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Nightline/Parcel Motel Thread Part 2 (post all related questions here)

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Comments

  • #2792
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Their T&Cs say they don't carry liquids. You can buy glasses and other merch from breweries, so they had no way of knowing from a box name - nor realistically were they there to check each box at a time they could refuse delivery.

    Additionally, private import of alcohol by postal services is not even legal - Revenue have only recently changed to allowing people to pay in most circumstances; it was straight destruction until recently. You need a license to import alcohol and Revenue letting people without one is unlikely to last.


  • #2793
    corkie
    Registered Users Posts: 7,106 ✭✭✭corkie


    "Liquids of any kind including water, alcohol, gels, creams, aftershaves and perfumes"
    https://www.anpost.com/Post-Parcels/Sending/Sending-Guide/Prohibited-Items

    >>> https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057516584

    The Digital Services Act 2024 [EU] ~ Social Media and You in Politics

    • Nanny State guidance for parental monitoring of apps
    • Censorship: - broad laws that will probably effect Adult use of same.


  • #2794
    Shemale
    Registered Users Posts: 3,376 ✭✭✭Shemale


    L1011 wrote: »
    Their T&Cs say they don't carry liquids. You can buy glasses and other merch from breweries, so they had no way of knowing from a box name - nor realistically were they there to check each box at a time they could refuse delivery.

    Additionally, private import of alcohol by postal services is not even legal - Revenue have only recently changed to allowing people to pay in most circumstances; it was straight destruction until recently. You need a license to import alcohol and Revenue letting people without one is unlikely to last.

    I missed that part, I had searched alcohol and beer. I didn't think liquids would be an issue. I read this part and thought I was ok:

    "(k)

    “Customs Charges” means any import duty / customs duty, excise duty (tax charged on certain goods, particularly alcohol and tobacco), VAT, sales tax or any other charge or tax raised by Customs."


    I wasn't aware of that, I had bought beer off this brewery which they shipped using DPD and customs were charged by the brewery. Their courier stopped delivering here after Brexit so I tried AP


  • #2795
    patnor1011
    Registered Users Posts: 2,955 ✭✭✭patnor1011


    Is parcelmotel gone or what? I used them out of convenience that I could drop in or collect parcel at any time from my local locker.
    I had few parcels to drop there on my way to work and when I came to my usual location locker was gone. I thought ok, I will try other one on my way from work only to find out that other one was gone too. I was about to set to drive to the third one but decided to call their lo call number where I asked if that third locker is there and I was told that all 3 are gone and only depot in business park remain open but only till 7pm.


  • #2796
    paddy19
    Registered Users Posts: 1,137 ✭✭✭paddy19


    Sadly, ParcelMotel is no longer operating for UK parcels.

    "UK virtual address service temporarily suspended. For more information, please refer to the support section."

    An Post AddressPal is operating.
    Not bad, starting from €6.50 delivered to plus VAT on total cost.


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  • #2797
    VG31
    Registered Users Posts: 3,388 ✭✭✭VG31


    This isn't unexpected - Parcel Motels are now UPS Access Points.

    Screenshot-2021-05-04-183326.png


  • #2798
    recipio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,804 ✭✭✭recipio


    patnor1011 wrote: »
    Is parcelmotel gone or what? I used them out of convenience that I could drop in or collect parcel at any time from my local locker.
    I had few parcels to drop there on my way to work and when I came to my usual location locker was gone. I thought ok, I will try other one on my way from work only to find out that other one was gone too. I was about to set to drive to the third one but decided to call their lo call number where I asked if that third locker is there and I was told that all 3 are gone and only depot in business park remain open but only till 7pm.

    LOL. Have you heard of Brexit ? :D We are all in mourning for the loss of PM and hope the Irish Amazon centre opens soon.


  • #2799
    patnor1011
    Registered Users Posts: 2,955 ✭✭✭patnor1011


    recipio wrote: »
    LOL. Have you heard of Brexit ? :D We are all in mourning for the loss of PM and hope the Irish Amazon centre opens soon.

    LOL. What has Brexit to do with sending parcels within Ireland. I simply asked if they are closing down and if they do then they may want to update their map of drop off points as they are down to one from five they used to have in Limerick. And even that one is not locker but depot where you have to come to an office during opening hours only.

