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We contacted ParcelHero and it said:

ParcelHero is a broker of courier services. It enables its customers to compare and book prices and services from all major couriers based on accurate weight & dimension measurements.

Disputes over measurements are a significant pain point for its industry and it is a public good that Watchdog is highlighting this issue and the importance for customers to create photographic evidence of weight & dimension measurements when shipping parcels. Where parcel measurements, as measured by the courier, exceed the size and weight limits for the service booked, a surcharge is applied by the courier which ParcelHero automatically passes on, at no profit, to the customer.

It said ParcelHero:

• publishes surcharges on its websites;
• makes the importance of accurate dimensions clear;
• requests its customers take images of their parcel measurements which they can then reference as evidence when appealing a surcharge; and
• as Watchdog’s case studies demonstrate, supports its customers in making appeals

It said in regard to working with UPS on the measurements of the case studies featured by Watchdog that UPS is currently investigating what happened and we are awaiting their response.

It went on to say that for efficiency and ultimately, low costs to consumers, the end-to-end shipping and charging process is automated with a presumption of the accuracy of the information supplied by the courier. Disputes are addressed with supporting evidence.

It said Watchdog’s case studies highlight the effectiveness of ParcelHero’s appeal processes where Parcelhero’s customers follow ParcelHero’s prompts to create photographic evidence of parcel measurements. Mr Stone’s and Mr Redman’s cases were successfully appealed with supporting evidence and both customers have now been fully refunded.

However, lessons can always be learned and as part of ParcelHero’s commitment to the continued improvement of its customers’ experience, we are reviewing the signposting, during the booking process, re surcharges and photographic evidence and are also exploring with UPS how the audit and appeal process could be improved.

It further stated tha the end-to-end shipping and charging process is automated with a presumption of the accuracy of the information supplied by the courier. The courier does not present evidence that its adjustment is correct but will acknowledge an error where a customer’s appeal is supported with appropriate evidence (as happened in Mr Stone’s & Mr Redman’s cases).

UPS’s contract is with ParcelHero and not with ParcelHero’s customers. As such, any audit/appeal with the courier is carried out by ParcelHero on behalf of its customers.

ParcelHero and ParcelCompare are brokers of courier services and do not set courier surcharges. Whilst we automatically pass on courier surcharges to customers, Parcel Hero also support customers if they appeal them.

We additionally contacted UPS and it said:

Serving our customers is at the centre of everything we do. We verify the weight and dimensional data of the millions of packages we receive from customers, and we encourage shippers to adhere to packaging guidelines. We are working with our customer to resolve this matter

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