Shipping Companies?

[edchels 5]

I was hoping there might be a few people out there who have used one of the following companies to ship their stuff to the U.S and can tell me how it all went for them? Pros and Cons... they are all roughly the same price, so thats why its a tough decision.

I cant decide between:

Allied Pickfords

Anglo Pacific

PSS

Worldwide Shipping

Anyone who knows anything about any of the above companies would be fantastic!

Thank You!

[Lansbury 19]

We used Allied Pickfords had a 20ft container which we almost filled.

The guys that came in and packed all our stuff up, were excellent. As we lived on a busy road they were going to take all the stuff to the local depot to pack the container there. The packing took a day and a half and on the second morning a space opened up big enough for the container lorry so they got it sent to the house, and used various objects to "reserve" the parking space. Once the container was packed they called me out to have a look, showed me it was very secure, and to watch the container closed up and sealed. The driver double checked with me where the container was going and set off straight to Southampton docks, that was a Friday. The following Monday, we were by then in the States, I had an e-mail from Pickfords with all the ship details and its arrival date in the US.

We found a web site we could track the ship online, quite fun watching it come across the Atlantic and run down the eastern seaboard and through the Panama Canal. It docked in LA one day late.

About 2 weeks before it docked the shipping agent here called to double check all the arrangements and to get one document as the copy he had wasn't very clear. He also gave us details of the company that would be handling the shipment once it reached Portland. In fact it was Allied Pickfords themselves. About 7 days after the ship docked the agent called again to say that customs had selected our container for x-ray examination and there would be a charge for this, we had been forwarned in the UK of this possibility, and that Pickfords would bill us for this but had paid it and the container would leave LA the next day, and reach Portland on the Friday and the agent in Portland would call Monday of Tuesday of the following week to arrange delivery. In fact the agent called late Friday afternoon to say they had the container and would Monday be ok. Monday morning three guys a truck with the handling equipment and the container on another truck arrived and was unloaded and the stuff unpacked. They offered to unpacked the nearly 120 boxes or to leave them for us to unpack and to come back and collect all the empty packing when we had done so. We opted to unpack ourselves and indeed when called they came to collect as promised.

Pickfords, in Hayes London, told us between 7 to 10 weeks from when the container left us to when we say it again and it was 7 weeks and 3 days. It would have been less than that but the ship arrived on Dec 26th so we lost a bit of time with the holidays. The other test is what they managed to break, one item got chipped and that was a cheap salt shaker.

We were very satisfied. Pickfords were in the mid range of quotes we received. Did exactly what they said they would, on time. All their staff were very pleasant, friendly and the packers were very conscientious about wrapping stuff up.

When we shipped about 2% of containers got examined by customs so none of the shipping companies included that in they charges. Now it is 100% or very close to it so if it isn't included you will have to pay that charge here.

We would use Pickfords again without hesitation.

Edited December 13, 2007 by Lansbury

[edchels 5]

We used Allied Pickfords had a 20ft container which we almost filled.

The guys that came in and packed all our stuff up, were excellent. As we lived on a busy road they were going to take all the stuff to the local depot to pack the container there. The packing took a day and a half and on the second morning a space opened up big enough for the container lorry so they got it sent to the house, and used various objects to "reserve" the parking space. Once the container was packed they called me out to have a look, showed me it was very secure, and to watch the container closed up and sealed. The driver double checked with me where the container was going and set off straight to Southampton docks, that was a Friday. The following Monday, we were by then in the States, I had an e-mail from Pickfords with all the ship details and its arrival date in the US.

We found a web site we could track the ship online, quite fun watching it come across the Atlantic and run down the eastern seaboard and through the Panama Canal. It docked in LA one day late.

About 2 weeks before it docked the shipping agent here called to double check all the arrangements and to get one document as the copy he had wasn't very clear. He also gave us details of the company that would be handling the shipment once it reached Portland. In fact it was Allied Pickfords themselves. About 7 days after the ship docked the agent called again to say that customs had selected our container for x-ray examination and there would be a charge for this, we had been forwarned in the UK of this possibility, and that Pickfords would bill us for this but had paid it and the container would leave LA the next day, and reach Portland on the Friday and the agent in Portland would call Monday of Tuesday of the following week to arrange delivery. In fact the agent called late Friday afternoon to say they had the container and would Monday be ok. Monday morning three guys a truck with the handling equipment and the container on another truck arrived and was unloaded and the stuff unpacked. They offered to unpacked the nearly 120 boxes or to leave them for us to unpack and to come back and collect all the empty packing when we had done so. We opted to unpack ourselves and indeed when called they came to collect as promised.

