Courier Thread Mk2 - Advice and links for sending parcels in the U.K and Worldwide

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This is the new discussion for the Cheap Parcel Delivery article. The old discussion has now been closed, but can be found here for reference.
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THE BASICS
  • Collection and delivery is monday-friday, no bank holidays or weekends. Saturday services are available at extra cost £14+
  • You cannot specify a collection time. If this area is a problem look at; dropping the parcels off at the depot, using your work address, eventually once you know your driver you will more than likely will be able to arrange a place where the parcels will be left if you are out eg. porch, shed etc.
  • Collection times can be 8am onwards, more commonly it would be after 11am (or after you book for same day collection; although if you book late the chances of a non collection are increased)
  • Delivery times- 07:30 - 18:00 (DHL@Home service can be up to 21:00)
PROBLEMS
  • The courier system isn't designed for occasional collections from domestic addresses so if you only send a few items a month it is likely you will at some point experience a problem
  • The most common of which will be a failed collection. This can be for numerous reason from the driver running out of time to the consignment not being booked correctly by the booking agent. This is why in most cases if you use courier agents with automated systems the chance of a problem occurring is much reduced.
COURIER/BOOKING AGENTS
  • Unless you have an account or book direct over the phone with a courier you will be booking through an agent.
  • Agents negotiate rates as re-sellers on the back of significant volume and this allows for the highly competitive rates that they offer. Phone DHL and they'll quote £20+ for once parcel.
  • As they only 'book' your parcel, many of the possible problems are out of their hands, so hounding them saying 'my parcel hasn't been delivery/collected' is fruitless.
  • Having said that it still their obligation to resolve any problems, but from our experience it is quicker to do it your self by contacting the courier direct (Though for all failed collections you must contact the agent you booked it with).
  • This is a particularly useful link DHL Depot Telephone Numbers (Some need updating, ones starting in 0870 should all work)
ROYAL MAIL v COURIERS
  • Anything up to 2kg will be cheaper with the RM, anything over courier
  • The RM does benefit from charging a flat rate for the whole of the U.K, where as couriers have regions. So in some situations it may be cost effective to use Standard Parcels, although bear in mind delivery can be up to a week.
ZONES
  • As mentioned above, couriers have delivery zones. The more remote, the more expensive. Although similar, each courier company is different. Parcelforce map below. (if anyone's got a DHL map please post it!)
zone_map.jpg





SURCHARGES
  • As I'm sure your aware crude oil has seen incredible rises in market value over the last year and combined with the U.K having the highest fuel tax in Europe courier companies have had a tough time of it. To cover this dramatic rise in costs they have fuel surcharges, for example (I think) the DHL one is 7.5%.
  • So for the agents in a very competitive market it has been even harder, how depressing must it be to see your margins whittled away every month?! But some relief 'could' be on the horizon, crude has fallen back a good $20 from it's peak and seems to have settled. Plus the pathetic/desperate 'token' gesture from Alistair Darling to suspend the fuel duty increase planned for the Autumn.
DOMESTIC AGENTS

Prepaid Parcel Worldwide Express (ppwexpress)
Booking Cut-off 12.30pm (Automated) £100 Insurance DHL
48hr £6.95
24hr £7.45
Northern Ireland/Highlands & Island £10.31
By 12PM £12. 54 / By 10AM £25.17
Saturday £19.95
+ Late cut-off, cheap, easily contactable, generally a very good service
- Nothing major, just occasional site glitches/booking issues

Express Packages Deliveries
(Ebay)
Booking Cut-off 9AM £50 Insurance Parcelforce

24hr £8.99
+ Superb service, couldn't recommend strongly enough
- Cut-off time, manually booked- but we've have never had a problem

Interparcel

Booking Cut-off 10am-2pm (DHL 10am, £50 Insurance) (TITAN 2pm, £50 insurance) (Automated) DHL Interlink City Link TNT DPD
TITAN (TNT) Up to 50KG/3m Length- >30KG £13.94 >50KG £42.68
+ Titan service is useful for long items, also has late cut-off
- Prices are poor, service is ok, but not brilliant

Pay Per Parcel
Booking Cut-off ???? (Automated) £?? Insurance DHL
2-4 day £6.94
1-2 day £7.46
+ ???
- ??

U.K Couirer Express
Booking Cut-off 8.30 (manual) £50 Insurance DHL
48hr £7.50
24hr £8.30
Northern Ireland/Highlands & Island £9.99
+ Recommended by MS RED*RED*WINE
- Early cut off, manually booked


Freight Search
Booking Cut-off 1.30pm £100 Insurance (Automated) DHL Parcelforce City Link TNT
DHL 48hr £5.99+vat
DHL 24hr £8.99+vat
TNT Service >3m 50kg (contact)
+ Website, nice people, discounts available for volume, service can be tailored to suit you
- Rates still need some work; are currently renegotiating

DOMESTIC - Extra Insurance £500*

Express Packages Deliveries
£13.99 ('may' only be available for existing/previous customers)
Prepaid Parcel Worldwide Express £15.95
Interparcel £22.23
*thanks to M.S. Fritha!



