Rob Frain Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 Still checking out quotes for moving over to Australia in August. We did have our sights set on a medium movecube but we do now believe that they are not worth it. We did put a deposit down on a medium movecube (107 Cubic Feet/ 3.04 cubic m) costing £1126 for shipping, however, we have to pay £1044 on the other side for customs. That second cost seems insane. We then looked at a large movecube (216 cubic feet/ 6.14 cubic m) which would cost £2154 and then a whopping £1581 on the other side for customs... Am I missing something? I've now asked John Mason for a quote and given them 216 cubic feet as a reference and they have come back with £1317 and a £220 AQIS charge for the inspection of goods in Perth. PSS Removals have come back even cheaper...... are these quotes fishing me in or are there hidden costs the movecube covers that these other companies don't stat?e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyMonday Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 Honestly I have looked into it as well and I don't think it's worth it. I did a mock shop on Harvey Norman and other places and all the main items weren't as expensive as I thought. Unless you've got reasonably new/high end or sentimental goods I wouldn't bother. Personally I'm going to upgrade my flight to business and get the included 2 x 32kg bags, stuff in as much as I can then just buy new when I'm there. I also don't know that I trust these removal companies. I've read stories of things going missing or coming up broken. That's assuming they turn up when they say they will as well without delays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 TBH, from your previous comments, I think you'd be better off with a shared container. Movecubes are best if you have a lot of boxes and small to mid-size items to ship. If you're shipping large furniture items like beds or sofas, they'll fill the cube inefficiently and leave you with odd empty spaces that you can't fit anything into. If you've looked at examples of how to pack the Movecube, the whole reason it's worth using is that you can use every inch of space by packing all the crevices and gaps with small items. However here are some considerations when making the comparison. Firstly, make sure you're comparing like for like. Different shippers deal with the arrival charges differently. NO ONE can tell you what the customs/port charges will be when your shipment arrives in Australia, because it depends entirely on customs/port authorities. Some shippers don't mention them at all, some mention them but say, "we can't tell you what they'll be". Movecube usually includes an estimate of those costs in their quote. If you check the small print, it will say it's just an estimate. Therefore, I'd be going back to Movecube, and ask them to clarify what that customs charge is. Remember that with the Movecube, you're paying for extra security: your goods will be shipped in a sealed box which will be opened only by customs. A shared container may be packed and unpacked several times during its journey, (as partial shipments are added and removed), increasing the chances that your stuff will get lost or damaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 2 hours ago, RubyMonday said: I also don't know that I trust these removal companies. I've read stories of things going missing or coming up broken. Most of those stories come from people who book space in a shared container. And yes, that does happen, and it's inevitable if you think about it. Your stuff is loaded into a huge container with stuff from three or four other families. The shipping company has processes to keep them all separate, but the container is likely to get unpacked and packed again a few times before your shipment gets to you. Customs may decide they need to inspect something in the middle of the container and your stuff is at the front, or the company might unload the container onto smaller trucks for final delivery. The more handling, the more chances of things going missing or getting broken. That's one of the reasons the Movecube became so popular so quickly. You get to pack your own stuff into your own cube, which gets sealed up. Having said that, I think you're doing the right thing. I recall you're likely to be in the country, and the cost to ship your goods from the arrival port to a country destination are likely to be eye-watering and not worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 We used shared containers twice and didn't have a single issue either time. I wouldn't hesitate to use one again if the need arose. Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 19 hours ago, calNgary said: We used shared containers twice and didn't have a single issue either time. I wouldn't hesitate to use one again if the need arose. Cal x Same here. Shared container there and back, nothing missing, nothing damaged. And no hassle of having to try and juggle things to pack them in the movecube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 2 hours ago, Nemesis said: Same here. Shared container there and back, nothing missing, nothing damaged. And no hassle of having to try and juggle things to pack them in the movecube. I'm sure you and @calNgary both had a good experience. Most people do. But just because most people drive on motorways and don't have an accident, doesn't change the fact that lots of accidents happen on motorways. Same with shared containers. The risk is higher than with a dedicated container or Movecube. It's up to the individual to balance risk vs cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 Yes i believe most people do have a good experience when using a shared container, i am personally unaware of anyone who has had issues (stuff missing) with a shared container and that includes all the years i did Relocations. But one thing i will say to avoid any confusion is, if customs want to inspect something in a Movecube , it is unsealed just like any container. Its not like Movecubes never get unsealed as portrayed in an above post. Cal x 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 I think the main issue is timing. Sometimes it can take longer for a container to fill with part loads thus delaying shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Frain Posted April 23 Author Share Posted April 23 John Mason by far seem to be the cheapest...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Frain Posted April 24 Author Share Posted April 24 I asked movecube why the costs once in Australia are so high. They didn't give a response but just gave me a breakdown. Is it me or is that "Movecube Transfer" very high. What do we think that consists of as all I can think of is off the ship to the warehouse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 28 minutes ago, Rob Frain said: I asked movecube why the costs once in Australia are so high. They didn't give a response but just gave me a breakdown. Is it me or is that "Movecube Transfer" very high. What do we think that consists of as all I can think of is off the ship to the warehouse? Why not ask them that question. I'm guessing "Movecube transfer" is the transfer from the port city to their depot in your city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 (edited) On 22/04/2024 at 22:53, Marisawright said: On 22/04/2024 at 22:53, Marisawright said: I'm sure you and @calNgary both had a good experience. Most people do. But just because most people drive on motorways and don't have an accident, doesn't change the fact that lots of accidents happen on motorways. Same with shared containers. The risk is higher than with a dedicated container or Movecube. It's up to the individual to balance risk vs cost. of course its up to the individual! I would never expect anyone to make a decision purely based on my experience. However, its a well-known fact that people who are happy are much less likely to review their experience than those who have a bad experience. Thats why I think its important for people like myself, and CalnGary to post on the thread! Edited April 24 by Nemesis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 On 23/04/2024 at 02:58, rammygirl said: I think the main issue is timing. Sometimes it can take longer for a container to fill with part loads thus delaying shipping. So does a Movecube get a container to itself? Or get loaded simply as it is with no outer protection? (serious question, would be interested to know!) Personally I had lousy service from Sevenseas and wouldn't touch them but that wasn't Movecube related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted April 25 Share Posted April 25 3 hours ago, Nemesis said: So does a Movecube get a container to itself? Or get loaded simply as it is with no outer protection? (serious question, would be interested to know!) Personally I had lousy service from Sevenseas and wouldn't touch them but that wasn't Movecube related. I think they load them into a metal container, so yes shared, but more predictable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Frain Posted April 27 Author Share Posted April 27 On 24/04/2024 at 23:30, Marisawright said: Why not ask them that question. I'm guessing "Movecube transfer" is the transfer from the port city to their depot in your city. You were correct, however the cost is land transport from Melbourne to Perth as they don’t go to Perth by ship!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted Saturday at 23:30 Share Posted Saturday at 23:30 10 hours ago, Rob Frain said: You were correct, however the cost is land transport from Melbourne to Perth as they don’t go to Perth by ship!!! That's what I suspected. I recall someone else had the same problem with another shipper because they didn't dock in Sydney, so their shipment had to come by road from Melbourne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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