Preparing for May Day

Posted on April 30, 2014 by admin

Remember, the 5^th of May is this year’s May Day bank holiday. On this day many shops will be closed as well as most banks and postal offices, so if you are planning to send any gifts or items abroad to a friend, relative or if you work from home and send merchandise out, it is best to send it ahead of time so that your recipient receives it in good time! Make sure to choose RAND logistics for any parcels internationally, as we provide first class service for any parcel or package; locally or internationally.

Although many people see May Day as simply another bank holiday which adds an extra day to the weekend, May Day is actually a significant day across many cultures and traditions, and many different countries celebrate May Day in their own individual way. In Britain May Day normally involves Morris dancing and the crowning of a May Queen, whereas in rural regions of Germany on the eve preceding May Day, villagers and townsfolk normally build bonfires and wrap the new maypole.

In Bulgaria, May Day is believed to be the day when snakes and lizards leave their burrows to terrorise the people, so they light fires and jump over them, making loud noises to scare the snakes. In some parts of the USA, May baskets are made which are small baskets filled with flowers or treats and left on someone’s doorstep.

Shipping Restrictions – Greece

Posted on April 29, 2014 by admin

Whether you are a small time shop seller or you are a growing business with regular exports into Greece and other countries, or if you just want to send a personal package to a friend or relative living abroad, it is important to take note of those countries shipping restrictions and prohibitions. Although in most cases the item you want to ship should have no problem passing customs, it is good to check just to avoid complications upon sending.

In Greece for example, all animal products and furs are prohibited and forbidden for import into Greece. In to this, any gifts of cash or cash equivalents, including gold, silver, precious stones and jewellery, and non-commercial wireless phones are also prohibited, so take care if you are planning on sending a gift or present for a friend’s birthday.

RAND Logistics are a first class courier service with years of experience providing excellent postal services to customers across the world. If you are thinking of sending a parcel abroad to Greece, why not check with RAND Logistics to see our fantastic postage rates?

Shipping Restrictions – Singapore

Posted on April 28, 2014 by admin

Singapore is a country of many cultures, and with a rich history and traditions, it can be quite spell bounding to visit or even live in Singapore for a while. Should you choose to send a parcel to a friend or relative living abroad in Singapore, make sure to choose RAND Logistics, as we have the very best service for international and worldwide parcel delivery at the most competitive rates. However it is also recommended that you take a look at the list of restricted and prohibited items when sending a parcel to Singapore.

In particular, if you were thinking of sending a baked gift to a friend or relative in Singapore, it is essential to check Singapore’s restricted items for import, as several types of food including fish, processed egg, and all perishable foods are prohibited for import. It may be better to send a present, but take care as furs, jewellery, precious metals and stones and antiques are also prohibited.

Visual Media that is banned in Singapore by the MDA, including reproduction video tapes, compact discs and DVDS of copyright publications are prohibited for import into Singapore. Chewing gum is even prohibited, so call RAND today or check online for a full list of prohibited and restricted items when sending a parcel to Singapore.

Tips for Fragile Items Final Day

Posted on April 18, 2014 by admin

This week we have been giving ideas and tips on how to send fragile packages abroad without them breaking, so in our final day we’ll have a brief recap. As a first class worldwide courier, RAND Logistics provides a huge range of delivery options for fragile parcels, heavy parcels or even parcels sent via eBay.

Wrapping

Bubble wrap is preferable although tissue paper does work well if you don’t have time for bubble wrap or if you don’t want to splash out on it. When wrapping more than one item, remember to wrap each item individually and then wrap the two together.

Delivery

With full parcel tracking you can follow step by step progress of your parcel from pickup to delivery, to ensure that it reaches its destination safely. You can also choose recorded delivery so that the recipient has to sign for it when it arrives, to confirm that the addressee actually receives the parcel.

Packaging

Choose a box that is only slightly bigger than your item so that the item does not get knocked about in transit, and so that you can pack it tightly with wrapping.

Service

Choosing various types of delivery, such as next day delivery or parcel express, reduces the chances of the parcel getting knocked about or damaged because it reduces the time the parcel spends in transit.

Tips for Fragile Items Day 4

Posted on April 17, 2014 by admin

Whether you are sending a single object of sentimental value to a friend or relative abroad or you are an eBay seller who has set up shop selling exquisite and fragile items, sending fragile items abroad can be quite stressful, as you may be constantly worrying about the condition of your item.

Although it is ultimately out of your hands, ensuring that the item is well packaged and correctly labelled can really help to prevent accidents in transit.

Finding the Right Packaging

It is no use sending your parcel out in a box that is far too big for it. Although you may have thought you packed it tightly, unforeseen circumstances can bash and bat at the box and cause the item inside to break.

[rand] box blog Choose a box that is only slightly bigger than your item that you can pad with secure packaging, but does not allow the item to move around at all.

In most cases, re-using old shoe boxes or cartons is recommended, however if you are sending a fragile and valuable item, it is better to buy new boxes as these will be more reinforced than used boxes. Boxes with double corrugated walls are best, and these can be found in most local post offices.

For excellent delivery options including tracking options and guaranteed 1-3 day delivery worldwide, choose RAND Logistics.

Tips for Fragile Items Day 3

Posted on April 16, 2014 by admin

Pottery is widely known throughout the modern world as an ancient and beautiful art. Although many European countries have crafted countless beautiful ceramic pieces, ancient Chinese pottery is among some of the most stunning pieces we can find today, and they make great souvenirs.