    I have used them mainly because of price and that they do not have problem to ship items with batteries. Also ability to drop and collect package any time due to the fact I do work nights and going to post office or waiting for courier or postman who does not bother to ring door bell and just stick "sorry we missed you" card in the letterbox.


  • #2800
    basill
    Registered Users Posts: 1,348 ✭✭✭basill


    Anyone been successful at getting their monies refunded? After a bit of back and forth on email I was promised 5 working days for monies to be credited back to paypal. That was over a month ago. Will have to pursue through paypal but fired off another email to keep the trail going.


  • #2801
    JG009
    Registered Users Posts: 2,482 ✭✭✭JG009


    Notice a lot more of the units at varios petrol stations have been removed


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  • #2802
    LizardKing
    Registered Users Posts: 1,592 ✭✭✭LizardKing


    basill wrote: »
    Anyone been successful at getting their monies refunded? After a bit of back and forth on email I was promised 5 working days for monies to be credited back to paypal. That was over a month ago. Will have to pursue through paypal but fired off another email to keep the trail going.




    I am just starting the process to close my account and try get refund. I'll use the post office for parcels and not having the UK address is the biggest loss to the service.



    Sounds like it may be a tough road ahead to get refund :-(


  • #2803
    basill
    Registered Users Posts: 1,348 ✭✭✭basill


    I got my Paypal refund a couple of weeks back. Process started on 23/3. Continued with back and forth support tickets and being thanked very much for my emails for about a week with promises that this was being looked into and forwarded to finance team. Admittedly I completely forgot to chase them until 5/5 where my support ticket had been closed so we started another one. Got another apology and promises to look into it and chase the refund. Refund received 13/3.

    Don't think anything is sinister but definitely refunds are not a high priority for them it would seem. The process might have been a bit quicker if I hadn't taken my eye off the ball and chased them more.


  • #2804
    Tzardine
    Registered Users Posts: 3,884 ✭✭✭Tzardine


    VG31 wrote: »
    This isn't unexpected - Parcel Motels are now UPS Access Points.

    Screenshot-2021-05-04-183326.png

    I cant find any mention of this on either the UPS or PM site. Did they stop it already?

    Have a ups package to send, it would be very handy.


  • #2805
    VG31
    Registered Users Posts: 3,388 ✭✭✭VG31


    Tzardine wrote: »
    I cant find any mention of this on either the UPS or PM site. Did they stop it already?

    Have a ups package to send, it would be very handy.

    It's still on the UPS home page for me. This is the link it takes you to: https://my.parcelmotel.com/drop-locations

    I find the collections very handy so I probably won't use it but it's ideal if you're not at home during the week.


  • #2806
    Tzardine
    Registered Users Posts: 3,884 ✭✭✭Tzardine


    Thanks for the link. It says my package is not suitable for PM sending. Cant imagine why.

    Its a shame, would have been handy.


  • #2807
    Big Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 763 ✭✭✭Big Gerry


    Is there any news on when the parcel motel in the north is going to reopen ?


  • #2808
    Tzardine
    Registered Users Posts: 3,884 ✭✭✭Tzardine


    Big Gerry wrote: »
    Is there any news on when the parcel motel in the north is going to reopen ?

    It is most likely that it will not be coming back.


  • #2809
    Big Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 763 ✭✭✭Big Gerry


    Tzardine wrote: »
    It is most likely that it will not be coming back.


    I was assuming it would come back but they may add in extra charges.


  • #2810
    TomOnBoard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭TomOnBoard


    Big Gerry wrote: »
    I was assuming it would come back but they may add in extra charges.

    I don't see it coming back at all... EVER!


  • #2811
    harmless
    Registered Users Posts: 965 ✭✭✭harmless


    Big Gerry wrote: »
    I was assuming it would come back but they may add in extra charges.


    What do you think will change that will make it viable again?
    Why ship to NI over shipping direct to Ireland if the same charges would have to be applied and shipping to NI just adds extra cost.


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  • #2812
    joujoujou
    Registered Users Posts: 13,494 ✭✭✭✭joujoujou
    Unregistered Users


    As long as UK is outside EU single market/customs union, both PM and PW will remain closed.


