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Topic: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)  (Read 1322 times)

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Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« on: October 08, 2018, 10:16:21 AM »
Need to get documents to the USA and back ASAP. Trying to sort out the most reliable overnight service. I paid for overnight with Parcelforce/FedEx the last time and it did not arrive overnight, but only a day later. I'm wondering if DHL would be better? It needs to go out tomorrow and be in California on Wednesday.


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #1 on: October 08, 2018, 10:24:42 AM »
I would do FedEx personally.

Parcelforce isn't associated with FedEx.  It's the Post Office's partner.


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2018, 10:45:30 AM »
Yeah, we went to the Post Office and their only option was to use ParcelForce. We paid for "next day" and were there before noon to hand it over. The shipment didn't get there until two days later.... Apparently it went from the PO to ParcelForce, who handed it off to FedEx in Paisley anyway.

Will check to see about sending FedEx directly.

[Edit: Unfortunately when something goes FedEx to the organization I'd be sending  it to, it goes to the mailroom, which then delivers it to the specific office the next day. I'm either going to have to send it to someone's home address or use DHL. Or possibly UPS.]

[Further Edit:  There is no FedEx drop-off point in Glasgow, apparently. So it'll be going DHL, which I can drop off at Rymans.]

[Further Further Edit:  DHL does not guarantee a delivery date. So back to Parcelforce/FedEx overnight. At least we know it'll get there in two days. As long as it's there by Friday morning, we're good. Tomorrow would be better, though!]
« Last Edit: October 09, 2018, 03:44:35 PM by Nan D. »


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2018, 09:20:50 AM »
Yeah, we went to the Post Office and their only option was to use ParcelForce. We paid for "next day" and were there before noon to hand it over. The shipment didn't get there until two days later.... Apparently it went from the PO to ParcelForce, who handed it off to FedEx in Paisley anyway.

Will check to see about sending FedEx directly.

[Edit: Unfortunately when something goes FedEx to the organization I'd be sending  it to, it goes to the mailroom, which then delivers it to the specific office the next day. I'm either going to have to send it to someone's home address or use DHL. Or possibly UPS.]

[Further Edit:  There is no FedEx drop-off point in Glasgow, apparently. So it'll be going DHL, which I can drop off at Rymans.]

[Further Further Edit:  DHL does not guarantee a delivery date. So back to Parcelforce/FedEx overnight. At least we know it'll get there in two days. As long as it's there by Friday morning, we're good. Tomorrow would be better, though!]
Sorry, could have told you that there is no such thing as next day delivery with them. Parcelforce can only guarantee delivery times in the US, their website even says so. It's annoying.  Sadly, packages to the US get sent through USPS once they leave the UK, you can track them through the USPS website.

We paid for 3 day shipping, it took 14 days! It got hung up in California, I lived in Colorado. It may have had a bit to do with my husband working in a pharmaceutical lab and he was sending me needed paperwork on company letterhead. Haha. But it was in Cali for over a week.

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The usual. American girl meets British guy. They fall into like, then into love. Then there was the big decision. The American traveled across the pond to join the Brit. And life was never the same again.


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2018, 09:59:35 AM »
Sorry, could have told you that there is no such thing as next day delivery with them. Parcelforce can only guarantee delivery times in the US, their website even says so. It's annoying.  Sadly, packages to the US get sent through USPS once they leave the UK, you can track them through the USPS website.

We paid for 3 day shipping, it took 14 days! It got hung up in California, I lived in Colorado. It may have had a bit to do with my husband working in a pharmaceutical lab and he was sending me needed paperwork on company letterhead. Haha. But it was in Cali for over a week.

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My mum once used ParcelForce to send an important US visa document to my brother who had just arrived in the US on a J1 visa - he had forgotten his DS-2019 immigration form and US immigration had given him 30 days to produce it or he would have to leave the country - she sent it next-day delivery, but it never arrived in the US.

When it got to day 29 and there was still no sign of it, my brother had to travel to Washington DC to get a new immigration form issued. It's been several years now, and we still don't know what happened to that ParcelForce delivery.


