Mirror Mirror.

Mirror Mirror.

Paul and I had been out for the day, we went to one of our favourite shops, as an Artist he has an ’eye’ for quirky things. He saw some quality picture frames and liked them, he asked the sales assistant how much they were, she told him the price, he had just enough, then he saw the mirror, he asked how much it was, he didn’t have enough, and he told her so, she said he could have it.

For my Husband Paul, that was the best item he’d bought that day and he was pleased. To me it just looked like a mirror.

He said I could put it on eBay, but not to give it away, so I looked on the back and it gave me the Make of the mirror and the European country it was from. I typed it in on eBay and most were selling for over £100 we were both pleased.

So I put it on eBay but not for that price, but much less. For a few weeks it had Watchers but no bidders, I kept my price the same, and one day it had one bidder! It sold to a bidder in Europe where it was made! We were skint at the time, and I quickly put the money from the sold mirror into our account. It couldn’t have come at a better time. We were on cloud nine.

I went to my local supermarket and got strong boxes to wrap it up well, in the boxes they also had extra padding so it cost me nothing for the expensive sturdy exterior that I would need to send it on its journey abroad!

Naturally I was nervous and delayed wrapping it for about half an hour, as it was crucial that I got it right. It took me two and a half hours to wrap it. I had to think of the long journey it would be going on and that not everyone along its route would be as careful as me. So when I finished I was satisfied that I had done everything in my power to keep it safe. Because it took so long to wrap, I’d missed the last post! I used missing the post to my advantage, for the following morning I decided to add various languages on the now huge package, I Goggled the languages they used in that country, which is three and I included English too, so it was four it total. I put on the front “Please Handle With Care, Glass Mirror Inside, Thank You.”  By the time I’d done all that, time had gone.... and now it was early afternoon, I had felt a bit down during the morning, nothing to do with the mirror but other things that had happened during the course of my morning. Paul carried the now huge parcel to the post office for me, and then he left and went back home, leaving me in the queue. I hand my precious parcel to the post Mistress and told her it was a mirror and which country it was going to. She said, “Royal Mail can’t take this, it is far too heavy” I replied, “I don’t care who takes it just as long as it’s tracked.” She said, “It will cost £47 to post with a value company and it’s not tracked!” I thought I was going to die! I said, “How much!!!!” She repeated it. I was totally shocked. I’d said to Paul that whatever post was left over, after I’d post it I would give back to eBay Member! Now there would be nothing left, we’d just be in more debt!!! So I was even more down now than I’d been in the morning.

I went to work, with my parcel and rang Paul to let him know, if it were possible I think he was even more shocked that I was! I’d always wanted to use a courier, but didn’t know how to start ... for it was ‘easy’ just to go to the Post Office, to hand it in, Signed For and go. I’d looked on my mobile at work quickly for couriers but that was just, quick. I asked Paul to look at home on-line he spent the rest of the following day doing just that. In the mean time I’d kept the Buyer fully informed.

He found out most couriers do not take glass or mirrors! All the couriers were charging £55 to £70 so I decided then in the future I won’t do big items or delicate items to go abroad again. Then Paul found Parcel Monkey! As with all couriers, you have to include the weight, height, length and width, we did this and it came to as a quote £18.95 but surely that couldn’t be right. What was the catch? How could they possibly do it SO cheap? Anyway, it had to be tracked for I had learnt years ago when doing eBay, if it’s not tracked I am not sending it, so Member at the other end can’t say I didn’t send it and that they didn’t receive it, as was the case when I sent something for 99p and was given a negative, for he said I hadn’t sent it, when in fact I had! So from that day I learnt my lesson, every single item I post is sent Registered, so it is tracked all the way, for here to the end of the Earth! It gives me and them, peace of mind.

Paul informed me, “Tracking is included!” It was too good to be true, and our Daughter said, “Remember what they said on, telly, “If it’s too good to be true, then there is a reason why.”

Now the majority of couriers like customers to print off their own barcodes and addresses etc. only a few say they will do it at the door when they pick up. But Parcel Monkey did both. If customers don’t have a printer then they print off a label of my address and where it is going. They also said they took mirrors and glass but that if it broke there would be no compensation, fair enough I was willing to take that risk! It was better that paying £47 and not tracked. They couldn’t say when they would collect but it would be the following day after I’d paid on-line. So, Paul stayed in, and I kept texting from work, “Have they been yet?”

My precious parcel was picked up about noon, and Paul could see that on their web page that it was “In progress.” I let the eBayer know. Then a few days later, He emailed me to let me know it had arrived safe, and in one piece! He thanked me for putting the different languages on the front. We were thrilled!!! Our local post office had asked Paul how we were getting on and he’d informed them, he’d found this Company......

Now I have a courier at last.