paekakboyz Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Hi All, recently sent some fish via courier for the first time and was quite surprised at the response I got when I dropped them off... Courier: Tropical what? Me: Tropical fish C: oh, umm we don't take those Me: Yeah you do (It had been organised by the person receiving the fish who ships heaps of em) C: oh, umm well they might die Me: They are packed well and have heat pads to keep them warm - as long as you don't throw the box around they should be sweet C: ummm well they won't be insured! Me: thats ok (but secretly inside I was going Agghhh!!) is this a common exp? I'm likely to ship fish in the future and would really appreciate it if anyone has hints/tips or recommendations of good companies to use (Mods is that an appropriate Q for this section?) cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I use NZ Couriers, if I phone them to collect I get the response that they don't take them until I state 'yes you do'. If I deliver to their depot there are absolutely no problems and its way easier than arranging for them to be collected. Once they know you and know you realise there is no comeback if the fish die it seems its okay. Anyways I haven't had a problem with losses ever although the odd time its taken 24 hrs on overnight delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megs Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Oh NZ COURIERS yeah they are awesome NOT !!!!!! I paid for overnight courier for Tropical plant and it took two days and then they sat it in the frost in my letter box when it was signature required. No apologies made for my dead arrival. When I rang them they said that its not their fault and thats the end of that!! GUTTED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I thought with fish you just package them really well and can courier them like you would normally with everything else, just take it up to the counter and they don't ask what it is. I've couried snails a few times anyway, just like with any other items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milet Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 i spent 2 days ringing around courier places and no1 would take fish. i even said that its at my risk and i dont expect it 2 b insured. but still. no. so i disguised them as lavalamps and went to post haste. the fish made it. and it was cheap too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserole Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 post couriers do have a policy of not shipping animals but some branches allow it. Your experience is common as said until they get to know you, There is no insurance for shipping fish, It pays to write on the box LIVE FISH, The last time I shipped I forgot to do it and yes that's right it took 2 days to arrive luckily it wasn't a frost and they survived. there was a topic not so long a go that mentioned many company's that will ship fish, try a search. Have read the sticky at the top of this forum on posting fish??, there are many hints and tips their. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Oh NZ COURIERS yeah they are awesome NOT !!!!!! I paid for overnight courier for Tropical plant and it took two days and then they sat it in the frost in my letter box when it was signature required. No apologies made for my dead arrival. When I rang them they said that its not their fault and thats the end of that!! GUTTED Did the box say "Live Plants"?? I send plants on a regular basis from work, and the courier has told us that "Live Plants" with an arrow showing which way up they should be gets them special treatment. We use Parcel Express and haven't had any real problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 I label all mine LIVE FISH and with arrows 'this way up'. The couriers are very careful with them and I've sent as far south as Dunedin and also to Timaru which is quite a mission from here as they truck to New Plymouth, fly to ChCh and truck to Timaru. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 We have used nz post couriers nz couriers and post haste most of these companies say they don't actually take live fish if you ring them, but we went into the depot and they soon got to know us (in Auckland) and well in Bulls everyone knows everyone so they just take them, haven't had any problems so far. Its really weird how much they change the best you can do is try, if you go into nzpost and they say no, then maybe call post haste and see if they have a courier coming thru that can pick them up? We used to do that in Auckland.. I think there is some sort of insurance (not for the cost of livestock) for the post cost only if they smash the box or anything but as thats only a fraction of the cost its hardly worth going for.. Good luck, shipping fish can be nerve wracking until you get the hang of it! Oh another thing we found don't just write live fish handle with care, write live tropical fish keep warm and handle with care, the only problem we had was one of our poly boxes (only labeled live fish handle with care) got lost and we rung around found it at some random place and they said not to worry they'd stuck the fish in the chiller to keep them cool.. Luckily we found them fast enough and got them out of the chiller! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr pleco Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 jusy recieved fish from courier post and must say they were great .. the box was clearly labellled " live tropical fish " "this way up " and "do not chill " when we rang to find out where they were they did a track and trace and kept us up to date even rang us about an hour later to tell us they were like 5 minutes away ...and five minutes later they were here ... great service ... a little note do label clearly like stated above and get a track and trace number so in the event of a mishap at least you know where they are also a track and trace shows the courier they need to know where they are at all times in case you want to know ...sound silly but my brother used to be a courier and i have seen what happens at the depot In my experience expect 18 -20 hours before you start panicking esp if coming from say Auck- Wellington mine arrived in about 22 hours but the fish were fine and well pakaged too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 We use Post Haste, they have been excellent here in Napier, always happy to freight fish, even at the stage now of asking about them etc :lol: The ladies and the depot guys are great! If we have something sent to us, they put it in the warm office at early hours of the morning, don't leave it sitting on depot floor. The same goes when we are sending off in the afternoon, they leave the package in the warm office till it's time for the truck to leave. Definately always pays to write, fragile, live tropical fish etc on the box, would be silly not to... I have also had fish sent to me via Courier Post and their service is excellent too! Not the same company is excellent in different locations tho, I have had a huge run in with Post Haste CHCH before, pity the poor guy who was on the other end of the phone early that morning :oops: :lol: I paid hefty money for an overnight service... the package was meant to fly from CHCH to Palmerston and then vanned from Palmy to Napier... CHCH didn't read the overnight stickers and put the fish on a 2 day line haul truck to go over the ferry etc, by the time the fish arrived they were frozen fillets, mistakes can happen but their attitude was disgusting and no sorry for the mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megs Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 No the package that my plant were in never had anything written on them about being plants. However they were supposed to be here overnight so it wouldn't have been a problem. I felt that I over paid for them in the first place impulsive purchase and now have nothing. Can't even claim the postage back thats up to the sender. The sender is a FNZAS member so I am hoping that if I should risk purchasing anything in the future that I may get free postage???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 I think the main thing is to make sure you get a tracking no. I know when I deliver to the depot they give me a docket with a number on it and if you want to know where the item is you just ring and quote the number. This way if something is overdue they can tell you where it is. I had some fish sent from Wellington on overnight due to be delivered to my work in the morning. At 3.45 I phoned and the driver had been driving them around Auckland all day - they were there in 10 mins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 adodge, that is all very well, but it appears that they also have to do a scan of the number before you leave to make sure that it is logged in. I have in the very recent past, had two packets of fish sent up from Wellington. Niether had the numbers tracked. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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