How to Ensure You’re Buying from a Reputable Container Company

Jane on June 4, 2024

It is important that you find the best reputable container company available.

Have you ever heard of the expression “Buy cheap, buy twice”? It means that if you go for the cheaper option, then often the quality of the goods is not good enough, they can often break and will not be fit for purpose. If that happens then you often have to buy the same product again to replace the broken or poor quality one. 

This problem can cause you wasted time, money and potential headaches.

Research into the container companies you wish to use is crucial and highly recommended.

What Makes a Container Company Reputable?  

Many reputable container companies have been trading for a number of years and have acquired a good number of customer Google reviews, with starred ratings. 

These container companies will also have a number of years of experience and knowledge from the container industry. For example, Billie Box has a combined 60 years of container experience and knowledge. 

A reputable container company might be part of a nationwide organisation, for example, the British Chambers of Commerce or Federation of Small Businesses. These organisations do their due diligence on any company that joins them and therefore endorse the credibility of the company. If a container company has the status of public or private limited company then that can be a good sign that they are bona fide.

We recommend you don’t just take a website’s word for it though. Do your research. Check out the Companies House register and any organisation that the company is associated with. Maybe get recommendations from friends who have used the container company’s services before. The cost of a container is a big outlay and we wouldn’t want you to be losing out.

Billie Box has been trading since 2012 and Jane the owner has been in the container industry for nearly 40 years. Find out more information about Jane Billing here. 

Billie Box is a member of the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses. Both these organisations are well known in the UK business world.

Billie Box is also active within the local (Suffolk) community, by way of charitable donations, volunteering and sponsorship. Please see more information in our charity blog post.

The Risks of Buying from Untrustworthy Sources

Some traders offer poor-quality containers, and there can be hidden fees and unreliable delivery. Remember – you get what you pay for.

There are a few companies/traders that are just in it for the money. These companies don’t last long because they will let their customers down too many times and their reputation has fallen by the wayside.

We cannot stress enough that you need to do your research when buying from a reputable container company.

How to Verify a Container Company’s Reputation

We recommend you check customer reviews, ask for references, and verify certifications.

True reputable container companies will be only too glad to offer you what you need to assist you with making your decision. Unreputable container companies often can’t be bothered.

Billie Box has been trading since 2012, and Jane and her team really are here to help you. Our reviews are extremely good and the organisations Billie Box have joined are well known to be bona fide.

Case Studies of Satisfied Customers

Billie Box has sold over 4000 containers around the UK, we have around 1400+ customers and 30% of those are repeat customers. 

Our Google reviews show that we are doing the right thing for our customers.

Here are a few of Billie Box’s reviews, which we believe speak for themselves. 

Follow Google for more of Billie Box’s reviews.

The Long-Term Benefits of Choosing the Right Supplier

By using a reputable container company, the quality of the containers and reliable service can lead to long-term savings and satisfaction.

Billie Box gets their depots to check the containers out prior to leaving the depot. This means that the container is in the best condition in the first place, whether it be new or used.

Investing in a reputable supplier pays off in the long run.

Why Our Company is a Trusted Choice

Billie Box offers a friendly, knowledgeable and quality service that will give you peace of mind when dealing with us. 

We offer expertise in every container.

The organisations that Billie Box is a member of are well known throughout the UK and Billie Box supports many local charities and initiatives, showing commitment to building trust.

Conclusion

Billie Box understands that trust is so important. We are here to help you with your container requirements by offering you an efficient, reliable, knowledgeable and helpful container service.
Call Billie Box today on 0800 121 7388 or get a quote here.

Why it’s important to buy a container from a reputable source

Jane on November 7, 2019

When we purchase an item such as a computer or a television, it’s a common habit to make sure that the retailer is reputable, especially if buying online, as you’ll likely be unable to inspect an item before you buy. After all, these are expensive products to replace if they break, or worse, never arrive from the website from which they were ordered. When it comes to buying a container for your business or home, this caution should be no different. 

