Shipping from the UK

[brit_la 1]

So Im now starting to look into shipping my things over from here, I saw the topic on the parcelmonkey website and will probably be using that. To the people that have used the site....

Does anyone have any suggestions of where to get packaging from?

What happens in regard to filling out the customs forms? Do they provide them before, or do I have to get them from somewhere?

I have emailed them to ask these questions(as they dont have a phone number) and had no reply from them.

Any help appreciated

[doghandler 2]

So Im now starting to look into shipping my things over from here, I saw the topic on the parcelmonkey website and will probably be using that. To the people that have used the site....

Does anyone have any suggestions of where to get packaging from?

What happens in regard to filling out the customs forms? Do they provide them before, or do I have to get them from somewhere?

I have emailed them to ask these questions(as they dont have a phone number) and had no reply from them.

Any help appreciated

Hi

I was planning to use them too. I found this previous VJ thread where people who have used them have posted information about them. It appears Parcel Monkey are really DHL (in disguise, but half the price), so you just call DHL for the info.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...l=parcel+monkey

[Y&E 12]

Most of the storage companies around where I am sell shipping / packaging supplies. If you investigate storage firms in your area you might find the same thing.

I'm intending to Fed-Ex everything through my fiance's work a /c because that will cost us peanuts.

[brit_la 1]

Thanks for the replies, got some researching to do!

[Think~Pink 0]

I'm looking into this too.

I have quite a bit, so DHL is going to work out too expensive.

I found a thread on here in the search about various removal companies.

A lot of people have used excess baggage or PSS international.

I got 2 quotes from hem...with a huge difference.

The first quote came in at just over £500 then the second over £900....I was told I should never have been given the first quote as it would never be that cheap.

The first guy I spoke to also failed to tell me that it would be over £100 extra, just for delivery of boxes because I am outside of London, so wary of this.

So far, the cheapest company I have found is John Mason, who do all the packing for you...looks like I will probably use them.

[doghandler 2]

I'm looking into this too.

I have quite a bit, so DHL is going to work out too expensive.

I found a thread on here in the search about various removal companies.

A lot of people have used excess baggage or PSS international.

I got 2 quotes from hem...with a huge difference.

The first quote came in at just over £500 then the second over £900....I was told I should never have been given the first quote as it would never be that cheap.

The first guy I spoke to also failed to tell me that it would be over £100 extra, just for delivery of boxes because I am outside of London, so wary of this.

So far, the cheapest company I have found is John Mason, who do all the packing for you...looks like I will probably use them.

Thanks for taking the time to post this, Think-Pink. It's really helpful. There is absolutely NO pleasure in this bit, quotes, removal firms...bleurgh!

[Think~Pink 0]

You are most welcome and I can totally empathise...it's been a real headache.

I eventually went with a company called John Mason International.

They came in with a middle priced quote, but I just felt they were more professional. Their website looks good and the person I spoke with was extremely helpful.

They contacted me when they said they would and always emailed me replies to the many questions I asked them.

I asked for a quote from Crown, but they never bothered to get back to me...John Mason won me over.

I just got all of their paperwork today and I have to admit, it looks very daunting...but no doubt once I start to plough through it, it will be easy enough to fill out.

I am booked in for next week...eek...then the following Tuesday I am heading for my new life, but still a lot to do before then.

Edited March 5, 2010 by Think~Pink

[Peikko 1,575]

What sort of things are you bringing over? TBH, I didn't bring much at all, and am very glad I didn't - just the sentimental stuff because it is more expensive than you imagine it's going to be, often it is almost cheaper to start a fresh, and kind of fun. However, I did use excessbaggage when I moved for 2 boxes, it cost about 300 GBP, took nearly a month and I had to collect the stuff from a warehouse. It's all a bit of a hassle so good luck!

[Think~Pink 0]

Hi Madame Cleo

It's mostly sentimental stuff for me too, but I do have some household items also. I am trying to keep it to an absolute minimum and have got rid of a lot of stuff already...stuff that I would probably have hung onto if I were staying here, but every penny helps )

If I left it to my hubby, he would have me leave everything, but there are some things I just cannot part with.

It is expensive, but I am getting door to door service and they are packing and unpacking for me, so at least I won't have to do that.

Edited March 5, 2010 by Think~Pink

[Hellojulie 0]

I just wanted to get an idea of rates for the boxes we plan to ship by air - so I packed up one box - weighed it and got a quote on several websites.

The box is 38x30x30 and weighted 6kg. (just for example - an average box with misc in it)

Parcelmonkey give me a rate of £55.72 for DHL

Interparcel.com gives me a rate of £43.50 for DHL (with NEXT DAY delivery?!?), 45 for fedex and 44 for UPS

Parcel2go give the yet another rate of £38.82 for DHL

I have experience with Interparcel shipping to the US and never had any problems.

The others seem to be basically the same tho - and Parcel2go seems substantially cheaper than Parcelmonkey. Does Parcelmonkey give a discount for bulk shipping or something?

To be honest at 38.82£ per box we could ship 75 boxes of that size to equal the average shipping quote from like Robinsons ect. (3000£ is listed as their average for a move to the US)

In our case we are shipping no furniture. The problem will be books and my husbands record collection. hmmm.... I was going to split between air an space in a container, but I wonder if we need space in a container at all?

[brit_la 1]

I just wanted to get an idea of rates for the boxes we plan to ship by air - so I packed up one box - weighed it and got a quote on several websites.

The box is 38x30x30 and weighted 6kg. (just for example - an average box with misc in it)

Parcelmonkey give me a rate of £55.72 for DHL

Interparcel.com gives me a rate of £43.50 for DHL (with NEXT DAY delivery?!?), 45 for fedex and 44 for UPS

Parcel2go give the yet another rate of £38.82 for DHL

I have experience with Interparcel shipping to the US and never had any problems.

The others seem to be basically the same tho - and Parcel2go seems substantially cheaper than Parcelmonkey. Does Parcelmonkey give a discount for bulk shipping or something?

To be honest at 38.82£ per box we could ship 75 boxes of that size to equal the average shipping quote from like Robinsons ect. (3000£ is listed as their average for a move to the US)

In our case we are shipping no furniture. The problem will be books and my husbands record collection. hmmm.... I was going to split between air an space in a container, but I wonder if we need space in a container at all?

I think that the more parcels you ship to the US with Parcel Monkey, the cheaper it works out. I have tried lots of different amounts and box sizes, to see what I should be shipping, and it looks like, lots of smaller boxes, are cheaper than bigger ones. I have six boxes I need to ship, of varying sizes and put in quotes at all these sites. ParcelMonkey offered the best rate at only £125, whereas the other ones ranged from £220-£400!

[Hellojulie 0]

Ahhh ok. I will have to wait until we have everything together and do the qoutes again with the combined sizes and weights.

[jhphi 0]

Ahhh ok. I will have to wait until we have everything together and do the qoutes again with the combined sizes and weights.

Hi Hellojulie,

It definitely goes down dramatically. My quote from parcelmonkey came in at around 24 GBP each for some heavy file document boxes (boxes weighing 30 pounds each)-- the quote for 30 boxes was 24.19 each, and the quote for 40 boxes was 24.13 each.