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Hattons - The Tale Of Excess Packaging


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  • RMweb Gold

For your information I paid £2 but so as it turns out Hattons make a loss on the postage but the main point of the post was the excessive packaging but perhaps you've missed that!

My apologies, I use Hattons quite a bit and know their normal postage labels / services: not realising you got a different service to that paid for.

 

I didn't miss the packaging size and acknowledged that in my first post. I just found it strange that you started your post unhappy at the time to receive goods for which you had not apparently selected the next day service.

 

Roy

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You want online buying convenience and this is what you get.

 

I recently ordered two oven bulbs that arrived in a excessively large box. Presumably the suppliers standard smallest package. The bulbs were small enough to go in a "C5" padded envelope, although that may not have been big enough to take the address labeling (or flat enough to stick it on).

 

The alternatives;

  • Pay more for a wider range of packaging that is inconvenient for the supplier.
  • Use a smaller online supplier who probably will not get the same volume carriage deals and so uses what are lowest "standard" cost postal options (possibly a "normal" model shop with online ordering).
  • Drive to a local models shop to buy what you want.
  • Accept that this is where online buying has taken us.
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I've ordered a single micro decoder from Hattons.  They come in plain 'spares' type packaging so measure about the same as a packet of fishplates and could be sent as a standard letter.  I feel sorry for the postman having to carry a bulky box around with him and wait for me to answer the door.

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  • RMweb Gold

Are there any left?

 

Not many but some of those that are are fiercely competitive and either post on this forum or get a favourable mention in despatches from forum members.There is still a place for the small retail specialist .I used one this morning to make that rarity these days...a telephone order,paid less than Rails are currently quoting,got free delivery and a good conversation in which we both put the world to rights.It was a late order for one of Dapol's shiny new Vosslohs which I quite like the look of .Love the design of the thing and DRS paint job.Oh what a sinner am I......Anyway,Steve of The Hobby Goblin take a bow and I hope the candidate of your choice makes it to Westminster today.Yes folks there is a by election in The Potteries.Here,it's blowing your socks off....

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  • RMweb Gold

OK, a bit strange for a couple of packs of fishplates. Perhaps Hattons need to find some thinner card boxes like Amazon use.

 

But, so far as I am concerned, three cheers for Hattons! They used to send out stuff in secondhand biscuit cartons - a complete disaster. So well done to them for listening and now providing good quality packaging.

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Whilst it's easy to poke fun at over packaging excess, I reckon it's nothing to the fury there would be if items were occasionally underpackaged and consequently were damaged in transit. its harder, not impossible, to write a procedure that is flexible than a one size fits all that probably fits the vast majority of orders they receive.

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Whilst it's easy to poke fun at over packaging excess, I reckon it's nothing to the fury there would be if items were occasionally underpackaged and consequently were damaged in transit. its harder, not impossible, to write a procedure that is flexible than a one size fits all that probably fits the vast majority of orders they receive.

I recently received an item in the post and gave the eBay seller 'neutral ' feedback for the packaging and the reply was because it was not damaged when I received it, then it was adequate!

 

Mark Saunders

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Whereas by the time the packages have travelled 10,000 miles to get to me the cartons have sometimes looked like they were used as footballs. Due the the great bulk packaging nothing has been damaged despite some rather nervous moments.

 

OT Considering postage alone, It is actually cheaper to have something flown halfway around the world from Hattons than delivered from down the street here in Oz :)

 

regards

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Whereas by the time the packages have travelled 10,000 miles to get to me the cartons have sometimes looked like they were used as footballs. Due the the great bulk packaging nothing has been damaged despite some rather nervous moments.

 

 

As another who gets his items flown 1/2 way around the world (also receiving boxes that look like they have been dragged to Oz behind a bullock team) I have occasionally received models from others, that have been packed less diligently arriving looking more like shrapnel.

I applaud Hattons for their packaging, I have never had a single Item arrive from them with any hint of damage. 3 cheers for Hattons :)

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well i am glad i am not alone in this

 

i had an 8 pin decoder arrive in australia in exactly the same box.

the dafter thing was, i also ordered the Thanet Flyer train set at the same time. they could have just asked if it was ok to drop the chip inside the set instead of 2 different packages. lots of room in there after all

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What a waste of time all this fuss about a bigger-than-expected box.

 

Let's just get on with some modelling instead!

 

John

The point being made , is that in this day and age, we are encouraged to recycle, avoid waste and to conserve resources.

Why can't Hattons just introduce a smaller box size for when they send out a decoder or a packet of fishplates or even two tins of Humbrol paint?

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Why can't Hattons just introduce a smaller box size for when they send out a decoder or a packet of fishplates or even two tins of Humbrol paint?

Because they wouldn't be able to fit their own catalogue and suchlike bumph in a small box! :jester:

It's often the same catalogue supplement that comes free with model magazines - or is it the other way around..? :scratchhead: ;)

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The point being made , is that in this day and age, we are encouraged to recycle, avoid waste and to conserve resources.

Why can't Hattons just introduce a smaller box size for when they send out a decoder or a packet of fishplates or even two tins of Humbrol paint?

 

because it is cheaper to standardise on one box size,  both from a purchase perspective, a pallet shipping / van loading perspective,  and so on - i ran a distribution business in the noughties and trust me this is the way it works... carriers and warehouse team  find far easier to work with standard packaging size - and most businesses don't have the volume/resources to run an Amazon style setup.

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