Recommend courier to send lens for repair

LCPete

LCPete

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Hi I need to send my 300 2.8 to canon Elstree for repair and am a bit worried about it getting lost in the process
is something like Royal Mail with insurance ok ?
am a bit nervous about posting it in case something happens as it’s a high value item
can anyone recommend a safe courier that will actually pay out if something happens I’ve heard of a few horror stories
i thought that they arrange collection and return but can’t see anything about that in their website
 
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Canon use UPS, they may send you a UPS label and charge it to your final account?

EDIT: are you CPS?
 
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I have worked for several parcel delivery companies over the years and so long as whatever you are sending is well-packed you are probably going to be alright with any of them. If it is packed like it was going to war then your biggest risk is loss rather than damage, although having said that the best packing in the world won't protect it from a forklift truck running over it (yes, it can happen). All parcel companies lose things but the vast, very vast, majority of things get there ok. Insurance is good to take out although it can be quite expensive. if cost were no objective I would send it via Royal Mail Special Delivery as I work on the premise that the shorter the time an item spends in the carriers company, the less likely anything will happen to it.

Pack it in such a way that you would be happy dropping it onto a concrete floor from waist height and you'll probably be fine and that means plenty of bubble wrap and a strong box.
 
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ShinySideUp said:
I have worked for several parcel delivery companies over the years and so long as whatever you are sending is well-packed you are probably going to be alright with any of them. If it is packed like it was going to war then your biggest risk is loss rather than damage, although having said that the best packing in the world won't protect it from a forklift truck running over it (yes, it can happen). All parcel companies lose things but the vast, very vast, majority of things get there ok. Insurance is good to take out although it can be quite expensive. if cost were no objective I would send it via Royal Mail Special Delivery as I work on the premise that the shorter the time an item spends in the carriers company, the less likely anything will happen to it.

Pack it in such a way that you would be happy dropping it onto a concrete floor from waist height and you'll probably be fine.
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Thanks yes I’ve still got the original packaging and was going to put it inside another box as well
It was loss that I was worried about
 
I've always used Royal Mail Special Delivery, which is insured (you specify the amount, which determines the cost of postage) to send cameras for service and repair and, touch wood, they've always arrived in one piece. However, I do wrap things well, in a waterproof plastic bag (with my name and address rubber banded to the camera or lens in in case it gets separated from the packaging), protected with bubble wrap and or polystyrene chips, in a sturdy cardboard box, then wrapped in another plastic bag and wrapped with a strip of parcel tape in both directions around the parcel to stop the box sliding out if the plastic bag gets ripped open.

NB I believe some couriers don't insure items containing glass, which isn't much good for lenses! So do read the small print when deciding who to use. (y)
 
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Mr Badger said:
I've always used Royal Mail Special Delivery, which is insured (you specify the amount, which determines the cost of postage) to send cameras for service and repair and, touch wood, they've always arrived in one piece. However, I do wrap things well, in a waterproof plastic bag (with my name and address rubber banded to the camera or lens in in case it gets separated from the packaging), protected with bubble wrap and or polystyrene chips, in a sturdy cardboard box, then wrapped in another plastic bag and wrapped with a strip of parcel tape in both directions around the parcel to stop the box sliding out if the plastic bag gets ripped open.

NB I believe some couriers don't insure items containing glass, which isn't much good for lenses! So do read the small print when deciding who to use. (y)
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Thanks good point I’ll check the small print
 
Even though most couriers won't insure glass, if the thing was run over by a forklift truck, the contents of what was previously a box is largely immaterial, so strong case to argue for the cover at £ 900 rather than the standard £ 12 per kilogram.
 
andrewc said:
Even though most couriers won't insure glass, if the thing was run over by a forklift truck, the contents of what was previously a box is largely immaterial, so strong case to argue for the cover at £ 900 rather than the standard £ 12 per kilogram.
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The trouble is, you'll never know it was run over with a forklift, you'll just be told 'damaged in transit' and that it wasn't covered as it was found to contain glass. If the terms and conditions exclude cover than that's the end of any damage claim for an excluded item!
 
I've had things delivered - a windscreen crate with two holes through (forklift blades) and an exhaust that was totally flattened. And I once received a turbocharger that had been sawn in half by customs... All successfully claimed against as wasn't accidental, but neglicence on their part.
 
DPD their drivers are usually self employed and take better care of stuff. I think Royal Mail Special delivery is a total rip off.
 
The only company I've ever had real problems with is UPS.
DPD are excellent, at least down in Cornwall. The one time a replacement driver couldn't find our house (it shows on any sat nav) they sent out another driver on Saturday to deliver.
 
If people are going to make statements, perhaps give some reasoning behind it.

“The only company I've ever had real problems with is UPS.” And what problem was that- I’ve never had a problem with them and just last week they delivered a high value product to my son at Uni with no issues and a day earlier than expected.

“I think Royal Mail Special delivery is a total rip off.” Why? As it happens I agree. For bigger items they are by far the most expensive although the service has been good in my experienc.
 
Craig1912 said:
If people are going to make statements, perhaps give some reasoning behind it.

