Collect Plus shops don't exist

soolin

For the first time ever I went to use a courier last week and decided on Collect plus. I dithered a bit as I didn't recognise the shop they told me was my local one and as item was heavy I didn't want the hassle of taking it on a trolley into a mall only to find shop gone- so in the end i paid a lot extra to use Royal mail.

Today out shopping I checked the shop- and it is long closed. The second closest shop is also definitely gone- it's now something completely different.

I suspect I am the last person in the world to be naive enough to believe a site when it lists venues- but just in case anyone else is new to couriers like me, double check the shop still exists before you pay any money out.

theonlywayisup

My collect-plus has never existed, the shop was refused planning about 3 years ago and is still fenced off! I have always assumed it was a scam until I saw 'happy customers' on here.

Jen_Jen1985

My local corner shop across the road does collect plus, even has a sign out the front for it.
Ive not used them yet but might after this weekend as Ive got some stuff on ebay atm that might need it.

soolin

theonlywayisup wrote: »

My collect-plus has never existed, the shop was refused planning about 3 years ago and is still fenced off! I have always assumed it was a scam until I saw 'happy customers' on here.

I think that is what shocked me really, I thought i was quite savvy about things and it really did not occur to me to double check the info on the site. It was really only my OH saying that he didn't fancy wheeling a several kilo parcel such a distance unless I was happy that the shop was there- that I actually checked.

It also occured to me that a while ago I got into a silly discussion with a seller who quoted me RM and decided to use a courier and they were really uptight about pointing out to me exactly how many hundred yards it was to my local Collect plus shop so how silly I was being by wanting it sent RM as originally agreed when according to Google maps my collection office for RM was over a mile away. So what would have happened if they had sent it to my local Collect plus office when I can't now find anything within a few miles that is still open?

soolin

I've just been ahopping and seen the Collect plus sign on the side of a shop about 20 mins walk from my house. Went in and they say yes they are official Collect plus agents and don't know why they aren't on the website- but the shop might be good for me for heavier items.

Just got to read up about Collect plus now and then maybe start offering it for 'to door' deliveries on my heavier items.

Bella_b

My town has a collect + store, I don't go there normally as it's not my end of town but have been there twice before to send things back using collect plus. I've had no problems. Both items were received back by the retailers and my money refunded.

Strapped

My nearest Collect+ is about 15miles away

adviceforall

The first time I went to one it wasn't there but have since found 2 others and have used one quite regularly when it works out cheaper to send shop to door than Royal mail does.
When using them I have found it cheaper to book direct with them than using parcel2go, the compensation level is higher (£50 rather than £20) before having to pay to up it and you can use pay pal to pay without having an extra change like P2G

soolin

adviceforall wrote: »

The first time I went to one it wasn't there but have since found 2 others and have used one quite regularly when it works out cheaper to send shop to door than Royal mail does.
When using them I have found it cheaper to book direct with them than using parcel2go, the compensation level is higher (£50 rather than £20) before having to pay to up it and you can use pay pal to pay without having an extra change like P2G

Thank you.

I just typed 'Collect plus' into google to find the website and it didn't occur to me to use a third party. However, it won't be suitable for some of my lines as I sell a lot of heavy glass- and they don't carry it apparently. I'm definitely going to try it for some of my other things though.

Obviously_the_best

One of my local stores is a PO and a collect plus! My usual one is a five minute walk whereas my PO is 15

[Deleted User]

I have to go to the centre of town to do collect+ but I have to say that the parcel was sent for far less than with other couriers and I could do the drop on the way to collect my son from school. Much better than waiting in one or two days for a collection (it was a parcel of reasonable size/weight so royal mail would have been twice the price).

For me it was a good option.

Having said that tho.., I had a very good experience of how my OH only half listens to me. Two seconds away we have a post office.., and general shop. When my OH wanted to pop round there to get something, I asked him to ask them why they didn't do collect+. I had been going on for 24 hours about how I needed to get my son's xbox posted.., and that I was going to use a new service provided by collect+ and I wouldn't have to wait in for the parcel to be collected (I've been waiting in quite a bit lately for parcel DELIVERIES (not collections).

He came back saying that the post office does do a plus service, u write a message on the door asking the post man/women to deliver to your local post office and they keep it for you to collect at your leisure.

<sigh> He obviously missed the 20 times I'd put a Collect in front of the plus. And that the parcel needed to be collected not delivered.

Do you ever feel like giving up lol?