Won't supply to Scotland - Kings Lynn for a start, but who else?

[Tony Smith 7]

Hi,

I was just about to order from Kings Lynn, but when I went through the registration process they say that they won't supply to customers in Aberdeen (among other places). I've asked then to confirm, because the blurb says they won't supply to the Highlands, but then they list AB postcodes. (For the benefit of those down South, Aberdeen is not in the Highlands either geographically or administratively).

In fact refusing to supply to the Highlands is pretty naff as well but doesn't concern me personally.

No reply from Kings Lynn, so I guess I'm looking for a reputable mail orde place that supplies Blade helicopters, and supplies UK wide without that sort of nonsense. Any suggestions for known good places? None of the suppliers I've used before handle Blade, so I can't go by my own experience. I'd rather deal with an actual model outfit who'll have spares etc, than with a faceless Amazon or Ebay seller.

Tony S

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Have you tried contacting to ask if they will send it - perhaps at extra cost - if they have to make special arrangements?

[Eck]

Why give a company which treats residents of Scotland's third city like second-class citizens a second chance?

[SkippyUK]

Sorry but why should they have to make 'special' arrangements?

Parcelforce do not say Aberdeen is a 'special area'! - they deliver there for same rates as everywhere else according to their website.

Skippy

[Gordon Bushell]

Martin, I suspect that will be a no go if my experience is anything to go by.

Kings Lynn have a courier that doesn't deliver to the Isle of Wight either, despite most counting it as mainland UK, and wouldn't discuss using any other courier or royal mail.

Their loss.

[Antiquated]

As Gordon just said, they don't supply to the Isle Of Wight either, so it isn't just Scotland. However, it only seems to be some Aberdeen postcodes. I assume that as they say they use APC Couriers, the restrictions come from them (although I couldn't find any listed on the APC site).

Edited By Antiquated on 17/01/2013 13:47:42

[Tony Smith 7]

Posted by Eck on 17/01/2013 13:35:51:

Why give a company which treats residents of Scotland's third city like second-class citizens a second chance?

I asked, given the ambiguity of them saying "Highland" but then listing AB postcodes. I'll see if they reply, but from comments here I guess they're not interested. Interesting to see the post from "Antiquated" which seems to contradict their assertion that the limit is set by the carrier, but it's hard to beleive why else they'd refuse.

I've no special axe to grind with Kings Lynn except that they are widely recommended and none of the model specialists that I've dealt with before stock the Blade products.

As a matter of principle I won't pay extra for delivery, there's no need as there is no such extra cost to the supplier. A few Ebay sellers have specifed exclusions, in some cases when I've asked them they've been able to deliver at standard charges.

Tony S

[Gordon Bushell]

I did ask whether I could pay extra, as I couldn't find what I wanted elsewhere at the time. The answer was no.

I also asked if I could have the items delivered to a friend in Southampton, to collect later. That was refused too, as delivery wouldn't have matched my credit card address, and was potentially fraudulent.

I gave up at that point.

[Tony Smith 7]

Posted by Antiquated on 17/01/2013 13:46:02:
As Gordon just said, they don't supply to the Isle Of Wight either, so it isn't just Scotland. However, it only seems to be some Aberdeen postcodes. I assume that as they say they use APC Couriers, the restrictions come from them (although I couldn't find any listed on the APC site).

Edited By Antiquated on 17/01/2013 13:47:42

Their only caveat seems to be that the before 12:00 services aren't available in some areas, and some other areas it becomes a two day service. Nothing two drastic about that, although I don't know what those boundaries are meant to represent.

[WolstonFlyer]

Tony

I think that Midland Helicopters will do mail order for you, they ship worldwide.

I use them quite a bit for my spare parts and the guys in the shop really know what they are doing.

They certainly sell Blade helicopters and spares.

**Link**

Edited By WolstonFlyer on 17/01/2013 14:37:36

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I suspect the issue here is that outfits like KL are not using the courier's "standard service" as it would be offered to you and I as private individuals - so there is little point in citing the standard T&C's. Instead they are using some kind of "contracted business" rate. The non-delivery to certain areas in the north of Scotland is probably a clause within that contract - as part of a deal that lowers the overall cost.

So, assuming that I am correct, looking at it from KL's position we have the following choice;

1. Pay the full rate and be able to deliver to customers anywhere in the UK. That will increase delivery costs for all their customers - and, while I don't know, but for the sake of argument lets say means that under this arrangement they could supply to an extra 5% of their customers.
2. Take the "business package deal" and so get slightly lower delivery charges for 95% of their customers and accept that they will lose the business of the 5% that this deal excludes.

At the end of the day - that's a commercial decision for them to make. Is the advantage of the increased custom from the 95%, by being able to offer a competative delivery cost , worth the outright loss of 5% of customers. Right or wrong from a moral perspective, they obviously feel it is.

I don't feel they are treating people in those regions as "second class" - if they charged a "top up" or said you can only have your order delievered by a some cheaper, but much slower method, then yes I would agree that is treating those people as second class. But they are not doing that, they are just making a commercial decision to fore-go that business - and that is their right.

Don't get me wrong - I really do have sympathy with your problem - its rotten. I just don't think it helps to rile about "second class" treatment. Its business pure and simple. Remember they suffer from this too - don't you think they would like to sell to you? Of course they would. But not if its going to affect the competitiveness of 95% of their business!

If you want to have a rile against someone or something about this I can only suggest you have a go at whoever removed the Royal Mail's monopoly. because when the state ran it then it obviously had a social duty to provoide an equally good (or bad!) service to all citizens. Private companies are under no such obligation sadly and are driven entirely by costs and profit at the end of the day. And as another current thread points out most dealers are so close to extinction at the moment they can't afford to be anything other than commercially "hard-nosed".

