SteveS Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 I'm about to ship an instrument to Germany from UK. I've priced up a couple of couriers, and with insurance to the full value, the cost is eye-wateringly expensive. Does anyone have any suggestions as to an alternative shipping method or courier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Have you tried DPD(uk) International ? I have not used them , so I cannot recommend as such, but someone suggested it recently... worth a look at: www.dpd.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 Thanks Geoff - yes tried DPD - they're expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orm Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 (edited) What about usual post? I've recently shipped concertina from NL to UK by usual post.nl and I've used an option of insuring it (up to € 5000 if I'm not mistaken). Luckily all went well, the cost of delivery was € 30 with box. Edited May 17, 2016 by Orm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 Posting by Royal Mail covers to a maximum of £2500 - it's not an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay-Jay Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 If you don't find a posting alternative, maybe another option would be to fly to Germany, EasyJet/Ryanair (depending on where) and personally deliver the instrument Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 Jay-Jay - I've actually considered this option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAc Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 (edited) I faced the reverse problem last year (Germany to UK). It's the same thing; I had the option to go UPS for > 100 EUR or DHL (postal services) for a reasonable amount but with insufficient insurance (sufficient one would have cost even more than UPS). Since postal services were on strike in Germany exactly at that time and thousands of packets were irrecoverably lost in the chaos, I went UPS. Fortunately I could pick up my Crane on the way back as I visited the UK for the Sidmouth Festival. You may want to ask Chris Algar who (unwantingly?) is an expert in insured int'l concertina shipping. I believe I paid around BPS 50 each for each of the two concertinas he sent me so he does have an acceptable arrangement (I believe it was something like an international mover service he went with). Edited May 17, 2016 by RAc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 DHL appear to ship to Germany for a fraction of the cost of the quotes I've had previously - fully insured too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex_holden Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 DHL is a German company is it not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAc Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 A "fraction?" I just entered the reverse quest into dhl.de (5000 EUR insured, max 10kgs from GER to GB) and got a quote of about 83 EURs (max 60x60x120 cms). Is the other way so much less costly? @Alex: yes, it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 (edited) A "fraction?" I just entered the reverse quest into dhl.de (5000 EUR insured, max 10kgs from GER to GB) and got a quote of about 83 EURs (max 60x60x120 cms). Is the other way so much less costly? @Alex: yes, it is. Shipping to Germany from UK from competitors, including Royal Mail, was 3-4x the quote from DHL!! The DHL shipping quote from UK to Germany is also more expensive than the equivalent quoted in the opposite direction. Everything is more expensive in UK (rip-off Britain?). Edited May 17, 2016 by SteveS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Rip-off Britain indeed. I have had Germans and Austrians book me a return flight from England to their country for much less than I could get from the same airline here. Why is anyone's guess (or am I missing something?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylepip Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 From Germany, I just ordered a concertina from Soundz of Muzic, and they used GLS (which appears to use parcelforce in the UK). It seems fairly inexpensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 ... am I missing something? Possibly the Euro? Certainly Ryanair charge the same figure in £s or €s, so (say) €50 from the Eurozone becomes £50 from the UK.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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