# Best way to send high value laptop



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ive just set up a new laptop for a client in Oxford. Most of the stuff I tend to send out from here is stuff Ive acquired and flogged on ebay so I never bother with insurance etc.

The laptop is worth about £500. The courier charge to me from my wholesaler was £8. The nearest I can find through Royal mail is about £35!!!

Most of the parcel 2 go type sites seem to want similar if you insure it but then there seems to be get out clauses for breakable items anyway and some dont even take laptops.

Any ideas?


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## Revise (May 13, 2012)

Royal Mail seems a bit steep to me. RM Special Delivery is insured up to £500 and works out about £11 up top 2kg

https://parcel.royalmail.com/orders/quick-delivery/

As long as the battery is in the laptop it is ok as long as you put a label on it.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Ask your wholesaler who they use?

Graham :smile2:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

GMJ said:


> Ask your wholesaler who they use?
> 
> Graham :smile2:


Yes I Did that. UK Mail and it was actually £6 to me I think. They dont deal direct with the public though. That wholesaler shifts thousands of parcels through them. That link above worked out at £26. The laptop is 2.2kg so I assumed 3-4 with the box and power supply etc. Ill just drop it in at the post office tomorrow and see what they say. My own fault. I should have checked. Ive never paid more than a tenner for sending anything but as soon as you start adding insurance it rockets. Doesnt inspire confidence though huh?


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## Revise (May 13, 2012)

Do you know anybody with a contract with a parcel company, I have a contract with DPD and get next day deliveries to most of UK for £5.74. Alternatively, I can arrange a collection from a customers house to be delivered to me for about £8. Does the client you have fixed the laptop for use a courier company and they might be able to collect it from you.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Thanks again. No, not really. I have to ship it tomorrow anyway. The confusion with the various couriers is some wont take laptops, some of their insurances if you read the small print dont cover them and those that do its questionable anyway as its probably classed as something thats easily breakable. Ill just see what the post office says and bite the bullet. It might be something I do more of in the future though so it would be good to sort something out. Ill see if I can set up an account with UK Mail. Its a brand new machine and I had it shipped here to do the work on it before shipping it out to the client.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

RM Special Delivery every time.

Peter


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

barryd said:


> Yes I Did that. UK Mail and it was actually £6 to me I think. They dont deal direct with the public though. That wholesaler shifts thousands of parcels through them. That link above worked out at £26. The laptop is 2.2kg so I assumed 3-4 with the box and power supply etc. Ill just drop it in at the post office tomorrow and see what they say. My own fault. I should have checked. Ive never paid more than a tenner for sending anything but as soon as you start adding insurance it rockets. Doesnt inspire confidence though huh?


Would your wholesaler arrange for their courier to pick it up from you and deliver it to your customer and then charge you for the service?

Graham :smile2:


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I'm just waiting for my new PC Tower to arrive. It's being sent by 'Despatch Bay' https://despatchbay.com/

I guess as they send out many PCs to Europe, they must be OK.

Ray.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

GMJ said:


> Would your wholesaler arrange for their courier to pick it up from you and deliver it to your customer and then charge you for the service?
> 
> Graham :smile2:


I wondered about that but thought it was opening a bit of a can of worms, too many people involved, liability etc.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

RM Special delivery, I always use them. just price accordingly. You really will get a rep for being a tightwad.> sorry forgot you are in Yorkshire.:grin2::grin2:


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

It's a computer! Send it by email!


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I sold that Lenovo on Ebay, I put it into it's original box, and then into a far bigger box with a lot of bubble wrap as having worked for RM, I KNOW they throw boxes along the length of 40 foot trailers, I took the view that they would have to run over it to damage it, so I just sent it signed for, and asked the buyer to take pictures before opening it so I could see if the box was damaged.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

£17.33 with £300 insurance, Parcel force 48 at the post office with a discount. I didnt pay much more than that wholesale but it leaps up if you go up to £500. Its not something i do often and I think I just quoted a tenner for delivery but got a bit of shock when I saw £40+ being quoted and assumed you guys would know of a cheap alternative. If it happens again ill just factor it into the price. I nearly always get laptops delivered here first now as they take so flaming long to update and be usable now but then I hand them over and finish the install onsite as they are always local, this one however had to go to Oxford. 

Thank for all the advice.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Pity you could not take it and have a weekend down there, lovely City.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

cabby said:


> Pity you could not take it and have a weekend down there, lovely City.


It is although I seldom see much of it. I have relatives about 13 miles south of there in Wantage. This is actually a new client kind of via a client in Oxford who I have worked with for years. Normally I would go down for them for a day or two but this job for this new client didnt warrant the cost for an onsite visit. I wish I could get more like it though as its a piece of cake. I can set em all up how they want them and ship them out in theory without even getting out of bed.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Yeah, nice when all goes to plan, pity it does not happen enough.


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