When shipping oversea begins to feel like a voyage around the world in 30 days - we hope

To travel to the UK from mainland Europe you'll have to cross the Strait of Dover (English Channel) or the North Sea, depending of your starting point. To travel from the UK to the neighbouring island you have to cross the Irish Sea.

This neighbouring island is divided in two: Northern Ireland and Ireland (Republic) but no matter which one you want to go to, you'll have to cross the Irish Sea.

Beginning August we received a phone order for maintenance product from Belfast area: two bottles of polish and a polish applicator please. No problem for us when the village we live and work in has its own Post Office. Standard parcel delivered within 48 hours, even over the Irish Sea.

In the last week of August we received a phone order from the Dublin area: two bottles of polish and a polish applicator please. I went to the Post Office again where James told me the astonish news it had to go "Overseas". The Irish Sea I said, I know my geography.

That was not what he meant. "Overseas" = International standard parcels

A) that costs 160% more!
B) takes between 3 - 5 delivery days to Ireland (Republic) according to Parcel Force's website

However, yesterday my Dublin area client called: where was the parcel? Trying to check the parcel online with the tracking number gave the following message: not available for this service (International Standard Parcel).
On the phone then to Customer Service (select 1 for.. 2 for... 6 for all other enquires = 6. Select 1 for.... 2 for.... 6 for all other enquires = 6. Select 1 for... 2 for.... 4 for all other enquires = 4) where I finally managed to explain the situation to a real person: shipped on 27th of August, 1.5 week later still no sign of the parcel - where it should "only" take 3 - 5 working days to cross the Irish Sea.

A very bored sounding customer service employee then told me it can take up to 30 days (that is a whole month!). When I asked why their own website stated 3 - 5 working days for Ireland (Republic) with International Standard Parcel I was told that was "only" an indication and should not be taken face-value!

Don't take me wrong, but does the Irish Sea stretch to enormous proportions when you ship something with the International Standard Parcel service?

(The best part of Parcel Force webpage on Ireland was the first sentence:
"We are in the process of rolling out our new improved international products to all customers."
About time too!)

Let's just hope this parcel is not on its way to turn into a Phileas Fogg adventure.

Update 18.08.09: received a phone call from our Dublin area client yesterday early evening - yes, our clients can even call us after normal working hours: parcel had arrived! (Turned out it was delivered 4 doors further down the road but no notification card was left behind at clients address.)
So, all's well that ends well, it seems.

Comments

[Shuaib]

My word!

Karin, you would probably be better off joint-venturing with Customer A from Belfast and send him/her all the items for ROI for onward forwarding "Overland" (instead of "Oversea"!).

That way the said items will get to Belfast in 48 hours, and hopefully get to say Dublin in say 72 hours (unless of course there are lengthy customs procedures & border controls meaning that your items are in a 30 day long queue!).

May be worth testing out! ;-)

Shuaib

[Karin H.]

Hi Shuab

My word indeed ;-)

Thanks for the idea, our own Postmaster James had another: split the parcel in two so both are regarded "large letters" and will be shipped by Royal Mail itself instead of their 'tedious' Parcel Force business. Might cost a little bit more (including packaging) but does seem to have a higher chance to end up where it is supposed to end up in a reasonable short time.
Although, come to think of it, the postman returned an middle large envelop - with some samples - back to us yesterday we'd sent to a prospect in London at the end of March this year! Another sample to the same prospect had arrived at the address a week earlier but hadn't been the right match to our prospect's existing flooring.

Makes you wonder ;-)

Karin H

At 11:51 13/08/2009, you wrote: