Return to Sender

Whilst it’s now possible to ship almost anything anywhere, whatever it is you may be sending, it’s always important to ensure the right company are handling its safe delivery. Whilst couriers and especially the Royal Mail are thought of as parcel and letter handlers, in fact we deal with a wide range of items from food and live animals to medical supplies and bodily fluids. We specialise in advising businesses and private clients alike on how to send their goods – however unusual.

Unfortunately, there are always a few senders forget to take advice and don’t quite understand the limitations of their courier – often failing to package or send their items correctly – with hilarious consequences. Here are a few of our favourites from around the world:

Paws for thought

Although to many it would seem fairly obvious that sending a live animal through conventional post avenues might not be ideal for anyone involved, it does appear to happen more than you may think. The case of a live hamster in a jiffy bag which was discovered when its owner attempted to send it via Royal Mail is one such case – whilst another sender decided that the postal service was the perfect way to send a dead cat (we’re not sure to who, or why – however it’s probably best not to speculate).

Not-so-Hot Pot

Whilst food items are regularly sent via a number of couriers and postal systems daily, the refrigerated or heated kind are best left to the experts. A doting mother concerned for her son’s welfare once tried to send a hot shepherd’s pie via regular mail. The steaming dinner unsurprisingly never reached its destination – in fact, it barely survived its flimsy packaging and never made it across the counter at the post office.

Dairy products such as cheese, butter and milk in addition to fish and meat are also popular examples of what shouldn’t be sent with only a jiffy bag for protection and zero temperature control.

Something’s fishy

Besides sending the less lively sort of fish via conventional post, there have also been reports of senders wanting to deliver live fish – either to themselves or other recipients. One man turned up at a post office to enquire how he might send his prized fish tank (filled with water, rare fish and complete with ornamental plants) to his new home. Another enquiry involved a garden pond (once again complete with water, plants and fish) which was reportedly being sent to a relative as a gift.

Bricking It

The UK Independence Party (or UKIP for short) found their Freepost flyer campaign backfired horribly when recipients decided to use the freepost facility to post back a variety of unwanted items. Ranging from abusive messages and letters to larger items such as bricks, furniture and general household junk, the party was left with a huge bill for postage and lots of stuff they didn’t want or need. An unfortunate (and expensive) way to discover the party’s popularity – or lack of it.

If you have a specialist shipment (however unusual!) then we may be able to help. We’ve got plenty of years’ experience as couriers ensuring packages and parcels of all kinds reach their destination safely. If you have any questions regarding sending an unusual shipment, then please get in touch: https://speedcouriers.co.uk/contact-us/