to Guelph). I have some knowledge of shipping and kept saying it should be much quicker and this proved to be the case.
Packers took 3 days to pack (most contents of a 5 bedroom house) including loading the container which took place on 3rd March. Goods were delivered to our house in Canada on 22nd March so 19 days door to door.
We were also told we had to land in Canada before our container which was also rubbish. For Guelph the container will arrive at the port and is then sent by rail to Toronto which takes a few days. The shipping company then have to take delivery of the container and at that point they issue you paperwork. You go with this paperwork to customs at Toronto airport and they sign the documentation (takes minutes), you fax the signed copy to the shipping co and they deliver the goods.
We used Pickfords, not the cheapest, but the service we received from their Canadian side was excellent.
Jun 7th 2006, 1:17 pm
#18
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Location: Ajax, Ontario
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
We used Crown and they were excellent from start to finish. We could track the ship online. It took 3 weeks from packing to get to Montreal, but there was then congestion at the docks so the ship couldn't get in to unload for a few days. They kept us informed and we were priority for when they unloaded. The stuff came by rail to Toronto, we didn't have to go to customs as they did it all for us, we just had to be at the house when it was delivered. The cost was 3500 pounds (Oct 2003), plus we only insured large items of furniture and not the whole shipment as it wouldn't really have mattered if some of the stuff had gone overboard!!
Jun 7th 2006, 1:23 pm
#19
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Originally Posted by raine66
We are planning on using Pickfords. Although they were a few hundred quid more than the rest of our quotes, I just felt that you only get what you pay for.
Raine
Raine
Jun 7th 2006, 9:04 pm
#20
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Originally Posted by Mr Lee
But as for Robinson's - pah! Bloody cowboys!
Jun 8th 2006, 12:52 pm
#21
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
BTTT for APFairhurst...
Jun 8th 2006, 2:24 pm
#22
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
I noticed that there are no opinions on Excess on this thread.
I have done a search and most of what came up was from the Oz forum.
Has anyone used them to go to Canada? If so what did you think?
Thanks.
I have done a search and most of what came up was from the Oz forum.
Has anyone used them to go to Canada? If so what did you think?
Thanks.
Jun 8th 2006, 2:34 pm
#23
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
dont excess only take boxes - they told me they dont take furniture or anything that could be classed as 'personal items;
Jun 8th 2006, 4:45 pm
#24
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Location: Bowmanville, Ontario
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Originally Posted by Woodstock62
I noticed that there are no opinions on Excess on this thread.
I have done a search and most of what came up was from the Oz forum.
Has anyone used them to go to Canada? If so what did you think?
Thanks.
I have done a search and most of what came up was from the Oz forum.
Has anyone used them to go to Canada? If so what did you think?
Thanks.
I rang budget shipping international for a quote, and they sent a guy round who said we had 10 cubic metres to ship. Next day we got a quote from him for £1900 region. Then I rang Excess baggage who gve me a quote for approx £300 less, but during the conversation, it turned out they were the same company as budget shipping!!!! So why is there a difference of £300 in the two quotes?
Needless to say, I won't be using them, as it obviously depends which sales person you get, and how greedy they are for their commision.
I've got a couple of company's coming round next week, and if you're interested I'll let you know how much they quote.(We're going to TO)
Sally
Jun 8th 2006, 7:32 pm
#25
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Hi Stubby and Sally,
Thanks for your replies.
The company we have had dealings with is Excess International Movers, based in London. Their website has a differnt name - overseasremovals.
We have a quote for around 700 cubic feet. At the mo i have nothing to compare it to as I'm still waiting for the others to send me theirs. We are going to Calgary btw.
It's a really difficult decision to make I have to say.
Thanks for any further info you have.
Thanks for your replies.
The company we have had dealings with is Excess International Movers, based in London. Their website has a differnt name - overseasremovals.
We have a quote for around 700 cubic feet. At the mo i have nothing to compare it to as I'm still waiting for the others to send me theirs. We are going to Calgary btw.
It's a really difficult decision to make I have to say.
Thanks for any further info you have.
Jun 8th 2006, 8:37 pm
#26
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Just curious, did any of you get/ could any of you give a breakdown of costs?
I'm teying to get an idea on how much these guys are charging just/ where their mark up is
I'm teying to get an idea on how much these guys are charging just/ where their mark up is
Jun 8th 2006, 8:40 pm
#27
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Just been looking at 1st Move International
http://www.shipit.co.uk/internationa..._to_canada.htm
First impressions seem good as they are stating that they charge for your exact volume and pallet and shrink wrap everything.
Times given are 10 days for Montreal, 12 days for Toronto and 27 days for Vancouver
I am waiting for email back with price after submitting online estimate.
http://www.shipit.co.uk/internationa..._to_canada.htm
First impressions seem good as they are stating that they charge for your exact volume and pallet and shrink wrap everything.
Times given are 10 days for Montreal, 12 days for Toronto and 27 days for Vancouver
I am waiting for email back with price after submitting online estimate.
Aug 18th 2006, 5:48 pm
#28
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
Originally Posted by Mr Lee
Sounds like a similar trick would have been pulled on us.
These people know they've got you by the short and curlies at a pretty stressful time - seems some would rather exploit that than try and smooth things along.
These people know they've got you by the short and curlies at a pretty stressful time - seems some would rather exploit that than try and smooth things along.
They also said some furniture was "chipped and gouged" this is stuff that was handmade and doesnt have a mark on it. We rang them and they guy apologised saying the packers were "over zealous"
we've also had a letter saying our stuff in in Toronto ready for delivery, but they told us it would be mid october so now we have to sort out storage for it all
angry letters have been sent saking them to take responsbility for their own errors in underestimating by 45%, will see what reply we get. But overall I wouldnt recommend Robinsons at all
Aug 18th 2006, 6:25 pm
#29
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Re: Shipping Costs Info (including Robinson's: A Rant)
I have this afternoon received a "quote" from a shipping company for nearer £2000+vat + local delivery.
See my update to my original thread about do-it-yourself cotainer shipping that I will post shortly. http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390702
Ian.
See my update to my original thread about do-it-yourself cotainer shipping that I will post shortly. http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390702
Ian.
Originally Posted by Mr Lee
Here are the five quotes + insurance we got in the order we received them (
But as for Robinson's - pah! Bloody cowboys!
But as for Robinson's - pah! Bloody cowboys!
