Hattons Model Railways of Widnes (formerly Liverpool).

[tetsudofan]

Has Hattons dropped Yodel, I ordered the other day and have the confirmation that the parcel is in the post and will be delivered tomorrow ( Thursday ), Normally its come with Yodel or Royal Mail in the past but the link for tracking is to City Link, so are city link and Yodel Connected or has Hattons decided to take there business elsewhere ?

SGJ

 

Despite what Hattons say on the website they use Yodel for items that are picked and packed on Sunday so that they arrive on Monday - when I first queried an item for which I had asked for Royal.Mail but they sent Yodel they told me that Yodel collect on a Sunday afternoon for delivery to be made on Monday - quicker than any other of the options that they offer. 

 

Yodel, from what I've heard, are not well thought of by some people although I've never had any problems with the delivery people down here. Hattons did say that if you do not want Yodel used or only use the specified carrier mention this specifically in the "comments" box on the internet order.  

 

On Thursday evening I ordered something from Hattons which was picked today and has been sent Yodel (although I clicked on another option) so should receive the parcel by tomorrow lunch time.

 

Keith

[tetsudofan]

Just tracked my package - received at Shaw Hub at 19.28 this evening - expected to be delivered tomorrow.

 

Keith

[tetsudofan]

Latest update - Yodel just delivered the package from Hattons - delivered within 21 hours after being picked at the Hattons warehouse yesterday (Sunday) - although it did take Hattons nearly 3 days to pick the order made on Thursday evening.

 

What arrived was something different:

 

 

 

High Speed trains are one of my weaknesses.....and may even get to see one of these when visiting China on the Bachmann Collectors trip to China next year - although we won't get a chance to ride one.

 

Keith

[OnTheBranchline]

Question for non UK people who buy from Hattons,

 

For a loco purchase do you usually get signed for shipping or just regular shipping?

[alfsboy]

Re Yodel.I sold a guitar via Ebay and used a parcel service ,I forget  which one (parcel to go? )..They said they would use Yodel .After a few days still no pickup so I called them and they diverted the order to TNT ,a much more expensive service ,at no extra cost to me .TNT picked it up on the Thursday  .A really skanky looking  guy  covered in tattoos called late on a Saturday afternoon ,in a  very old rusty Ford saloon ,claiming he was from Yodel .He had no paperwork or machine and I told him it had gone .He looked annoyed .I wouldnt have given him a pint of milk to deliver let alone a guitar.I had more trouble with the customer not being in .TNT said they try to  deliver until its finally delivered and dont give up ,That was from the actual TNT driver .In the end I managed to get through to the customer who said he was a Schitzophrenic and didnt know what he was doing most days .In the end all was OK and many thanks to TNT .

I thought that with a crooked despatch clerk at Yodel  you could have a great scam for while for high value goods so be warned .On the other hand I have also to thank Yodel as I painted 3000 matchbox vans a lurid green for a promo company   to be printed with their logos .a nice little earner .I have a code 75 double slip on its way from Hattons so I expect great service .

Martin

[JCL]

Question for non UK people who buy from Hattons,

 

For a loco purchase do you usually get signed for shipping or just regular shipping?

It was a while ago, but I think I signed for mine when it got here. I can't remember if Canada post or Purolator brought it the final stretch.

[Gwiwer]

Question for non UK people who buy from Hattons,

 

For a loco purchase do you usually get signed for shipping or just regular shipping?

 

Personally I choose regular airmail.  I take a degree of risk in that but with Hattons' service and reputation if anything did go astray I'm sure an email would put things right. It is also particularly inconvenient to have signed-for mail as it only gets delivered once.  You can't phone them up and ask for it to come back.  You have to go and collect it from the post office where it was lodged, a regional mail centre or the courier's depot.  In my case that can sometimes require taking a half-day off work which adds to the cost of the loco by factoring in fuel, road tolls and loss of wages.

 

Some retailers will only ship by signed-for delivery.  When I choose to shop with them I accept their terms and any inconvenience my end as part of the deal.

