Courier services

Hi everyone,

I'm in the process of starting an online clothing boutique and I am wondering if anybody has any recommendations for a cheap but reliable courier.

I am interested in both UK and international services as if it is feasible I would like to have international customers too.

Thank you

As someone who shops online regularly, i really like DPD. They send you a text when the item is due to arrive (an hour window) and you can reschedule the delivery or ask to leave with a neighbour without ever speaking to a person. VERY simple and VERY easy.

I agree with the above comments if you live on an estate. We live on the edge of a village where the houses are named not numbered. Even the regular driver has mistakenly tried the house next door to us and left a card even though he has delivered regularly to us. We also have an annexe and couriers don't seem to understand the word annexe.

Having said that, I have recently responded to one of their delivery texts to ask for the delivery to go to the next house down the street, our annexe, and it worked fine.

I like the self employed couriers, can't remember their 'employers' names. I find they have a vested interest in good service and get to know you if you order regularly.

I would use UPS for expensive parcels or delivery outside of the UK. Service is quick and you can check your parcel as it enters and leaves each depot along the route. You get a delivery day on email but not a time. Each route usually gets to the same area at roughly the same time of day so you know roughly when your parcel is likely to arrive.

the one which connects to ebay seems very user friendly (and will have the infrastructure BECAUSE they are connected to ebay).

Gave me a tracking number and the guy brought it (a bike wheel...) on a sunday morning.

DPD are very good and I'd echo the above comments.

UPS are worth a look too. I sell some goods via Amazon and just print a label then take to the Premier store at Chapeltown and UPS collects from there everyday. There are plenty of other participating stores around the city too. This means you don have to wait in for hours for someone to turn up to collect the parcel. Also they are very cheap at £4.50 per max 15kg box but that might be the Amazon negotiated price

DPD are very good and I'd echo the above comments.

 

UPS are worth a look too. I sell some goods via Amazon and just print a label then take to the Premier store at Chapeltown and UPS collects from there everyday. There are plenty of other participating stores around the city too. This means you don have to wait in for hours for someone to turn up to collect the parcel. Also they are very cheap at £4.50 per max 15kg box but that might be the Amazon negotiated price

If UPS collect from you it is more expensive than taking the parcels to a collection point. I always use premium same day collection (book before 12:00) and get delivery next working day. I know this doesn't suit everyone but my time is time travelling to collection point when I could be doing my job so for me it makes good business sense. It depends on the balance of your requirements of price, reliability and convenience.

I've found UPS, particularly when coming from abroad really really hard work to the point you feel they will go out of their way to make your life difficult.

Interlink Express (same group as DPD) for UK and Ireland work are generally excellent.

As far as sending and receiving abroad, I prefer FedEx.

Thanks for your feedback guys much appreciatted.