  • #2813
    tDw6u1bj
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭tDw6u1bj


    I don't see why it's impossible?

    Presumably it would be possible for them to charge duty/vat - don't they(/shouldn't they/can't they) do that now on items delivered from outside the EU that haven't had duty paid before hand?

    There should still be some demand - there's still need for a service for receiving things that don't deliver to ireland. Would there be enough is the only question.


  • #2814
    Big Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 763 ✭✭✭Big Gerry


    harmless wrote: »
    What do you think will change that will make it viable again?
    Why ship to NI over shipping direct to Ireland if the same charges would have to be applied and shipping to NI just adds extra cost.


    Postage is a lot cheaper (or even free in some cases) for stuff from Britain to be sent to NI that alone makes it worth keeping open.

    If you buy stuff from ebay UK postage costs are way more expensive for orders to the Republic than to the NI.


  • #2815
    JG009
    Registered Users Posts: 2,482 ✭✭✭JG009


    Big Gerry wrote: »
    Postage is a lot cheaper (or even free in some cases) for stuff from Britain to be sent to NI that alone makes it worth keeping open.

    If you buy stuff from ebay UK postage costs are way more expensive for orders to the Republic than to the NI.

    They still have to charge and collect Irish vat on top of the UK vat you would have already paid.

    So it would be item price inc uk vat.
    PM stay fee
    Plus Irish vat on top.

    It didnt matter when Uk was still EU because once vat was paid in one member state it was all gravy.

    Annoying but another victim of brexit.


  • #2816
    Big Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 763 ✭✭✭Big Gerry


    JG009 wrote: »
    They still have to charge and collect Irish vat on top of the UK vat you would have already paid.

    So it would be item price inc uk vat.
    PM stay fee
    Plus Irish vat on top.

    It didnt matter when Uk was still EU because once vat was paid in one member state it was all gravy.

    Annoying but another victim of brexit.


    Almost everything I buy online comes from the UK it would still work out cheaper for me if I could get the NI postage.


    I was just looking at an item an ebay UK for 20 pound that costs 4 pound to ship within the UK but costs 14 pound to ship to Ireland.


    I thought the whole point of parcel motel was to save on postage for stuff shipped from the UK.


  • #2817
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,822 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    Its too much hassle for them to collect VAT. Add in people refuse shipments because there are charges to collect like customs clearance and you can see why they shut it down. We all know why PM was there, but the market has changed.


  • #2818
    tDw6u1bj
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭tDw6u1bj


    whiterebel wrote: »
    Its too much hassle for them to collect VAT. Add in people refuse shipments because there are charges to collect like customs clearance and you can see why they shut it down. We all know why PM was there, but the market has changed.

    The difference is that they already have all the customer info., are already charging them for something, and already have the infrastructure in place for doing that.

    It would be exactly the same service but with an extra line item on the bill.


  • #2819
    TomOnBoard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭TomOnBoard


    tDw6u1bj wrote: »
    The difference is that they already have all the customer info., are already charging them for something, and already have the infrastructure in place for doing that.

    It would be exactly the same service but with an extra line item on the bill.

    Exactly the same service? Hardly!

    They would have to have a fully-fledged customs clearance operation internally to deal with the plethora of low- value items being shipped across the Irish Sea to Belfast, at significant additional cost to run that service. So, at say €20 extra on top of the shipping fee per package, ppl wouldn't use such a service. If it was cost-effective, I'm sure they would have re-started it!


  • #2820
    tDw6u1bj
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭tDw6u1bj


    TomOnBoard wrote: »
    They would have to have a fully-fledged customs clearance operation internall

    They already do, nightline already have to do this for any item coming from outside the EU. A parcel motel version of this would be much easier because they already have all the account and billing info and infrastructure and can charge when they receive the item instead of bringing it to the door and hoping for the best.

    You're suggesting that this is some kind of unique and challenging situation, rather than bread-and-butter stuff for couriers and postal services all over the world.


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  • #2821
    Kat1170
    Registered Users Posts: 3,588 ✭✭✭Kat1170


    Why don't you ring them up and show them the error of their ways so. I'm sure they'll be most interested.


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