In order to send a fragile parcel to a friend or relative without it breaking, there are various measures you can undertake to ensure that it reaches its destination safely.

Recorded Delivery

It might sound a little too good to be true, but recorded delivery acts as a means of insurance should your parcel ever get stuck or never make its way to the recipient at all. Tracking options and recorded delivery options will allow you to see where your parcel is at each step of the journey, and this can really help if your parcel was not delivered and you are trying to make a claim.

[rand] tracking options blog Plus Tracking Options provide piece of mind for those who would like regular updates on the progress of their parcel. This is particularly helpful if you happen to be sending a valuable parcel, as recorded delivery and tracking options place special emphasis on the parcel for the couriers, so they are far more likely to take care when delivering it.

If you were thinking of sending a parcel to China, choose RAND Logistics for the very best in modern courier services.

Tips for Fragile Items Day 2

Posted on April 15, 2014 by admin

Italy is well known for its beautiful glass pieces, and it can be difficult to send fragile parcels and packages abroad, however with a world class courier service and some helpful hints and tips, you can minimize the risks.

Choosing the Right Service

There are several different delivery services provided by RAND, so it may help depending on how fragile your parcel is, to spend more money on fast delivery times. You may be thinking that speedier delivery could encourage couriers to be careless and therefore the parcel may have a higher chance of breaking but this isn’t actually the case.

In fact, because of express delivery times, the time in transit is significantly reduced, so there is a lower chance of it being broken in transit. The longer the parcel sits in the warehouse or on the van, the higher the chances of something happening to it.

With first class delivery services worldwide at competitive rates, RAND Logistics can provide a variety of guaranteed door-to-door delivery options available, depending on how fragile your parcel is and how urgently your recipient needs it. Contact us today or try our quick quote form for an instant quote.

Tips for Fragile Items Day 1

Posted on April 14, 2014 by admin

When sending fragile or breaking items abroad to a friend or relative, it can be nerve-wracking as we have all heard about the horror stories that come with sending fragile packages through the post. However there are a number of ways in which you can help minimize the chances of your fragile item breaking and combined with a trusted, first class courier service, you can see your item safely reaching its destination.

Tip 1 – Wrapping

A thoroughly wrapped package is a thoroughly protected package. You need to be aware that although courier services take the utmost care in handling fragile packages, sometimes accidents do happen, particularly when they are working to a deadline.

[rand]bubble wrap blog

It is therefore always good to give your parcel adequate padding in case something goes wrong.

Newspaper or tissue paper can be good, but the best wrapping is bubble wrap.

Ensure that it is tightly wrapped – but not too tightly so that it breaks or shatters – and seal off the edges with duct tape.

If you happen to be packing more than one item, make sure to wrap them individually. This may be more expensive but if you wrap them together they could knock against each other in transit and subsequently break.

Celebrating Easter in Italy

Posted on April 10, 2014 by admin

On the penultimate day of looking at various Easter traditions across the world, we’re focusing on how the Christian festival is celebrated in Italy. If you need to send a parcel to Italy, why not make the most of our services here at RAND?

Italy has a huge catholic population with a significant portion of Italians prioritising a visit to church every Sunday. There are plenty of unique traditions held throughout the Easter week in Italy. Here’s what you might expect to see if you’re visiting the country during this time.

For most Italians, Good Friday is a hugely symbolic day. Ceremonies are hosted in cities across the country, commemorating the death of Jesus and his road to crucifixion. Some of these processions may include symbolic dress to represent the events of Jesus’ death, such as Roman costumes.

Good Friday is, like in many other countries, a sombre day. Churches throughout Italy won’t ring their bells from this day until Jesus’ resurrection. The Pope’s Easter message also takes place on Easter Sunday from the Vatican.

On the Saturday, Italians usually prepare for Easter Sunday by decorating the home and cooking food. Some Christians will attend church in the evening, although the day is usually seen as one of rest and reflection. Easter Sunday is a day of celebration whereby families gather and enjoy a large traditional meal. They also incorporate the inherited pagan traditions of having Easter eggs and other sweets on the Sunday.

Celebrating Easter in Portugal

Posted on April 8, 2014 by admin

We continue our week of looking at Easter celebrations across the world with the traditional celebrations that take place in Portugal. Portugal has a large Christian population that celebrate Easter differently to the rest of the country. Here are some of the events and traditions that take place throughout the Easter week in Portugal.

Portugal recognises Good Friday, the most important day in the Holy Week, as a national holiday. Some Christians also recommend that people fast as a symbol of Jesus’ suffering on the cross. This would involve giving up meat and replacing it with fish instead, in particular codfish.

Easter Sunday is a huge day in Portugal, with all sorts of traditions taking place. The local parish priest visits homes to wish a Happy Easter, whilst he also brings a figure of Christ with him which can be kissed by each member of the household to celebrate his resurrection.

There are plenty of pagan traditions still present in Portugal, from Easter Eggs to the Easter bunny. Like many other countries, chocolate eggs are shared out at Easter as gifts, whilst roast lamb is traditionally eaten in Portugal at lunchtime on the Sunday.

If you’re interested in sending a gift to Portugal, make sure you check our list of prohibited items to Portugal so that you know your gift will make it to the addressee without being intercepted by customs.

RANDlogistics

RANDlogistics and industry news

Tag Archives: europe