INTERNATIONAL AGENTS (Europe)

IMPORTANT: Weight- Gross and Volumetric; which ever comes out higher is used to class the weight of your parcel.
  • Volumetric: length x hight x width/6000
  • Gross: Natural weight (bathroom scales)


Express Packages Deliveries
(Ebay)
Cheapest for most of Europe (especially northern)
Booking Cut-off 9AM £50 Insurance Flat rate up to 30KG Parcelforce Euro48

Rep. of Ireland, Belgium £13.99
Holland £14.99
France £15.99
Germany £17.99
Spain £23.99
Scandinavia £19.99-£23.99
For areas not listed email them
+ Superb service, couldn't recommend strongly enough
- Cut-off time, manually booked- but we've have never had a problem

Prepaid Parcel Worldwide Express (ppwexpress)
Booking Cut-off ???? £100 Insurance DHL
Cheapest for under 9KG to
Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, £21.95
Norway £23.95
+ Late cut-off, cheap, easily contactable, generally a very good service
- Nothing major, just occasional site glitches/booking issues

Interparcel
Booking Cut-off 10am-2pm £50 Insurance (Automated) DHL DPD
Cheapest for eastern Europe, non EU and Portugal
<9KG Slovenia, Czech Rep, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary etc. £23.44
<9KG Romania, Bulgaria £27.91
<9KG Portugal £20.09
+ Very good rates for Europe
- fine for Europe

Sending Worldwide (Ebay)
Booking Cut-off 10am £100 Insurance TNT
Cheapest for Mediterranean Islands
<10KG Malta £29.99
Other areas contact them


INTERNATIONAL AGENTS (Worldwide)

Trans Global Express

Worldwide Parcel Services

Both offer very good rates to Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada and to other worldwide destinations.

eg. 7KG parcel to USA £33.35 with transglobal.

COMPLETE COURIER SOLUTIONS

Companies that offer more than just a simple booking service.

Freight Search

Have accounts with DHL, Parcelforce, City Link and TNT. Can provide and organise delivery and booking solutions to suit your needs. Ideal for higher volume businesses and can cater for any sending need from parcels to pallets.

Sale Track & Sale Pack

Offer the complete integrated e-commerce package.
Website est. £200/month
Marketing est. £250/month
Courier £5.00-£6.50 (depending on volume)



COMPANIES TO AVOID
Direct Parcel Delivery/Direct Parcel Distribution
Constantly flood this and the previous thread with spam or false claims about other companies and to top it off their service is poor, and that is being kind.



;) Hope this is of some use to [strike]everyone[/strike] someone!;)



...and of course suggestions/thoughts are welcomed!



________________________________________________________________

This thread will be subject to much interest in the courier agent world and as such will be subject abuse. Whether its blatant advertising, long winded stories of how good a certain company turns out to be or even good old competitor sabotage. All I'll say on this is try at your peril, because you will be spotted.

So be prepared for less than enthusiastic and disdainful reactions if the validity of your post is questionable. Genuine newbies with things to say don't be put off, we've all been there!!
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Comments

  • custardy
    custardy Posts: 38,365
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Post First Anniversary
    Forumite
    bump bump bump
  • steviebabes
    steviebabes Posts: 2,030
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Post First Anniversary
    Forumite
    Although collection times are usually 8 AM to 5 PM many couriers can be booked as late as 2 PM for same day collection so you only need to be in from 2 - 5 PM.
  • Although collection times are usually 8 AM to 5 PM many couriers can be booked as late as 2 PM for same day collection so you only need to be in from 2 - 5 PM.
    Amended, also include the slight downside of late bookings ; higher chance of failed collections

    Also bumped for lappish22.
  • jayok
    jayok Posts: 753 Forumite
    Which one of these does not require you to print off the waybill/documents for the address? My printer is currently on the blink.
  • jayok wrote: »
    Which one of these does not require you to print off the waybill/documents for the address? My printer is currently on the blink.

    http://www.ppwexpress.com/index.php
  • jayok
    jayok Posts: 753 Forumite
    Off to book with them, thanks
  • ^Can you edit your post and remove the quote. Justs clogs the the page. ta

    M H D - I'll get back to you later.
  • Your prices are way out why not wait for a few days untill making your list ...

    I have just received an email stating that DHL is to increase ALL 24 and 48hrs collection/deliveries from 1 September 08.

    Apparantly the increased prices will apply to every DHL reseller in the UK.

    Just checked the new charges on MHDirect Couriers:-

    2-4 days £10.69

    24hrs £12.49

    There is a 30% discount for business sellers with this firm but it is still a huge increase from £6.99 before!

    Does anyone know if there are any companies who are cheaper using DHL?

    Thanks
  • jayok
    jayok Posts: 753 Forumite
    DHL only give a few hours notice for price increases???

    I have booked with PPW this evening for collection tomorrow. They use DHL.
  • resellers have know about this for months, ppw told me at the start of aug...
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