[Removed a/c]

Question for non UK people who buy from Hattons,

 

For a loco purchase do you usually get signed for shipping or just regular shipping?

I just use the regular postage. I found that when it is signed for I also end up paying taxes as well as Canada Posts collection fee !! 

[HeavyDuty]

Question for non UK people who buy from Hattons,

 

For a loco purchase do you usually get signed for shipping or just regular shipping?

 

I usually go cheapest route and have never had a problem.

[oreamnos]

Question for non UK people who buy from Hattons,

 

For a loco purchase do you usually get signed for shipping or just regular shipping?

 

I have a very strongly held opinion about that.

 

I definitely always request regular airmail to California whenever it is an option, regardless of the value of the items purchased.  My experiece with "signed for" for items purchased on eBay where the seller has insisted on that mode of shipping is that "signed for" is a complete waste of money and a major inconvenience as well  - I work days and am never around to sign for the parcel so I have to wait until a weekend and then take the little slip they leave behind to the PO in order to collect the parcel.  It's a complete PITA.

 

Also, in my experience, items sent signed for actually take longer to arrive from the UK than those sent regular airmail.  I assume that is because the PO does more record keeping with such parcels which slows down transit speed, but that is pure speculation on my part.

 

Finally, Hattons is excellent with regard to lost parcels.  If something you order does not arrive, if you wait 25 (UK) business days from the date of shipment, upon notificaiton by you, (assuming the item is in stock) Hattons will ship you a replacement via airmal post haste at no charge, and they will file a claim with Royal Mail to recoup their loss.  Only one parcel they've tried to send to me never arrived and that was back in the day when its staff hand wrote addresses on parcels instead of sticking on the current fancy printed mailing labels now being used.  The way the sorted out the problem was was fantastic.

 

Anyhow - save your money and just go with standard airmail.

 

Matt

Edited September 10, 2013 by oreamnos

[JCL]

Hi Matt, that's interesting information. I don't have the being in problem as I run a B&B, but as you say, it would be more expensive, so I'll go with your recommendation next time.

 

One for Canadians in particular, I've been told that if you get the parcel marked as "toy trains" instead of model trans you are much less likely to be charged duty. In a completely non-scientific situation, I've recently had both descriptions on two models and the toy trains package was duty free.

Edited September 11, 2013 by JCL

[Gwiwer]

 I've been told that if you get the parcel marked as "toy trains" instead of model trans you are much less likely to be charged duty.

 

 

 

I have noted that other retailers do this routinely as well as Hattons.

[royaloak]

 

Yodel, from what I've heard, are not well thought of by some people although I've never had any problems with the delivery people down here. Hattons did say that if you do not want Yodel used or only use the specified carrier mention this specifically in the "comments" box on the internet order.  

 

Keith

Yodel delivered to my address but we were out so they left the supposed to be signed for items (an xbox 360 and 10 games) in the wheely bin outside. Now bearing in mind the opposite side of the road was being demolished (yes litterally knocked down) and next door were having their house completely refurbished there were loads of workers milling around resulting in the item flying off to pastures new, so no I am not impressed with them.

[oreamnos]

Hi Matt, that's interesting information. I don't have the being in problem as I run a B&B, but as you say, it would be more expensive, so I'll go with your recommendation next time.

 

One for Canadians in particular, I've been told that if you get the parcel marked as "toy trains" instead of model trans you are much less likely to be charged duty. In a completely non-scientific situation, I've recently had both descriptions on two models and the toy trains package was duty free.

 

Re: duty, for Americans, see my post #76 this same thread:  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/62714-hattons/page-4

 

In short, the US charges no duty on model trains shipped from the UK.

 

Matt

[hornbyandbf3fan]

Just recieved a parcel from them containing my 4f that I oredered mid-day yesterday! Everything was packed carefully and nothings broken despite my mum finding the parcel 10 minutes a go on my decking, which is directly behind the house! Top marks to hattons, none for the delievery though.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Just recieved a parcel from them containing my 4f that I oredered mid-day yesterday! Everything was packed carefully and nothings broken despite my mum finding the parcel 10 minutes a go on my decking, which is directly behind the house! Top marks to hattons, none for the delievery though.