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2018, 10:23:38 AM »
Ok, so the first letterpack I sent arrived in two days, although it was promised by close of business the next day. Post Office to Parcel Force to FedEx. Cost 52 pounds. Sent the second one the same way, based on the Post Office clerk insisting it should have arrived next day, and apologizing. Same cost, same result.

Put in a claim for the first letterpack before having sent the second with Parcel F.. Stated I was told it would be there next business day and it did not arrive, asked fora refund as the service was mis-sold/misrepresented based on what the Parcel Force phone lady later told me (there is no such service) when I called to inquire about the second letter pack. 

Parcel Force came back with basically "yes there absolutely is next-day, but since your receipt is time-stamped 13:34 and our pickup cutoff is 13:30 we are denying the claim." I appealed, saying I'd been in the counter line for a half hour, and that no Parcel Force courier came in to pick anything up, and I'd been at the counter filling out the paperwork when it hit 13:30 and was told it was going out on time. So then I got  a response to my appeal saying it had been granted and they're cutting a check that should be here within seven days.

I then asked them if they needed for me to put in a separate claim on the second shipment (I'd send them both receipts when they asked for them, as by that time the second letter pack had the same fate) which was time-stamped at about 11:00am or if they were going to include it in the check. Have heard nothing back yet.

This country is crazy with a generic low-level incompetence.  ::)
« Last Edit: October 13, 2018, 10:26:29 AM by Nan D. »


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2018, 10:25:06 AM »
My mum once used ParcelForce to send an important US visa document to my brother who had just arrived in the US on a J1 visa - he had forgotten his DS-2019 immigration form and US immigration had given him 30 days to produce it or he would have to leave the country - she sent it next-day delivery, but it never arrived in the US.

When it got to day 29 and there was still no sign of it, my brother had to travel to Washington DC to get a new immigration form issued. It's been several years now, and we still don't know what happened to that ParcelForce delivery.

Wow.  :o :(


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2018, 10:51:57 AM »
Sorry, could have told you that there is no such thing as next day delivery with them. Parcelforce can only guarantee delivery times in the US, their website even says so. It's annoying.  Sadly, packages to the US get sent through USPS once they leave the UK, you can track them through the USPS website.

We paid for 3 day shipping, it took 14 days! It got hung up in California, I lived in Colorado. It may have had a bit to do with my husband working in a pharmaceutical lab and he was sending me needed paperwork on company letterhead. Haha. But it was in Cali for over a week.

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Oops. They can only guarantee next day within the UK. It's due to customs. Dan even called and complained at them at the time and got nowhere. It was so frustrating.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

The usual. American girl meets British guy. They fall into like, then into love. Then there was the big decision. The American traveled across the pond to join the Brit. And life was never the same again.


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2018, 10:54:56 AM »
Wow.  :o :(

Yeah... and the worst thing was that my mum sent it before she told me about it... if only I had known a couple of hours earlier, I would have made sure she used a proper courier instead, and it would have arrived fine in about 2 days.


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #9 on: October 16, 2018, 11:17:33 AM »
Well, both of our Post Office-ParcelForce-FedEx packs took two days to get to their recipients in the States. In both cases I was promised "next day" and supposedly PF is sending a check for the first one.  I had to request compensation separately for the second one, and haven't heard back yet.

The FedEx back from the USA went out on Saturday, which translates to Monday and was supposed to arrive today (Tuesday) by 6:00pm. So I cancelled all appointments to sit here to wait for it. There has been no update on the tracking system since last night at about 21:00 when it had been released at Stansted, so I tried their online chat - which sat forever and did nothing, saying "wait". After about 20 minutes I phoned and seemed to be speaking to someone in India(?). Turns out the plane was "late getting in" and so the pack "didn't make customs" (??) last night, and won't be delivered today. But should be tomorrow. I asked about filing for compensation and the lady was like "well, the plane was late, that's not our fault." 

