Delivery decisions

[davhill]

I'm going to sell off my pro photography gear using eBay.
I won't be job lotting it so it'll go in individual packages.
I have the original boxes and I'll put these in stronger carboard boxes
with bubble wrap, etc.

Then it's a matter of sorting out the rest. I've used Royal Mail and Parcelforce
with good results but they are pricey. OTOH, I've had no problems with Hermes
but for being unable to contact them easily.

I can do the weighing easily enough but the problem lies with insuring the goods
in transit. For example, I can only guess at what I might get for individual items. As they are
high value things, insurance is a necessity. What makes it tricky is that I can't change
the courier costs as the auction heads for the finish.

It seems to me that I could pack everything really carefully, use Hermes's free £20 of cover
and hope. Or I could suck up the extra cost.

Any suggestions?

Confused of Cheshire.

[UpTheIron]

Being well packaged doesn't cover you for it getting nicked or the recipient claiming it didn't arrive.

List with postage at a cost that will cover it regardless of final price and state in the listing you will refund any excess postage after successful delivery.

Or if the item is sufficiently valuable post it at your cost and set your start price or reserve accordingly.

[A500leroy]

Best advise wait till after christmas has gone. On a normal day royal mail process 1 million items, right now its around 7.5 million items.
Once christmas is gone you should get a much better service from RM.

[davhill]

A500leroy said:

Best advise wait till after christmas has gone. On a normal day royal mail process 1 million items, right now its around 7.5 million items.
Once christmas is gone you should get a much better service from RM.

Good point, thanks. I'l avoid the festerive season.

[colin79666]

Check the couriers list of items they won’t cover. Anything with glass is usually not covered, e.g. lenses. Hermes are particularly cheeky as it isn’t just won’t cover for damage but also appears to be no cover for loss either, not even sure how they get away with that.

[Evoluzione]

colin79666 said:

Check the couriers list of items they won’t cover. Anything with glass is usually not covered, e.g. lenses.

Yes this ^

You'll find the categories on some are so loosely defined the only thing they'll cover with no quibble is a piece of soil.

Courtesy of P2G:

Animals Or Organisms Of Any Form (Alive Or Dead) Including Animal Parts, Real Fur, Ivory Etc.
Antiques And Works Of Art (Whistl)
Apparel Worth Over £250 (Whistl)
Balloons (Filled) (Whistl)
Batteries And Items Containing Built In Batteries Like Hover Boards, Certain Phones Etc.
Bike (TNT)
Biological Samples
Books [to China]
Christmas Crackers
Coffee (Outside EU) (DPD, Landmark)
Compressed Air & Empty Cylinders
Confectionery (Collect+, OCS, Landmark, One World Express)
Cork (OCS)
Cosmetics
Costume Jewellery Worth Over £250 (Whistl)
Designer Goods (Whistl)
Document (Outside EU)
Drugs, Medication, Prescriptions, Tobacco And Tobacco Products
Electronic Items Containing Any Batteries Exceeding 100Kwh (Whistl)
Electronic Items Sent With New Alkaline, Nickel Metal Hydride (Nimh) Or Nickel Cadmium (Nicd) Batteries (Whistl)
Gardening And Household Tools - Gardening And Household Tools, Unless Properly Protected
Geochron
Goods Made In Foreign Prisons (Whistl)
Hazardous Goods Including Aerosol, Asbestos, Ashes, Detergents, Resin, Explosives, Filth, Fire Extinguishers, Fireworks, Gas, Dry Ice, Items Containing Flammable And/Or Explosive Substances.
Helmet (Landmark)
Illegal Goods - Including Counterfeit Goods, Counterfeit Currency And Any Items Considered Illegal In Either The Exporting Or Importing Country.
Kayaks
Ladders (TNT)
Laptop (Vietnam) (UPS)
Leather (OCS, Landmark)
Lights/Lighting/Chandeliers (Hermes)
Liquids/Creams/Oils/Gel - Including Aftershaves, Alcohol, Juice, E-Cig Fluid, Water, Emulsions, Paint, Ink Etc.
Lithium Battery (International orders) (TNT)
Magnetised Materials (Whistl)
Magnets
Mattress
Medical Equipment
Micro Processors (Whistl)
Milk Powder (Formula)
Minerals (Landmark)
Mobile Phones/SIM Card Outside The EU
Mobile Telephones And Accessories Worth Over £250 (Whistl)
Monetary/Currency Including Cash, Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Coins, Cheques, Vouchers, Tickets, Lottery Tickets, Stamps (Unless Franked) Etc.
Negotiable Documents Including Passports, Driving Licences Etc.
Non Perishable Food Items (Internationally) (Including pet food)
Oxidising Materials And Peroxides (Including Hair Dyes)
Paintings/Canvas Prints (Hermes)
Perishable Goods - Meat, Fish, Perishable Food, Food Containing Or In Liquid Form (Items With A Short Shelf Life Or That Spoil If Not Refrigerated) (all)
Personal Effects (Suitcases Or Personal Belongings) (DPD)
Plant
Poisonous, Toxic Liquids, Solids Or Gases Including Pesticides
Pornographic Material And Obscene Publications
Printer Toner/ Ink Cartridges (International Parcels Only)
Protein/Supplements/Vitamins/Health Shakes (DPD, OCS, Landmark)
Radioactive Materials
Religious Items Or Any Items Above The Equivalent Value Of £100.00 To Turkey (Applies To All Services)
Scented Candles (OCS services to New Zealand)
Seeds (International orders)
Settee
Shower Screen (TNT)
Slime (OCS, Landmark)
Soap (DPD, OCS, Landmark)
Sofa
Spectacles, Glasses, Sunglasses (Hermes, MyHermes, Landmark)
Surf Board (TNT)
Tea (Outside of EU) (DPD, Landmark)
Telescopes (Hermes)
Television (TNT)
Tyre / Wheel (Parcelforce, TNT, DPD)
Vehicle Parts - Large Vehicle Parts Including Vehicle Panels, Spoilers, Doors, Bonnets, Bumpers, Carbon Fibre, Engines, Any Car Parts Containing Oil Or Liquids, Airbags, Steering Wheels Containing Airbags, Seatbelt Tensioner Etc.
Weapons - Including Replicas, Ammunition, Axe, Blades, Chainsaws, Guns, Knives Etc.
White Goods (Fridges, Ovens, Freezers, Cooker Hoods, Hobs, Boiler, Washing Machines, Hot Tubs Etc)
Wood And Wooden Items (Items Made Out Of Wood)
Wooden Items (Norsk, OCS, Landmark)
Items Protected For Loss Only:
The services provided to us by the couriers will send the following items, however, they will not protect for any damage.
If the item is lost within their network they will refund the cost of the carriage and the items value (Parcel protection must be taken out for any loss to be claimed).
Antiques, Items Over 100 Years Old.
Bicycle
Coffee Machine, Coffee Grinder, Coffee Roaster
Cycles, Bicycles, Unicycles, Tricycles.
Dinner Sets
Electrical Appliances That Are Not Considered White Goods Such As Cameras, Monitors, Computers, All In One Computers, Drones, Lamps, Laptops, Scanners, TV, Projector Or Any Item Similar In Description Or Content.
Floor Boards, Laminate, Wooden Flooring
Fossils
Furniture - Including Objects Such As Tables, Chairs, Desks, Beds Or Large Electronic Devices (Must Be Within The Service Dimensions)
Glider
Knitting Machine, Sewing Machine
Ladders
Luggage
Models, Kits
Musical Instruments Including Guitars, Amplifiers, Speakers, Turntables, Violins, Keyboards Etc. All Musical Instruments Must Be Sent In A Hard Case And Boxed.
Non Perishable Food Items Sent Domestically, Including Pasta, Biscuit, Cereal, Canned Food Etc. (Also Includes Dry Pet Food)
Ornaments (Must Not Be Made From Non-Protected Materials Like Glass, Porcelain Etc.)
Suitcase - A Suitcase Will Not Be Protected If This Is Used As Packaging For Internal Items.
Surfboard
Telescope, Microscope
Wall Decor Items Including Canvas Prints, Clocks, Framed Pictures, Pictures, Posters, Prints, Paintings
No Protection items:
The following items (or any item similar in description or content) can only be carried on a no protection basis on any service.

Any person sending such an item does so at their own risk:

Ceramics / Porcelain / China / Stone - Items Made Or Consisting Of Porcelain Or Similar Including Tiles, Sinks, Basins, Toilets, Baths, Concrete, Crockery, Granite, Marble, Vase, Pottery, Plates Etc.
Delicate Items
Documents (Where Not Prohibited)
Fishing Rods
Fragile Items (all)
Glass Items Of Any Type - Including Glassware, Crystal, Bulbs, Screens, Fiberglass, Fish Tanks, Mirror, Spectacles, Window, Perspex Etc.
Hamper
Lenses
Lights, Lighting, Lamps, Lampshades, Chandeliers Etc.
Packaging - Including The Box, Media Packaging, Suitcases/Flight Cases Used As Packaging Etc
Pewter Figures
Precious Metals And Stones - Including Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium, Gems, Gemstones, Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Amber, Pearl Etc. (Including In Jewellery Form)
Shower Screen
SIM Cards (Where Not Prohibited)
Small Vehicle Parts Including Headlights, Taillights, Gearboxes, Motorcycle Parts Etc.
Stoneware, Statues, Statuettes, Marble
Torches
Vermiculite Board
Watch

You'll just have to risk it like everyone else does.

[davhill]

Bloody Hell, is there anything I can send?

I like the way Landmark simply says, 'Helmet'. I suppose technically, a knight's helmet
is a helm. But helmet? What, crash helmet, pith helmet, Darth Vader/stromtrooper lid?
Who knows?

It's an at your own risk minefield in any case.

[trickywoo]

You might get less for it but I wouldn’t recommend eBay for anything high value. The eBay, PayPal, post scenario just isn’t worth the hassle for anything over £100.

Either do cash / bank transfer on collection via eBay or try local facebook and maybe photography groups.

[Hammer67]

As you mention pro gear presumably that holds a decent value.

Personally I wouldn`t use eBay, a courier or Paypal for anything electronic or high value.

Too much of a risk from all angles.

Cash on collection or cash on personal delivery/handover only.

[davhill]

Some excellent advice in here, thank you all very much.
The gear's value is enough to keep the chavs away
but I'll try FB first. I'd be happy to deliver if the price is
right but as you said, cash or BACS only.

[CoolHands]

If you use Hermes you deserve all you get.

Use parcel2go use the drop off page and then select decent carrier. I use ups a lot theyre good.

[thatsprettyshady]

I work for DPD so I'm biased but they are very good, delivery is still next day at the moment and you'll get a photo of the package with the recipient, no funny business. If they collect from your house you don't even have to fart about printing out any labels.

I have used UPS regularly in the past for quite high value items, never had an issue there either. Saying that UPS are currently running about 2-3 days behind due to xmas, if speed matters to you.

Do not I repeat do not use Yodel or Hermes. Sometimes when I'm out and about I find their parcels that have just fallen out the car and they haven't noticed.

[vaud]

DPD are very good.

If it's good kit you might want to try Park Cameras or Ffordes to see if they are interested. Dale Photographic in Leeds do commission sales.

[Landie90]

I use either DPD or UPS and do it direct - not through P2G or Parcel monkey. There isn't a lot that UPS won't carry if you book them direct.

[davhill]

Definitely worth my asking!

80% of the gear is as new and boxed, while the camera body, though clearly used, has had the factory mirror fix.
The good part is that the rest is all current.

Commision sales sound tempting, I'll look into it.

By the way, I only use Hermes for bombproof stuff. I just received a set of Brembo calipers with grooved
discs even they couldn't break them.

Thanks again for all the input - it's very valuable.

[Turn7]

Id be petrified trying to liquidate a Pro Togs gear via emails and online....

Far to much value and potential agg.

Face to face, via specialist fora ect, but I would urge you, DO NOT use the mainstream channels.....

[Sophisticated Sarah]

I was in a similar position a few months back. After comical offers on the gear, multiple scammers etc I just sold via WEX and MPB.

[The Moose]

Feel free to pm me the list and your asking prices. Maybe something of interest if you shot Canon.

[C n C]

You could try the TalkPhotography classifieds.

I've bought quite a few things (Canon 70-200 f2.8L, Wimberley gimble head, PocketWizard flash triggers) through this and not had any issues.

[Turn7]

C n C said:

You could try the TalkPhotography classifieds.

I've bought quite a few things (Canon 70-200 f2.8L, Wimberley gimble head, PocketWizard flash triggers) through this and not had any issues.

TP Fora has always worked well for me...

If its Nikon gear, then maybe a call to Grays ?