Courier Cost Cutting Feedback/Discussion thread

MrGumby

scbk wrote: »

I've used the Royal Mail for loads of items, not only are they cheapest but you can send an item when YOU want, how fab is that :A

Royal Mail cheapest? Are you kidding?! They are perhaps cheapest for anything under about 2kg, including international shipments, but certainly not for anything heavier. Or am I missing a trick?

It's true that you can send an item whenever you like, of course, but only if you're prepared to visit a post office (getting harder all the time, and for many people costly too) and stand in a long queue. Remember you can have a courier collect from work or a neighbour, if you don't want to stay in all day.

Ellie_Allan

I'm having trouble finding a company to deliver packaged mirrors from south east England to private addresses throughout the UK. Either they don't carry glass, or they won't insure it against breakage (giving them no incentive not to throw it around) or they won't deliver to private addresses etc etc.

The only company I can find that will do the job wants about £50 per delivery (approx 5kg) in the south east, rising to £70 for the north and Scotland, and can sometimes only deliver once a month or so. This isn't really cost-effective on a £50 mirror!

Does anybody have any ideas? I'm not expecting a £6 cheapy but something sub-£20 would be good!

custardy

MrGumby wrote: »

Royal Mail cheapest? Are you kidding?! They are perhaps cheapest for anything under about 2kg, including international shipments, but certainly not for anything heavier. Or am I missing a trick?

It's true that you can send an item whenever you like, of course, but only if you're prepared to visit a post office (getting harder all the time, and for many people costly too) and stand in a long queue. Remember you can have a courier collect from work or a neighbour, if you don't want to stay in all day.

every service has its benifits and faults.
remeber for many rm is easier at the recipients end for collection etc

scbk

I haven't seen any cheaper way to send within the United Kingdom, up to 20kg, than with royal mail.

And unless you go to a main post office that deals with passports etc then you never really have to que. At any time between 7am and 5pm within a matter of minutes I can have an item despatched and out my hands. Also deliveries to me are at a set time, and if I miss it I know my package is sat 10mins walk away with someone who knows me.


I've had to collect from my "local" DHL depot and the place is a tip, have to wait ages to be served then they spend ages digging round trying to find your parcel

mutsnuts_2

Id really have to advise against using couriersdirect on eBay,

I booked collections for 3 parcels from 3 different address's all on the same day, none where collected and the eBay seller was rude, unhelpful and a little aggressive when I complained that they hadn't been picked up.
He then had his auction removed so I could not leave feedback! and I had to file a complaint with paypal to get my money back.

I've used parcels2go many many times and their service is spot on, a little more expensive than some but well worth it for the confirmation emails and regular email updates.

I've also been used Capital Trades on eBay a few times, they run their adds as classified adds rather than the standard eBay auction or buy it nows.
Never had a problem with these and you receive 1 email to confirm the bookings.

J400uk

Hi, Have just read through this thread, some very useful information. Never again am I going to give my local post office £15 for ParcelForce 48hr delivery. Can anyone comfirm if these guys at 'direct sales' are any good:
http://!!!!!!!.com/2v65kv
Prices seem more than reasonable @ £5.50 for next day, and I like the fact you get £150 compensation which is more than the DHL re-sellers.

thanks

the link should read T I N Y U R L where the !s have been inserted.. no idea why

MrGumby

scbk wrote: »

I haven't seen any cheaper way to send within the United Kingdom, up to 20kg, than with royal mail.

Are we talking RM standard parcels? As priced at: http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?mediaId=51000711&catId=400031

They charge £8.24 for 4kg and £13.33 for 20kg, whereas 25kg with parcel2go/DHL costs £7.28 including vat...and 10% discount codes are available. DHL will normally be faster too, and you don't have to go to a PO. Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't know what.

scbk wrote: »

And unless you go to a main post office that deals with passports etc then you never really have to que.

Maybe not where you live, but my two nearest POs have been closed down and there's nearly always a long queue at the next two. I suspect the same is true for most people.

scbk wrote: »

Also deliveries to me are at a set time, and if I miss it I know my package is sat 10mins walk away with someone who knows me.

Not true for me on either count, especially if it has to be signed for, but if it's true for you then that's obviously a benefit.

scbk

The cheap rates with DHL etc only apply for for part of mainland Britain.
Royal mail prices are for the whole of the United Kingdom

tbg_2

http://www.a4logistics.com - Ive used them several times. Great service too.

They do 25kg parcels for £6 next day. Thats cheaper than the £7 at the beginning of the thread.

misterc

Hi,

I was directed to the article about cheap courier services yesterday by a friend. I have been using Interparcel for around 2 years and find their service excellent but not the cheapest. So I thought I would check out some in the article.
I have just placed an order for a trial parcel with Direct Sales Europe Ltd, as listed on eBay. I emailed them and they directed me to their website where the rates just seemed too good to be true. I emailed them for clarification but they were not helpful, instructing me to look on the Parcelforce site.
I have tried to check them out without success. I could not find any listing for Direct Sales Europe Limited as a company in the UK. After paying for my first trial parcel through Paypal as they instructed, their Paypal details stated a website of directsaleseuropeltd.eu however this website does not exist and the domain name is still available for sale. Their telephone number listed on Paypal does not work.

As they specify that you can send up to 30kgs to Europe for £7 and worldwide for £10 I suspect this is a scam

I would love to be proved wrong. But please beware. If anyone can throw any more light on this I would appreciate it, but I am now about to contact eBay, Paypal etc., for verification, in the hope that both organisations might dig a little to verify.

Thanks
John C