Andy Dingley notes:

Do not ever depend on a delivery company to do exactly as you expect:

I've ordered a lot of things from tool companies, including Lee
Valley. I very much doubt if I'm the only one who has had at least
four times as much trouble from the shipper as I've ever had from the
supplier.


OTOH - I'm getting a bit sick of Axminster's hit-rate for mis-picking
from the warehouse.

Don't know how it works on your side of the pond, but I've been very, very
fortunate here. My deliveries from every company I've used that sells
woodworking supplies have been on time, and usually contain everything in a
single package. that includes Lee Valley, Woodworker's Supply, Rockler, Cherry
Tree, Woodcraft, and several others to whom I offer an apology for leaving them
out. And I don't believe it's because they know I write about woodworking,
because orders go through an entirely different set-up, where it would be
unusual for any name recognition to occur.

I've seen several of these order groups, and customer service groups, in
action, and the dedication of the staffers in the top companies is incredible.
These are far from the highest paid employees in any of the companies, often
probably nearer the lowest (along with some of the pickers and packers in the
warehouses), but on the whole they are the hardest working, the most cheerful
and often the most competent.

Their bosses may or may not appreciate their efforts, but they certainly
should.

Charlie Self

"Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without
integrity is dangerous and dreadful."
Samuel Johnson