to name and shame companies who do not know that the Scottish Highlands are part of mainland UK - HERE?

[idonotliveonanisland]

Well here goes. The company I would like to choose first is one of Mumsnet's partners, so I'd better not just now.

So instead my first name and shame goes to Wincanton Home Delivery, as used by Argos and Homebase (and Comet, anyone?) whose staff have yet to learn that the delivery date they quote is NOT the delivery date we get. It is merely the delivery date to a local contractor who may take another week to deliver to our home.

Wincanton Home Delivery, as used by Argos and Homebase - train your staff properly and stop promising a service you do not deliver.

[idonotliveonanisland]

Argos again. Their 2 day express delivery service: "Unfortunately we cannot offer this service to remote areas of the UK (Scottish Highlands and Islands)."

Because obviously a UK city on a major trunk road is really remote . Despite the fact that it has an Argos Extra store.

[Wallace]

ASDA direct

[Kbear]

RIDICULOUS

I can get from London to Glencoe in 12 hours at a steady pace with three toilet stops and a lunchbreak... surely Argos can? LOL

[idonotliveonanisland]

I know there are tons of better examples. My problem is that once I find there's an extra charge I terminate the transaction. There are too many of these for me to remember. Come and join me.

[Wallace]

"Delivery charge £5.95 (unless Highlands/Islands/N Ireland & Remote areas £9.90 which are delivered in 7-10 working days)"

[idonotliveonanisland]

Great - keep em coming.

[Dylthan]

I would like to add a company on eBay
MKA TELEVISIONS AND AUDIO LTD who use the courier DHL WorldWide Express.

It was £9.99 to deliver to the highlands while the rest of mainland uk is free

[bigbeagleeyes]

Yea, definately Argos. A couple of years ago my cooker broke down. It took over three weeks before it was delivered. I spent that time making microwave meals for me and my son or using my neighbours. I phoned them repeatedly and they were very sympathetic, but couldn't give me the number of the courier. IME it is the couriers that are pissing us about. I am quite remote, 60 miles west of Inverness, last 10 miles single track but no different to the remoter areas in (mostly northern England).
I think if were going to name names it's the courier companies we should be looking at.

[idonotliveonanisland]

The Kids Window. I tried to order my son's bed from them last year. They only deliver beds to UK Mainland addresses. Guess what? "All references to "U.K." addresses below apply to England, Wales and parts of Scotland only."

In fact if you're in other "parts of Scotland" you may as well not exist, as they don't discuss you in their "outside the UK" section either.

I came across this a lot actually with furniture - companies refusing to deliver at all.

[idonotliveonanisland]

bigbeagleeyes - I agree. But it is the retail companies who make the choice to use these couriers, which are probably cheaper for the majority of the UK because they fleece the rest of us.

The company I would really like to name and shame - but feel I shouldn't, although perhaps MN Towers might like to say if I can or not - uses Royal Mail for small items but still charges hefty delivery prices for the Highlands and Islands. That is all too common.

[QueeferFuckerland]

Angry bump for you.

[idonotliveonanisland]

They also use the couriers as an excuse. For example one company I bought from uses TNT. My postcode is NOT listed on the TNT website as one of the remote locations incurring extra charges (or it wasn't at the time) but they were still going to charge me the extra. It's a gravy train.

[idonotliveonanisland]

Sorry, I meant of course did not buy from in the end.

[expatinscotland]

Ebay seller custompac.

[PricklyThistle]

It is ridiculous. We have an AB postcode, which is generally OK. 10 miles away (on the A96) they have an IV postcode so they have to pay extra. I too won't buy from a company that adds on the highland surcharge as a point of principle.

[celticlassie]

Lush. £14.95 delivery charge!

[idonotliveonanisland]

Is that regardless of the order value celticlassie? Would they charge £14.95 to deliver a bar of soap?

[idonotliveonanisland]

Nice-PC website: www.nice-pc.co.uk:

"The following Scottish postcodes are classified as Highlands and Islands areas by our courier Parceline and will be subject to the relevant delivery charge:
Scottish Highlands includes postcodes:
FK17-22, G83, IV1-28, IV33-39, KW1-3, KW5-14, PA21-33, PA35-40, PH18-26, PH30-42

Scottish Islands includes postcodes:
HS1-9, IV40-51, IV55-56, KA27, KA28, KW15-17, PA20, PA34, PA41-48, PA60-78, PH42-44, ZE1-3"

Normal UK delivery, Monday to Friday: £8.68
Highlands & Islands, slower service: £26.07

[celticlassie]

Yes, was just trying to order a tub of Angels on Bare Skin.

[idonotliveonanisland]

OMG!! LUSH takes the price for the most unreasonable charges - so far. They have a branch in the Highlands as well!

[expatinscotland]

Retail companies chose these couriers and can't be arsed to offer an alternative to clients in these areas on the mainland^, such as Royal Mail or ParcelForce.

So time to name and shame 'em and vote with your feet.

[expatinscotland]

LUSH has a huge shop in Glasgow and another in Edinburgh.

[idonotliveonanisland]

Another of Mumsnet's partners GLTC does not charge extra, but seems to think we live over the water: "Standard delivery is now FREE for all orders over £50 to UK Mainland, BFPO, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Scottish Highlands & Islands and Isle of Man."

[bigbeagleeyes]

Unbeleivable about the postcodes! F**k. IV is officialy a city now, and surely FK is Falkirk? Who are Nice -PC? By the way, for large white goods it always seems to be DHL, and they are crap.

[YourCallIsImportant]

"The following Scottish postcodes are classified as Highlands and Islands areas by our courier Parceline and will be subject to the relevant delivery charge:
Scottish Highlands includes postcodes:
FK17-22, G83, IV1-28, IV33-39, KW1-3, KW5-14, PA21-33, PA35-40, PH18-26, PH30-42

Scottish Islands includes postcodes:
HS1-9, IV40-51, IV55-56, KA27, KA28, KW15-17, PA20, PA34, PA41-48, PA60-78, PH42-44, ZE1-3"

This makes my blood boil. iwantoneofthose.com uses these same postcodes for their delivery charges, and I had a major row on the phone with them trying to get them to understand that G83 was neither highland nor island and only 15 miles from Glasgow. I told them if they insisted on charging me excess for delivery, then they could either cancel the £150 order I was placing, or deliver it to my friend in G84 instead, which is still mainland central Scotland, but 30 miles northwest of here and accessible by mainly single carriageway and extremely rural roads. They agreed to deliver for free eventually, but I still haven't forgiven them.