Distributing Worldwide

[magic-merl]

Has anyone got any general advice on shipping worldwide?

The reason I ask - I have just received an order (of considerable worth) to deliver to Africa. I have looked at distributing through couriers, but at 300Kg they can not do it unless I split the order which I am not comfortable doing. (£3000+) so far.

Freight forwarders can do it at a considerably less cost than the courier route although I am not convinced that I have found the "right" company to do this yet. (£1700) so far.

In fact - I have been considering taking the delivery myself. Van Hire, Diesel - 4 ferries and of-course my time would work out considerably less though I do have better things to do with my time.

I am not talking vast volumes but sometimes you do get an order which you simply cannot ignore. So far I have got the distribution costs down to £1300 or so but we are only talking 1 single pallet.

Advice or pointers please.

[pyotrr]

Is it the baby products on your website that you are transporting?

P

[Robert]

It;s not a shipment for Nigeria is it? Be 110% positive, no 200% positive, that this is not a scam before you do anything.

http://www.scambusters.org/NigerianFee.html

[Rob Holmes]

Ian

My gut feeling is I wouldn't do it.

If you feel you want to then I suggest a few security checks and a few questions..

1. Why order from you?
2. What was their IP address
3. Have they paid
4. If so then how
5. Do their payment details match up
6. Are you willing to suffer the consequences if it is fraudulent?
7. Are you satisfied they can get stuff cheaper from you than from Africa?
8. Are they putting any pressure on to deliver?

Rob

[SillyJokes]

do not send anything to africa

DO NOT SEND ANY THING TO AFRICA

Even if it is ligit this time it will not be legit the next 200 times. I get offers of orders like this every single day.

There are plenty of other countries to avoid too - check the worldpay list of dodgy countries or pm me.

[Rob Holmes]

do not send anything to africa

DO NOT SEND ANY THING TO AFRICA

Even if it is ligit this time it will not be legit the next 200 times. I get offers of orders like this every single day.

There are plenty of other countries to avoid too - check the worldpay list of dodgy countries or pm me.

I was hoping you'd be around for this thread

@ Ian... I guess I was trying to be too subtle - but I feel the same as sillyjokes.

Rob

[gapgb]

I used a company called TSI International for shipping products all around the world and they were very good. I could get their details if you need them.

Like the others say, any new customer outside of your normal business area, payment up front, letter of credit or similar payment guarantee on every order.

[Pilfo]

In fact - I have been considering taking the delivery myself. Van Hire, Diesel - 4 ferries and of-course my time would work out considerably less though I do have better things to do with my time.


:shock: Are you mad man? Do that and you won't come back alive!!

Definitely sounds like a scam.

Pilfo

[dagr]

I wouldn't say it was definitely a scam. However, if things go wrong there is little you can do if you don't receive payment.

1. Tell them you have had problems in the past, and so are not comfortable sending the goods. Personally, I'd ask for 100% payment up front and see their reaction. I woudn't budge from that position. As suggested, look into their background as much as possible.

2. Don't take the goods there yourself. Get a freight carrier that already covers that country. If you have to spend 4 days stuck at a border or port then it wont be as cheap as you thought. Also, you'll have to deal with all the VAT proof that the stuff was actually delivered outside GB/EU. Didn't you specify FOB when quoting? If so, then let the customer tell YOU what (legitimate) freight company to use.

David.

[caroline]

I get loads of offers like that too, and I agree with sillyjokes, please be sooooooooooo careful!!

[magic-merl]

Thanks everyone for your input.

Obviously nothing is sold unless paid for a monies received. We are retail and can not afford to lose money on a grand scale.

I am more cautious now than I was before I posted here, and from the sound of things, quite rightly so. I will be careful and if there are any issues i will post back to this forum to make everyone aware.

[SillyJokes]

Think about it this way.

Why would they get their stuff from a retailer and not a wholesaler? Even with a discount you can't match wholesalers prices.

Is your stuff easily resalable? Yes, so it is going to be a target for fraud (in the UK as well as abroad). You are really going to have to keep your wits about you to spot it all.

Have you been trading online for very long? If not you are a prime target. Inexperienced and keen to make some good money.

I have seen many of my friends being taken like this early on thinking they have have got a great order and I yes we have also sent stuff off for it never to arrive or the payment be fraudulent.

My brother in law was really annoyed with us when he complained he had lost £200 worth of stuff to the Far East and we said, "We could have told you so," He wished we had mentioned it earlier.

It is not just African countries but there is an acknowleged list of countries that include the Far East (not Japan) and Eastern Europe that you should really not have on your drop down list of countries you deliver to. it will save you a lot.

Don't forget monies received on a credit card are worth nothing.

[Sarah-Ink Promotions]

I get at least one request a day for my stuff to be shipped to Nigeria / Lagos etc.. and I just ignore them, Id rather lose an order I dont have than money etc.. that I do have!

Hope this is genuine but please be careful - soooo many scams out there and they target the smaller companies as they think we are an easy touch

Good luck!

Sarah :)

[ebonybailey]

I agree with the scam thing, and its always Nigeria, what a name they have for themselves, that country will never be taken seriously. it really angers me that these people get away with it, but thats a 3rd world country for you.

spare a thought for the real companies in that area, who cant win an order because of what they are surrounded by.

I think the main point here is that everything is cheaper in africa than it is here, so why come to you?

Michael

[caroline]

Like I always say..if it looks too good to be true, it probably is! 8)

[magic-merl]

@SillyJokes

Thanks for the advice. I will take it.

[VeryMark]

Sometimes you may think they've paid but then the bank draft turns out to be forged or the goods get mysteriously impounded before final delivery - there is just so much that can go wrong in some of these places.

My advice would be to find a reliable local agent if possible, someone who'll check things out and look after the goods at the other end.