However, recent reports of ‘companies’ carrying out unlawful transactions indicate that consumers are being fooled into parting with their money and receiving nothing in return. These fraudulent websites will offer containers for an extremely low price, manipulating customers into handing over money, as well as credit card details, names, addresses and more.

Why is this is a problem for us?

Illegitimate companies create a bad reputation for the container industry. It causes customers to distrust the process of purchasing a container, and tars reputable retailers, who may have spent years making a name for themselves, with the same brush.

Why is this a problem for you?

Quite simply, these ‘companies’ will lose you money. What’s worse is that they are usually untraceable; therefore, once you have contacted an authority, the ‘company’ in question will have likely taken down the website, removed any traces of transactions, and maybe even have created a brand new website under a different name, repeating the cycle.

What does a fraudulent website look like?

It can be difficult to tell the difference between a fraudulent website and a legitimate one. These days, it is so easy to create an attractive website; it wouldn’t take long for anyone with computer experience to figure out how to do so. Unfortunately, as these criminals create website after website to maximise their profit, they develop their skills in web design, making each website better than the last. 

Additionally, once media outlets get wind of a trend in online scams, it gets reported to the public – but also to the scammers themselves. They change their methods and move onto the next fraudulent exploit. For example, not so long ago, it might have been easy to spot a fraudulent website by looking out for lots of misspelled words and bad grammar, but now scammers may have their websites proofread to minimise telltale errors.

How to check if a shipping container retailer is reputable

Below is a checklist of actions that will help you determine whether a retailer’s website is reputable. However, please note that this list is not exhaustive, and if you still feel sceptical after checking these points, do not make a purchase from the website.

  • Check the registration number of the company with Companies House. This is a government website which provides free access to company information. If you can find the company number on the website, this is a good sign; however, make sure that you type this number into Companies House anyway, just to double check. It could be that the website has stolen a legitimate company’s registration number. If you want to find out whether this is the case, enter the number into Companies House’s search bar and check if the details of the company are the same as what is expressed on the website. Our registration number can be found on our ‘about’ page.
  • Check with your local Chamber of Commerce. Being a part of the Chamber of Commerce is not a requirement, but it builds confidence in customers. We are proud to be a part of this prestigious business network and this is displayed on the badge at the bottom of our site. 
  • If you have got as far as beginning a transaction, check that the sort code to which you are making the payment is from a UK bank. This can easily be checked using Google.
  • Read the ‘about’ section of their website. A legitimate company usually has a detailed ‘about’ section on their website which states information about the owner, the company’s history, or other details. Our ‘about’ page can be found here.
  • Look for client reviews. These days, many companies encourage customers to leave reviews, either through a facility on their website or on Google. If the website has no reviews, see this as a red flag. Conversely, if there is a suspicious amount of five star reviews that have all appeared on one day or that all say the same thing, this is also a warning sign. Our reviews page can be found here, and we also have a number of reviews on Google. Customers can additionally leave recommendations on Facebook, which leads us to our next point…
  • Check that the company has social media pages. The main platforms are Facebook and LinkedIn, although they may also be active on Instagram and maybe even YouTube. If a website does not have any affiliated social media pages, this may not necessarily be a bad sign, as some companies are still very traditional and prefer to do business without social media. However, if a website does have affiliated social media pages and they have been launched recently but have an alarmingly high amount of followers, they may be trying to fool customers into thinking they are legitimate. You can click on the corresponding names to visit our social media profile pages: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Youtube.

The main thing to keep in mind is that buying a container is not all about the price of the container itself. You’re also counting on the company to provide you excellent service, and to be accountable and deliver the product that you paid for. When you purchase a container of any kind, converted or not, ensure that you do not fall victim to fraud before making a purchase by using the points in this article.


If you would like to know more about our containers, please contact Jane or Matt on 0800 121 7388 or visit billiebox.co.uk.

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