“The only company I've ever had real problems with is UPS.” And what problem was that- I’ve never had a problem with them and just last week they delivered a high value product to my son at Uni with no issues and a day earlier than expected.
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OK, UPS have informed me that my delivery is going to be on a certain day, then informed me that they were going to change the day at 8.00pm THAT DAY, meaning I had waited in all day, and that I had to make sure someone was home for a second day. They have failed to turn up to collect parcels (not arranged by me, as I wouldn't use them) on the arranged day, so again, another day waiting. Again, I wasn't informed of this until late, I think it was around 5.30.
They have an app (no other courier company requires people to download and use an app) Why do I need an app, when every other courier manages to keep me informed by text. I've tried their app, turned on notifications and still not received any, and even got the driver to check I'd done what I needed to.
Their customer service, on the few occasions I've been in touch with them, has been arrogant, unhelpful and they have not offered any kind of apology, which is all it takes. Like every person and company, mistakes are made, and an apology goes a long way. When I suggested this it was ignored. They used to be good, maybe still are in the States, but my experiences are certainly negative enough to make me spend time posting my views here and in other places, and few companies rile me this much.
Even bad weather seems to only strike UPS, as over the last few weeks I've had several deliveries come from parts of the north of the country (ie hit by snow and ice) by DPD, but I'm still waiting for last Fridays UPS delivery to arrive from London to Cornwall (ie not really hit by bad weather)
The actual drivers are all friendly and caring enough.
So, your son had a parcel delivered a day early - did they inform him they were coming a day early? The only time they notify me is to say they have delivered, or as mentioned above.
We can all be unlucky, but like I said, they are the only courier who has let me down, hence my post.
 
I think RMSD compares favourably for a next day service that includes decent insurance as standard. Most postmen know their local patches much better than a courier so know that no. 24 is down that little alley so manage to make delivery, whereas ANother abandons it and causes delays.
 
stevewestern said:
So, your son had a parcel delivered a day early - did they inform him they were coming a day early? The only time they notify me is to say they have delivered, or as mentioned above.
We can all be unlucky, but like I said, they are the only courier who has let me down, hence my post.
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Thanks for explaining. We both had emails every step from drop off to delivery, so communication was very good
 
My hermes... not, just kidding.

I work for royal mail (as a postman) and I would recommend royal mail special delivery but I think it's only insured to £500 but I think you can buy extra insurance up to £2500, they do ask for the value of the item at the counter. I do beleive postman still have the edge compare to other business when it comes to knowing each door and householder.

How heavy is such a lens? Royal mail special delivery is a great service but I think it is pretty expensive over 2kg.
 
Lemaildetom said:
My hermes... not, just kidding.

I work for royal mail (as a postman) and I would recommend royal mail special delivery but I think it's only insured to £500 but I think you can buy extra insurance up to £2500, they do ask for the value of the item at the counter. I do beleive postman still have the edge compare to other business when it comes to knowing each door and householder.

How heavy is such a lens? Royal mail special delivery is a great service but I think it is pretty expensive over 2kg.
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Thanks yes I thought about Royal Mail but the lens would cost 6K to replace so need to have it insured for that value
 
On Royal Mail, it must depend on the postman. We seem to be getting a lot of new faces now (presumably the regulars are ill) and service can be variable. A few times we get next door's post - we've had addresses offset by one house for several houses. Last week in one delivery I got one item for 34 (my number), 1 item for 36 and one for 40. There might be something to be said for couriers with a satnav. But not a lot to be said for Hermes (patron god of thieves, as a classical allusion).
 
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I sent a lens for part exchange last week and the dealer used DPD which I was happy about as I’d never had a problem with them before unlike Hermes where after poor past dealings I will refuse to buy from anyone who uses them.
On this occasion the item went missing for a few days but DPD kept me regularly informed of their tracing program and eventually found it after a depot search and delivered it successfully.
 
DPD without a doubt. They are by far the best. Next in line is the Royal Mail Special Delivery next day service. They are almost as good and it is easier to find a Post Office than one of their drop off points.
 
Might be worth a call to Canon to see who they recommend and/or use.
 
Nod said:
Might be worth a call to Canon to see who they recommend and/or use.
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You've not read all this thread have you! :LOL:
 
I’ve always used Royal Mail Special Delivery for camera and lens deliveries.
Never had a problem.
 
Another vote for DPD. Used them for door to door shipping many times UK and to far east.
DHL and RMSD also fine .

If you use parcelforce and drop off at PO be sure that you time it so parcelforce pick it up before RM. If RM collect then it will get to the Parcelforce system in a few days but interim hangs around the RM DO and won’t appear on PF or RM tracking systems as I learned to my cost.

MyHermes lost an incoming lens ( have been recompensed by the seller in Holland ) but god knows why he didn’t send it by a decent courier with insurance rather than Post NL. It was a cosina voigt -rare - one of a small run of 1000.

My Hermes are the pits - there is a special place in hell reserved for the Exec board of that outfit - shame - their local couriers are nice people.

UPS tracking system is a typically american morass of multiple meaningless linked sites. I have never got” my choices” to work. FEDEX have had issues but UPS and FEDEX al least haven’t lost a parcel of mine.

Check t&c of couriers and you own camera insurance if you have that.
 
greyowl said:
If you use parcelforce and drop off at PO be sure that you time it so parcelforce pick it up before RM. If RM collect then it will get to the Parcelforce system in a few days but interim hangs around the RM DO and won’t appear on PF or RM tracking systems as I learned to my cost.
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Totally agree with what you say about Parcelforce. I'm a postman and when I collect a Parcelforce item I only give the customer a crappy bit of carbon paper has a receipt. Then I took it to the depot. Then it goes to ParcelForce and only then it is scan/enter in there system for the first time. I found this very poor.

If I have to collect a royal mail item then I do not give any bit of carbon paper but I scan the parcel immediately in the system and can be tracked instantly.
 
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