UPAKWESHIP pricing

I've read the mixed reviews of Upak but thought I'd request a quote anyhow since the prices seemed pretty reasonable.  According to their website, terminal to terminal shipping (Charlotte, NC to London) is $360 for 35 cubic feet.  Add on about $170 in estimated customs fees and still okay.  According to their FAQs sheet:

"Does weight make any difference? If dieting yes, if shipping with UpakWeShip usually no!"

So, I was surprised when the quote emailed to me estimated $1125 for 35 cubic feet!  It was sent from White Glove Express, not UPak, so I guess they work with local shipping companies?  It said it was based on an estimated 250 pounds.  The estimate said it included pick up in Charlotte (which is the closest location, but still 2 hours drive from my house) and delivery in London.  I'd specifically filled out a quote for terminal to terminal shipping so dunno what that's about.  I'm going to reply to the email to find out why the estimate was so high compared to the info on the UPak/Euro USA website but just wondered if anyone else had a similar experience. 

Good luck to everyone!  I know it's a pain but I think having a few bits and bobs of my own will help make my husband's flat feel more like home. 

Having read some of these horror stories, I'm shuddering!!  Is there a reasonable alternative to Upakweship?? 

Also, does anyone know how it works for door-to-door service?  I will have a relatively few boxes of stuff to send to the UK.  I can't get the boxes to SC terminal because I don't drive, and I will need the boxes delivered to my new home in England for the same reason.  Surely there is a sane and safe way to accomplish this without losing valuables and going bankrupt -- or going insane?

Cheers!
~Teddy

Depending on how many boxes you're sending, it might be worth looking into their Baggage by Ship service.  Apparently, you just take your boxes to any UPS store, then they get delivered to your door wherever you're going.  Anyone have any experience of this particular service?

Since I'm planning on shipping fewer than 30 cu.ft. of boxes (and no furniture, etc.), I think this might be my best option.  They're listing the price to Scotland at $570 by this method, though I'll be very surprised if there isn't some kind of delivery surcharge to the Western Isles. 

Still, I'll be interested to find out how their actual quote stacks up to the pricing on their website. 

I had a great experience with them, but their UK partner did try to stick me with fees.  I complained to UPakWeShip, and they sorted it all for me and I didn't pay anything.  I also had to wait a really long time though although I'm positive it was on the customs end and getting things sorted with the UK company.  I was very happy with UPakWeShip, not as much so with EuroUSA.  Happily, they fixed the problems for me when I complained.

Also, for the discrepancy in prices, it sounds to me like you aren't actually shipping from the port, which is where the lower price is.  They do have a service where you drop it right at the port and pick it up directly from the port it arrives in--you don't deal with shipping companies or warehouses, but I think you are responsible for any customs fees that way.  I'd check with them to make sure you were getting the actual port to port price if that's what you're interested in.

I've read the mixed reviews of Upak but thought I'd request a quote anyhow since the prices seemed pretty reasonable.  According to their website, terminal to terminal shipping (Charlotte, NC to London) is $360 for 35 cubic feet.  Add on about $170 in estimated customs fees and still okay.  According to their FAQs sheet:

"Does weight make any difference? If dieting yes, if shipping with UpakWeShip usually no!"

So, I was surprised when the quote emailed to me estimated $1125 for 35 cubic feet!  It was sent from White Glove Express, not UPak, so I guess they work with local shipping companies?  It said it was based on an estimated 250 pounds.  The estimate said it included pick up in Charlotte (which is the closest location, but still 2 hours drive from my house) and delivery in London.  I'd specifically filled out a quote for terminal to terminal shipping so dunno what that's about.  I'm going to reply to the email to find out why the estimate was so high compared to the info on the UPak/Euro USA website but just wondered if anyone else had a similar experience. 

Good luck to everyone!  I know it's a pain but I think having a few bits and bobs of my own will help make my husband's flat feel more like home. 

Hi, did you ever get a straightforward answer for the price difference? The price I was quoted was $400 above published price and then when I asked why they changed the price to DOUBLE the first quote. This is CLT to Cambridge, White Gloves as well.

Not really, but I'm not sure White Gloves is affiliated with UPak. I ended up going with AMID logistics, same as Oceanfreight USA.  I was really happy with their service and pricing (about $400) but absolutely horrible experience with the UK partner, Cardinal Maritime Limited.  Ended up costing an additional £550 to get my goods, including delivery.  AMID's policy is to make you respond to emails when they send a shipping document verifying you've received it, but not Cardinal.  They supposedly sent my Notice of Arrival, invoices, etc but I never received any of them (not even in my junk folders).  By the time I contacted them again (the first time they never responded) they were charging me £20 a day to store my goods.  The representative kept giving me the runaround, etc. 

So while I can't comment on the White Gloves company, the total cost of the move for 35 cubic feet was about $1400.  Even if you subtract the amount I paid in storage fees (about $300) the quote seems pretty fair.  When I originally booked my move I thought I booked "drop off at local warehouse in US - pick up at local warehouse in UK" but they ended up charging me for delivery to my door in the UK.  It was more expensive but the only other option they gave me was to pick it up myself in Manchester (I'm in Kent) and I was just fed up and wanted my stuff at that point.  The only advice I would give is to really hound the UK destination agent about where your stuff is even if you don't hear from them.  Hope that helps and good luck!