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.

And it is more expensive to fly to Benbecula than it is to fly to Bermuda.

Another good one is 'but you must know them they are Scottish too' OK I know its a small country but its not that small.

Is it wrong that I am a bit excited at the thought another MNer lives in my remote part of the country?

The petrol prices here are horrific just now, over 130p a litre!! I'm sure one day it made it to 135p.

Just as well the standard of living here is good and my DC love it.

£1,33.9 for a litre of diesel here.

I'll check at our garage when I pick up DH soon but diesel here has been as high as 139p .

Our nearest Tesco garage (a bit cheaper) is about an hour away.

I am shocked at fuel prices in Moray, I am surprised there isn't a campaign about it in Scitland, or is there one?

I am sure there is a campaign about the postal charges, I have seen it, maybe on Facebook?

I had a friend in Liverpool who took me to school with her for the day once.

I was terrified to open my mouth so everyone thought I was a French exchange student .

When I did eventually speak they were all lovely and there was very little mickey taking. Apparently the way I say no is wonderful lol.

Erm can I just say in defense of the retailers that it's not always their fault?

DH for example has an online store. He uses a national courier they charge him 4 times as much to ship out to the Highlands and all the other areas usually covered by such clauses. Obviously you would not want to pay £25 for delivery, and obviously he does not want to suck up the extra cost of that when he makes just 5% profit to start with. So what is the answer?

So if you want to get angry with someone get angry with the couriers who can apparently ship parcels all over the world but the Highlands etc are a too far for them to manage.

Of course there is no excuse to charge extra for these areas if stuff is being sent Royal Mail. That is just retailer greed.

It's so expensive to go to Tesco from here.

My elder girl had a lovely Edinburgh accents when we first moved here nearly 4 years ago.

But now she has a Western Highland one.

DD2 was only 1, and her accent is stronger than DD1's.

DS is just gone 2 and his accent is also a strong W. Highland.

But his documents will be forever besmirched with 'Place of Birth: Paisley'. :o

'DH for example has an online store. He uses a national courier they charge him 4 times as much to ship out to the Highlands and all the other areas usually covered by such clauses. Obviously you would not want to pay £25 for delivery, and obviously he does not want to suck up the extra cost of that when he makes just 5% profit to start with. So what is the answer?'

Find another courier. Or make arrangements to use Royal Mail/ParcelForce for your customers in these areas then. Because I won't use a business that uses one who charges extra for anyplace that is mainland UK and it's really not my problem if a retailer can't be bothered to value my business as much as someone else's in other parts of the UK mainland.

There are other retailers out there to use who don't allow their customers to be ripped off.

My DS's have the West Highland accent too lol.

They all have Glasgow as their place of birth, the Queen Mums.

Wingandaprayer, I understand it isn't your DH who sets the prices but if he had a product I needed and was quoting a courier price of £25 I wouldn't buy it, sorry.

The Courier companies seem to think that maps show nothing north of Edinburgh, they are all marked "There Be Dragons".

Why do those who live in Cornwall not face the same charges? Or western Wales?

It is so frustrating to do an order, especially over the phone then the last bit includes - 'extra cost for your area'....stony silence and then you have to cancel the order out of principle.

Agree with using Royal Mail/ Parcel Force.

Ladies, it's £1.43 for unleaded where I am.

I refuse to pay postage surcharges unless it's absolutely unavoidable.

Exactly, GO.

Or on Ebay, only after you commit to buy and you find out there's a surcharge, because the seller didn't include that info in the description.

So then you have to contact them and say, 'I'm not buying your product because of this. I am on the mainland.'

Agree expat - It should be made clear from the beginning of a transaction and not once you have paid. It was bad enough when our currency was rejected in some places and I feel just as slighted by these extra charges. Or adopt extra charges of our own to south of Berwick

£1.43

Oh, yy, that burns me up. I ring them up and cancel.

And as for titwanks who won't take the currency, I tell them I'm an American tourist here for a vacation who's leaving the next day, so they can take the money or take their product back. Or we can talk to the police because the last cop told me it was legal tender.

Price(Dec 2010 UK average) £1.22 per litre

The duty was £0.5829 per litre

and the then VAT rate of 17.5%)

Average untaxed pump price for unleaded petrol in December 2010 was £0.457 per litre (£5.71 per gallon) - that is equivalent to a tax rate of 175%.

The VAT increase and the fuel duty increase will add another 3.5 pence to the price of a litre of unleaded petrol BEFORE any increase in the price of the actual oil.

I think retailers need to look at who their courier is before passing on such high delivery rates to customers, I have a friend with an eBay business and I know she looks for the cheapest courier and a lot of the time that will be Royal Mail, if retailers want my money they should be willing to use the cheapest delivery service for their customers or accept the loss of business.

Isn't it 20% VAT?

£1.43 and I thought 134.9 for diesel was bad but 143.9 for petrol. Where abouts in the country are you (nosy emotion)

It is £1.55 in Orkney.

If you PayPal me the funds I can buy it for you and send it on.

Oh, that's really nice of you, Fabby, but it actually doesn't affect me - we're in Fife and hence part of The Known World, apparently. I'm just irked, and feel I should avoid it on principle, but my principle would end up costing me twice as much, it seems.

Aha!. Just a tiny surcharge for H&I - only a couple of quid difference (not perfect, I know, but at least much nearer the mark). Will ring happydonkey in the morning and see if I can cancel the order.

Good idea to keep this as a name and shame thread, but also to post/ask for alternative suppliers who are a bit more civilised.