I'll be telling my friend who sent it to file for compensation anyway, as I sent money to pay for next day service, and today is the next day. There is nothing in the terms of service online that says "delay because the plane was late" negates their advertised guarantee.  She should at least get my money back and have a nice dinner on us for her troubles. ::)

It will be interesting to see if I actually do get a check for any of the late "next day" packs.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2018, 11:19:44 AM by Nan D. »


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #10 on: October 16, 2018, 11:28:18 AM »
Well, both of our Post Office-ParcelForce-FedEx packs took two days to get to their recipients in the States. In both cases I was promised "next day" and supposedly PF is sending a check for the first one.  I had to request compensation separately for the second one, and haven't heard back yet.

The FedEx back from the USA went out on Saturday, which translates to Monday and was supposed to arrive today (Tuesday) by 6:00pm. So I cancelled all appointments to sit here to wait for it. There has been no update on the tracking system since last night at about 21:00 when it had been released at Stansted, so I tried their online chat - which sat forever and did nothing, saying "wait". After about 20 minutes I phoned and seemed to be speaking to someone in India(?). Turns out the plane was "late getting in" and so the pack "didn't make customs" (??) last night, and won't be delivered today. But should be tomorrow. I asked about filing for compensation and the lady was like "well, the plane was late, that's not our fault." 

I'll be telling my friend who sent it to file for compensation anyway, as I sent money to pay for next day service, and today is the next day. There is nothing in the terms of service online that says "delay because the plane was late" negates their advertised guarantee.  She should at least get my money back and have a nice dinner on us for her troubles. ::)

It will be interesting to see if I actually do get a check for any of the late "next day" packs.
I got money back from UPS for a late delivery, and it took speaking with the right person to get it. I didn't get all my money, because it ultimately was delivered, but I only paid a fraction of the total cost, which was awesome.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

The usual. American girl meets British guy. They fall into like, then into love. Then there was the big decision. The American traveled across the pond to join the Brit. And life was never the same again.


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2018, 02:17:13 PM »
Yeah, it's worth a shot. I've now got a screen cap that shows the incoming FedEx was at Stansted at 3pm, and wasn't available for customs unil 9:18pm, and was released from them approx the same time (9:18pm). So, I don't know if it sat at Stansted on the FedEx side, which I would think they were responsible for, or if it got stuck in customs (which I would agree is not their problem).

But if someone pays extra for a specific service, and the company knows that there are items that "didn't make the truck" that were due to be delivered the next day, for whatever reason, they should hot-shot them (my letter can't be the only one) up to the local distribution centers. And doubly-so if it is their fault.
Or offer a complete refund. Since the sender is in the USA, I don't think that she's got the same protections someone in the EU has. So I've pretty much paid for a service I'm not getting. Again. And since I'm not the sender, I'm thinking I can't try for the refund anyway.


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #12 on: October 17, 2018, 03:13:22 PM »
I can tell you who absolutely NOT to go with: Yodel and MyHermes
My, how time flies....

* Married in the US and applied for first spousal visa August 2013
* Moved to the UK on said visa October 2013
* FLR(M) applied for  May 2016. Biometrics requested June 2016. Approval given July 2016.
* ILR applied for January 2019 (using priority processing). Approved February 2019.
* Citizenship applied for May  2019
* Citizenship approved on July 4th 2019
* Ceremony conducted on August 28th 2019

'Mommy, Wow! I'm a legit Brit now!'


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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #13 on: October 17, 2018, 10:15:48 PM »
I can tell you who absolutely NOT to go with: Yodel and MyHermes
Definitely second this.  I got a package from Hermes once that looked like this:



Now, I don't know if it was delivered like that or if a passerby decided to help themselves to it because it was left in front of my house, on a busy street, and then they realized it was just cat food... But neither one is acceptable if you ask me.

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Re: Most reliable courier (FedEx, DHL, other?)
« Reply #14 on: October 17, 2018, 10:19:59 PM »
Triple that. Just say no to Hermes! They are the absolute worst. Go read their Twitter account.

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