Sounds like Yodel.

 

We had a parcel of books delivered yesterday. Left in the back garden. Good job the bookseller is sealing everything in plastic since our previous complaint.

[Brit70053]

Sounds like Yodel.

 

We had a parcel of books delivered yesterday. Left in the back garden. Good job the bookseller is sealing everything in plastic since our previous complaint.

Yes, and sounds all too familiar.

 

Last year my wife had a parcel of books left in the back garden -  of a neighbouring and at that time, unoccupied property, by - 'Guess Who'?

 

We were at home at the time!

 

Regards,

 

              John

Edited September 17, 2013 by Brit70053

[jennarivo]

Everytime I order from hattons it seems to take about a week before they dispatch, even though everything I buy is from stock

[Crantock]

A speedy delivery via Yodel.  What bugs me is the packaging:

3 X Bachmann coupling packs

2 X Hornby wheel packs

 

That's about 3"x1.5"x5" and fairly indestructible.  So why the box that's 5"x10"x4.5".  I get to pick it up from the concierge but it should be a letterbox delivery.  Deliveries left outside etc are not customer service.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Most courier firms have minimum sizes that will go through their automatic sorting systems without getting eaten.

[roundhouse]

I ordered some Farish wagons on Monday and they arrived yesterday via the standard Royal Mail dleivery option.

 

Ian

[Bernard Lamb]

 

 

That's about 3"x1.5"x5" and fairly indestructible.  So why the box that's 5"x10"x4.5".  I get to pick it up from the concierge but it should be a letterbox delivery.  Deliveries left outside etc are not customer service.

Most big companies have a few standard size cartons to cover the majority of the goods that they despatch.

If an order is an odd size then it is far cheaper and quicker to use the next largest standard size carton.

I would expect Hattons to deal with very few small orders, hence you got what was probably the smallest standard carton.

Being efficient is how they keep their prices down,

Bernard

[railroadbill]

 Re Yodel.

 

Just come across this thread. Several months ago my Hatttons order got sent by Yodel, although I'd ticked the Royal Mail option. Hattons took a while dispatching the item and we were away when it finally got sent. Our postman knows where to leave post when we're not there and my neighbour was prepared to take it safely in. When we returned there were 3 "couldn't deliver" cards from Yodel on the mat.

 

Right, their web site only lets you select a date to pick up the parcel from their depot. The nearest one is 35 miles from me so I would have had to make a 70 mile round trip to pick it up and the weekend wasn't an option either.  However by using their automated telephone system it was in fact possible to arrange another delivery date and hurrah!  Yodel did deliver the package on the day requested.  Because it had to be signed for, my wife  kindly waited in all day for it.

 

It took over a week to receive the parcel. Yodel might just as well have taken it to the nearest post office.  It was very badly packed with very little packing and the item was rattling around in the outer package. Although its nothing to do with Yodel, the model was faulty after all that and went off to be repaired.

 

So the moral of this sorry tale is:   if you wern't in when Yodel tried to deliver, DON't use their web site to rearrange, DO use their automated phone service - and you should  get a delivery date that suits you. (unless they've changed that since, of course).

 

 

ps I've bought equipment from Kernow, Rails and Ontracks since then and had superb service from them all - via Royal Mail.

[Steve O.]

Hi,

Called Hattons late (8.45pm UK time) on Monday 23rd September. Chatted with very knowledgable chap. Two Bachmann class 37s with Hattons-fitted DCC decoders arrived perfectly bubble-wrapped in Boston USA on Friday 27th.

Cheers, Steve.

(Unless Yodel start a transatlantic service, then all will continue to be fine)

[PhilJ W]

I ordered some items from Hattons Thursday evening, they arrived Monday but I noticed the delivery driver was using his own private car so I don't know who delivered it.