Quote:
Does the UK have more than one international shipping company to use?


Yes, but it looks like the seller is just doing it the easy way by taking it to the local post office and posting it there.

Unlike the US we don't have several different shipping offices in each shopping mall. If you want to just go to the local shops and post something like this then pretty much your only option is the post office.

If you want one of the other shipping companies to send it you either have to take it to one of their depots (which tend to be hidden in the middle of out of the way industrial parks) or get them to collect it. Many of them aren't interested in dealing with a one of pickup and if you work full time in an office it isn't always possible to arrange a pickup.

Looking at the Parcelforce (UK Post Office's parcel arm) website, the seller is merely passing on the true cost of posting a 10kg parcel to the US.

It looks like most of the other parcel services charge about £60-£90 for the same service, so the post office £110 option is expensive.


Edited by andy (17/10/2005 03:51)
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