DPD have definitely gone down hill. They’re giving the drivers too much to do and putting them under too much pressure. Resulting in items just being flung around like rag dolls.
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Here is a quote from “The Music Room” a US dealer, taken from their tips on shipping
One of the first things to think about when dropping your high value item into a box, is that to each person that touches the box - between it leaving your hands and arriving at our warehouse - it is just a box to them. They don’t know or care what is inside the box. And, it does not matter how many “Fragile” stickers that are placed on it, or notes saying to be extremely careful. The drivers and handlers do not read those stickers, and the machines doing the sorting at the depots definitely do not read that stuff.
Especially true at this time of year and during a pandemic.
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That is why is dropped my 52/sc and CDSPS off with class a last week myself and will be picking it up this week. The vintage stuff even if insured is impossible to replace, i just cant risk it with a courier.
6.5 hour drive for me to drop off and pick up
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Naim did my olive 72 hicap 250 a few months ago here in the US. Took a month total. They sound great.
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Parcel force in the UK is without doubt the best never ever had a problem with their service receiving or sending. Highly recommended first class service 
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(Pre Covid)After a hospital visit I asked a DPD driver if he could pop the box in the kitchen a few metres away.I’d explained I couldn’t lift it but he refused. My language deteriorated rather and I complained to HQ.
They sent me a cookie…the very fact that they had pre-prepared cookies with their logo and ‘We’re sorry’ in icing on it said it all!±
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I recently returned my Nait 1 to Class A. I wrapped the box in thick brown paper to provide an extra degree of protection. Transport was arranged by Darran through UPS, which was ok, although the box was slightly dented in one corner by the time it came back.
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I live only an hour from Salisbury. In days gone by I used to drop the units off, go on holiday, and collect when I got back. Sadly, that’s no longer permitted.
In the lockdown last year I had to send my NAT01 for service. Then my Naim retailer sent the RMA paperwork to me by email so that I could insert it in the boxes ready for collection by DPD. (Despite writing FRAGILE on every side of the boxes, I watched the driver launch one box into his van.) However, if the retailer can forward the paperwork to the customer to pack themselves, then why can’t the customer transport the units to Naim Audio? Why is it always necessary to use a third party transport business?
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Hi, how old is your Supernait to fade the front green logo?
My Supernait logo light went dim in just a few months from new
It’s not changed since & is something I’ve accepted over the years.
It going back to Naim sometime in the new year to have a general service plus the logo light.
Crikey! I’ll bet that raised the blood pressure. Also raises the problem of needing a new box for next time…
Just read your later message about the dealer arranging for new boxes. Great support.
FWIW courier quality depends on the drivers more than the firm. My DPD guy here is brilliant. UPS were very good for a while but no longer. Ditto Hermes. Parcelforce are very variable….
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I may have been lucky but I have used UPS for multiple transport UK to France and return over the past 20 months or so. Apart from delays they have been good. A little discolouration or sooty smudging of the white boxes but no damage at all.
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I send components only by my dealer, who has a good insurance. He uses UPS. for now I sent only my pre. But will do the same when servicing time will arrive.
This is absolute wisdom @NigelA10 . Last year I saw an unmarked white delivery Van making a drop off. I was walking towards it from behind and could see the driver unloading a parcel. The van was mostly empty bar a single stack of boxes deep inside the loading bay right behind the drivers cab.
He reached for a large heavy box which was smothered in fragile, do not drop etc stickers and zapped it with his code reader, then picked it up and just dropped it from shoulder height straight on the floor. He then started kicking it along the plywood floor of the van towards the rear door where his final over-zealous/short-tempered kick sent it crashing over the edge, landing on a corner in a heap. By that time I was close enough to be able to read the now upside down ‘this way up’ sticker.
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Some years ago I had purchased used Fraim from someone on Audiogon.
It was 2 bases and 6 shelves.
It was all shipped by UPS to me during a snowy winter. It never came even though tracking said “out for delivery” for 5 straight days and nothing. I spoke to UPS multiple times and they blamed the bad weather and the holiday season.
One night my wife spotted a UPS truck drive by our house down the street at 8pm so dark outside.
I went outside and the truck was driving out of our neighborhood…… I stopped the driver, he had delivered my Fraim to the wrong house. He fetched it for me and all was good.
If we hadn’t seen him who knows whether I would have gotten my Fraim.
Scary
David
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Had a knock on the door, UPS driver with a parcel that he left in my door way.
I opened the door, picked up the parcel, thanked him as he turned to get back in his van.
But i soon had a thought that the parcel was a bigger and heavier than the one i was expecting, a quick walk to the kitchen and back with my reading glasses… to confirm i had a parcel for a guy who lives in a village 5 miles away!
By this time the UPS driver had driven off.
Anyway, the UPS driver returned half an hour later, with a smile on his face, he swopped my parcel for the wrong one. Alls well that ends well.
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Hi David
I see your in New York from your profile. Where would you get your Naim electronics serviced if needed? I don’t have need at this point but was wondering if it would be possible to send units back to Naim in the UK or would that be totally impractical. I’m in Connecticut.
DPD here are in NW England far worse than useless.
They almost destroyed the boxes when I bought a pair of Allaes.
UPS also manage to make the process of delivery, communication, booking, everything horribly incompetent.
I will only use Royal Mail.
Very good luck w Naim North America…32.5, 160 cb, sounding great. Not long ago it was hard to get good service in North America and so I shipped the hicap all the way back to the UK for service, that was a lot of hassle. It’s great that Naim has their North America operation doing this now, it makes life much easier for those of us here.
That’s the first I’ve heard of problems getting Naim serviced in N.A., prior to Focal-Naim taking over. I had my 282/HiCap/250-2 serviced and DR upgraded by Audio Plus (the predecessor) some years ago, before Focal-Naim took over in N.A., and there has been Chris West and AV Options for quite some time. Audio Plus did fine work and turned everything around faster than promised.
Focal-Naim now has my 252 for service. I have heard nothing so far, but it’s only been two weeks. On the other hand when they serviced my ND5-XS a couple years that was a major cluster-f&^k on several levels (including physical damage because they didn’t manage repacking the unit correctly for return shipping), and took about 5 months before it all got sorted. That’s on top of their steadfast refusal to let me audition a Superline earlier last year until Naim UK stepped in to advocate for me.
I’m in NY too. Best bet for service is Focal/Naim Canada. They will have you ship to a NY location just across the border after you open a ticket and get a Return Authorization Number. Fedex is the carrier I’d recommend. My new olive Supercap went in a couple of weeks ago. Can’t wait for it to get back. Returning to my 82/HCDR was tough after a week with the 52/SC. But at least I have something to listen too.