to think that the Scottish Highlands are in fact part of the UK mainland?

[Habbibu]

I've just ordered some spare parts for my coffee machine, and, on trying to find out more about shipping, read this: "Please note that as from today 26/01/2010 we now ONLY ship to the UK Mainland.

We no longer ship to southern or northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey,Isle of man, Scottish Highlands and Islands or anywhere outside of mainland UK.

This is due to the fact that shipping to these destinations has proved difficult and time consuming.

Please note that there are NO EXCEPTIONS to the rule, please do not E-mail us asking us about this as these mails will not be replied to."

Leaving aside the rather unfriendly and unhelpful nature of this note, plus the PITA it must be to those on the islands, since when was there a sea to cross to get to (say) Inverness? How is it so more difficult to get just that bit further up the A9? (well, yes, yes, I know, it can be a pain, but you get my point). Thankfully it doesn't affect me (though I have seen the odd place that won't deliver north of Edinburgh), but it's a massive pain for my ILs and others - who manage to get themselves up and down the road quite happily.

So much for the global economy.

YANBU, I have seen some places that will only ship to the north of England.

I can understand them not wanting to ship across the water, but why not just charge extra to the highlands at least giving them the option.

Indeed. The thing I don't get is that they sell coffee machine supplies, not great huge things that are difficult to transport. Couriers take stuff all over the place all the time - how is it so difficult?

And again - the Highlands ARE the mainland. Pfft.

This makes me spit feathers and I refuse to do business with any company who penalise you for living North of Perth.

Companies from, say, Thurso would not add a surcharge if they were sending a parcel to London. I think this is discriminatory and a rip off. Petrol costs are bad enough without some weasely companies adding to the problem.

Get onto the webchat with mr Salmond and ask him what can be done

x posts - yy, charge extra if you have to, but the roads do just carry on...

yanbu.

drove me batty when we were there.

loads of companies do this.

Too late, Saltire, already asked about HE so used up my question.

Otter, I'd already paid and went back to check, otherwise I'd have looked elsewhere too.

What make of coffee machine is it and which part? We have millions lots of them.

Where are they based?

Och, ask Alex Salmond two questions as there are only about 30 questions posted.

I agree - and it is even more annoying when they don't say it. I have tried to use the 'next day delivery' service or even delivery within a week from some of the major shops and as soon as you put in an IV postcode it is 'sorry but this service is currently unavailable'.

Grrrrr

There are 52 questions. Perhaps someone else can raise this with him.

This annoys me too I live in Moray and hate paying extra for delivery.

Dare you to e-mail them and ask them to clarify when the Scottish Highlands became detached from the mainland. .

Some companies have absolutely no idea about UK geography IME. I have been told Glasgow is not on the mainland. I was also told I would need a passport to travel to the Midlands (not by plane).

I live in the North East of Scotland and regularly get annoyed when companies class us as Highland and Islands (which we are not) or most often, a remote area.

A certain large toy company used to charge double delivery charge, but now charge the same delivery but delivery can take 8 days!!! Even though they have a store further north than I am which I presume they deliver to regularly.

I tried to order new bed for my son, again a lot of places wouldn't even deliver, even when they were in the North of England, which is closer to us than say Cornwall.

We live just off a dual carriageway, so not off the beaten track in the middle of nowhere and can, unlike most companies seem to think, receive deliveries next day.

xstitch, I suspect, guven their tone, they won't answer.

Gaggia classic, Otter, and a few bits like the shower screen, gasket seal, etc. How on earth did you get hold of them? Surely they just warp and turn to dust at the Inveralmond roundabout?

It's happydonkey and it's a PITA because it's a pretty comprehensive site.

Yes, we saved them before the Flat Earth bit just north of Pitlochry.

Sadly, we don't have that type although there is a company in Perth who mend small electrical appliances. the thing is, you have already paid for it without realising the extra charge. It is theft imo.

I think a link to this posting should be put to Alex Salmond.

My parents have an IV postcode and are 5 mins from the main Aberdeen-Inverness road. They quite often are charged extra because they are "remote". They have friends a couple of miles away with an AB poostcode who live up an unmade track which even the postie won't go up - they get ordinary rate delivery even though a vacant even get near them
Mum has had big rows with people on the phone asking them "remote from where exactly?" and now has a list of companies she wont ever buy from

Grrrr - phone-fat fingers combination thing going on here
Should have been van can't not vacant

I'm in the NE of Scotland too and to be honest this kind of thing is becoming far more common. I think eventually there will be many companies stopping altogether if they don't charge a ridiculous delivery charge.

I was looking for a bedside table once. ound one for £25. It would have cost £120 to have it delivered. If I'd lived 10 miles away it would have been £5.

This drives me crazy and I refuse to buy anything from a company that charges extra to post to the H&I. As someone pointed out no one from here charges extra to post to London (for example).

I live in the West of Scotland and the area is surrounded by water but still part of the mainland. This confuses a lot of companies who try to insist I live on an island but don't understand the concept of a peninsula.

I guess they're all jealous of you living in such a lovely part of the country. I am.

Until 2 years ago I lived 25 miles north on Inverness and this used to drive me insane.
I wanted something from the Gadget shop online that living up north would have cost me £50 to get delivered same item to be delivered to me here in Aberdeen £5 it wouldn't have cost me £45 in petrol to come to Aberdeen and get it.

It is a big thing up north and there are local petitions and banned lists of companies that put on this huge extra charge.

Otter, what's the name of the Perth shop? Maybe I could cancel my order (and tell them why!) and just nip over to Perth.