BEB

PS I love Scotland and the Scots - really I do! Honest! But I'm also a realist.

[Eck]

Hi BEB, I deal with HK's U.K. warehouse, which isn't too far from King's Lynn, and they can deliver goods North of the Tay at no extra cost, and in a reasonable time (two days is normal) - and they are a pretty hard-nosed business!

I just prefer not to deal with a company that treats us like foreigners - although we may be in a few years!

[Tony Smith 7]

Cheers, I'll check them out.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Eck I sympathise as I say. Possibly HK are so big that they can cut better deals? Who knows.

The only point I'm making I suppose is I don't believe its personal! I don't think KL and others are sitting there saying "Oh well, we don't want to deal with them Scots lot do we"! About the worst you can say of them is they have sacrificed your business in the belief/hope that they can make more money without it!

BEB

[Myron Beaumont]

BEB

As per usual ,a well explained scenario as to the problems of the business situation in the UK. Very informative and mind expanding .

[Tony Smith 7]

Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 17/01/2013 14:50:27:

At the end of the day - that's a commercial decision for them to make. Is the advantage of the increased custom from the 95%, by being able to offer a competative delivery cost , worth the outright loss of 5% of customers. Right or wrong from a moral perspective, they obviously feel it is.

I don't think it's as reasoned as that. If it were then the lower cost operations, like Giant Cod for example, would follow that policy. In fact it's completely random, so I think it's a "don't care" decision on their part, not "how much can we save by excluding most of Scotland".

[Tony Smith 7]

Anyway, nobody's chipped in to report other dealers having similar policies, so I guess I just forget Kings Lynn and take my choice from everyone else. Especially if they can't even be bothered to respond to the question.

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 17/01/2013 20:32:43

[FunnyFlyer]

BEB - with respect, your argument doesn't stack up.

KLM should simply say "It will cost you an extra £x to deliver." They should then take the parcel to parcel force or whoever. It's called customer service. They may have a special contract rate with their preferred supplier - but can always use another supplier for one off deliveries.

I was at a "Rain Forest Cafe" in the USA a while ago. A family's youngest child played up and didn't want to eat anything on the menu - he wanted a McDonalds. The waitress said it was not a problem and she personally went to McDs and got the child a happy meal. That is customer service.

[Richard Wood]

I live in Fife & had no problem with delivery from KL on the one
occasion last year when I used 'em.
So the extra 100 or so miles to Aberdeen is apparently a deal breaker.
Annoying as communication links to there are good enough.

Not responding to your question is just bad manners & is unfortunately
getting increasingly common these days

Have you tried Marionville Models in Edinburgh Tony?
They list Blade helicopters on their website.

[Tony Smith 7]

Posted by Richard Wood on 17/01/2013 15:46:37:

Have you tried Marionville Models in Edinburgh Tony?

They list Blade helicopters on their website.

Cheers, I'll check them out. Notice that they use APC as well though .....

[Frank Skilbeck]

Fast Lad list just about every helicopter going, although i've not used them as I get my Blade bits from my LMS who doesn't have an internet shop, I've seen mention of good service on other forums.

Other good supplier who lists them I've used previously have been Steve Webb Models.

Is there no model shop in Aberdeen these days?

BTW what heli are you planning on getting, I somehow left my LMS last year with a 300x and later a 130x..................

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Ever heard of "exclusivity" Funny flyer? You get a special price within this geographic limits - but we get all your courier business. Maybe KL don't have the option? I know this applies to us in work over several supplier issues were we are in exclusive contracts.

And hey, even if it isn't - at the end of the day its their business, their product. If they don't want to sell it to you - for whatever reason - that's their right! We might not like it, but its reality.

BEB

[Erfolg]

It is not just KLM, that has or had delivery issues with Aberdeen.

When my daughter lived in Aberdeen (Kingswell), lots of suppliers treated Aberdeen as being in the Highlands.

At the time Screwfix, would deliver, but not on a next day service.

I understood Inverness, as for many major businesses, it was at he very end of a long and awkward main road, that incurred additional transport costs.

I guess it comes down to the cost of providing the service.Business sees the issue is that they need to make a profit, The PO may cross subsidies, others do not see why they should charge some of their customers more than necessary, and potentially loose business.

[avtur]

I am well accustomed to dealing with the problems of delivery to the Highlands and Islands, my work 'patch' extends to 22 locations in the UK and 4 of those are in these islands. Sadly it is a fact of life that the postcodes for these locations always cause a problem when ordering from mainland suppliers. In my line of business we've never had a problem actually getting 'stuff' delivered but usually there is an added cost. If anyone is saying they "can't" deliver there then I am very surprised.

A very important point to keep in mind is that it is the "oil" industry that provides much of the demand in those locations, anyone who simply 'shuts themselves off' from that market is missing a trick.

There is no doubt that there are costs "may be significant costs" involved in delivering to these locations. I know that the Islanders are prepared to accept 'a certain' premium for delivery to them, but I am very surprised to find a business that simply "can't" deliver there. That decision is not based on anything practical at all, and is shameful.

In the course of my work I know that it is possible to arrange for the delivery of thousands of litres of fuel in tankers to these locations … yes it costs and yes there is some "paperwork" to complete but it is all quite "do-able" so I am quite horrified that there are UK mainland businesses who say they can not deliver modelling goods there. If I can deliver thousands of litres of aviation fuel there… then you can deliver any thing there "IF YOU WANT TO"

[Simon B]

HobbyKing use Parcelforce, so that'll be why they'll do it.