Pickfords, in Hayes London, told us between 7 to 10 weeks from when the container left us to when we say it again and it was 7 weeks and 3 days. It would have been less than that but the ship arrived on Dec 26th so we lost a bit of time with the holidays. The other test is what they managed to break, one item got chipped and that was a cheap salt shaker.

We were very satisfied. Pickfords were in the mid range of quotes we received. Did exactly what they said they would, on time. All their staff were very pleasant, friendly and the packers were very conscientious about wrapping stuff up.

When we shipped about 2% of containers got examined by customs so none of the shipping companies included that in they charges. Now it is 100% or very close to it so if it isn't included you will have to pay that charge here.

We would use Pickfords again without hesitation.

Thanks for the quick and very detailed reply. really appreciate that! Allied seems to be in the mid-range of quotes i have aswell, and they do seem very professional!

Thanks again!

[walkies_a 0]

I too, have been thinking about the same thing and have been searching for other peoples experiences. It is good to have Lansbury's view, but I am keen to know what is best for shipping books, cd's and clothes. I don't have any furniture I wish to ship. I have looked at the above companies. I have also looked at excess baggage. Does anyone have any idea on what is good this sort of shipping?

Andrew

[Lansbury 19]

If you only have a few boxes to ship I have heard people speak well of Excess Baggage.

[weedebz 0]

I'm planning on using excess baggage when the time comes as read secveral good reports

[Dan and Lynne 0]

i asked for a quote from excess baggage last week and since then i have had 5 emails and 7 text messages at all hours telling me different prices...not sure if a confused company is a good idea?

[SMB x2 0]

If you're not moving a great deal, is there a rough guide for how much these companies charge per kg? Most sites I've been to don't seem to want to quote prices up front.

I'm thinking perhaps my PC, HDTV, my novels and probably clothes if they don't fit in the luggage allowance.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

I know that excess baggage have had a number of happy customers on this forum. I have done a little bit of preliminary research and the lowest price I have found is All Freight http://www.allfreight.co.uk/

They were much cheaper than Excess Baggage, but I don't know if they're any good. Also Excess Baggage will store your boxes for up to a month for free, so if that makes a difference to you, it might be worth the extra money.

Edited December 15, 2007 by Poiteen

[Jeraly 4]

Have heard good reviews of Excess Baggage but am going to carry out more research post-Feb when I start to think about tying up my life here *gulp*

[mustang-sally 8]

I am also looking at shipping companies. No large items but lots of books, c.d.'s, ornaments, clothes, etc.

I'm moving at the end of March and guessing I need to look at volume shipping rather than weight.

I did email excess baggage a couple of weeks ago to ask for a quote but no reply as yet. I will start looking seriously after I have my visa in hand.

I see from your map that you are moving not far from me Jeraly, I'm moving to La Crosse

[walkies_a 0]

I found some time to get quotes from anglopacific and excess baggage. Anglo Pacific is slightly cheaper and has more options on boxes. They also will wood-ply any boxes you want for extra protection (i.e. containing china) for 12 GBP a box.

I have googled both companies and have found very favourable reviews on excessbaggage, but have found little on anglo pacific.

Has anyone had experiences they can share?

Thanks,

Andrew

[pucklechurch 0]

Anglo-Pacific mailed three 30kg boxes from Manchester to Kansas City in March 07 and it arrived in mid August, alot longer than they first suggested. I was also told to pay an additional charge to get them moved from the dockside in New York. I was asked to pay this after a call in late May wondering where my stuff was. The reason for the delay, according to AngloPacific, was that customs were taking a long time checking over the crate my stuff was in, in addition I should have been told when I first paid for the delivery that I would also have to pay more to have it taken from the port of entry to my house. In hindsight I should have paid the extra and had it flown there!! Or used another company.

[walkies_a 0]

That confirms my thoughts on Anglopacific. I had a good phone call with them and they promptly sent the quote to my e-mail, which as I had read on other forums they had done for other people also. However, they had taken a lot longer than quoted to get peoples stuff to them and were adding on extra fee's in their "all inclusive" door-door service. The reviews in other forum's were admittedly older, 2005+2006, and mainly to NZ and Aus, but it appears are corroborated by your more recent experience with them to the USofA.

So, I think I am gonna put my money with Excess Baggage.

Andrew

[Jmaster911 0]

I'm using Excess Baggage (they arrive on the 28th ) but it was a close run thing with a company called Bishops. I got identical quotes of the two and them and then played one off against the other, I even got a reduction in the insurance down to 2.5%. By doing this negociation I got about £200 knocked off the original quote.