Choosing the right courier provider

[momon121]

Hi

I am looking for a courier provider that would give the base rate for parcel upto 25KG.

I’m looking at an average of 35 parcels a week .

Thank you

 

[Red Wood]

Contact DPD, DHL Parcel, FedEx and get rates. You can either book collections ad hoc or if you always have parcels each day, arrange a daily collection.

All will offer up to 25KG on a flat rate + fuel surcharge if applicable

 

[Mr D]

Yodel do pretty cheap rates for deliveries.
Not always good at doing the deliveries...

 

[Red Wood]

I wouldn't touch them or Hermes with a barge pole, especially for b2b business.

With modest volume we pay very competitive rates with DHL Parcel. Class leader I would say are FedEx but rates are approx 0.50p higher

 

[Mr D]

I prefer APC or UPS. But most of my stuff goes royal mail - couriers not cost effective for smaller cheaper stuff.

 

[Dimo]

I have always found UPS the best of the lot.

 

[momon121]

My friend sends over 1000 parcel in a month and he pays £3.99 upto 25KG with DPD. I think that’s a very reasonable price I would like figures like that if anyone can suggest ?

 

[Mr D]

My friend sends over 1000 parcel in a month and he pays £3.99 upto 25KG with DPD. I think that’s a very reasonable price I would like figures like that if anyone can suggest ?

Lots of very light parcels with occasional heavy? Or mix of the two?

 

[Red Wood]

APC are great, but wildly uncompetitive

Re £3.99 for DPD, that's a volume rate for sure, fuel surcharge would be about .27p on top of that I imagine and DPD offer up to 31KG

 

[MBE2017]

Many factors come into choosing a parcel carrier, collection time, insurance cover, packaging requirements, ease of use, track ability etc. Price is just one factor, a lot depends on who your customers are and what products you are sending.

I’ve been out of the parcel industry for many years, but 35 a week is only going to get you average rates, no big deal yet. Talk to a few and see what they can offer.

 

[momon121]

Lots of very light parcels with occasional heavy? Or mix of the two?

Mixture of the two

 

[momon121]

Many factors come into choosing a parcel carrier, collection time, insurance cover, packaging requirements, ease of use, track ability etc. Price is just one factor, a lot depends on who your customers are and what products you are sending.

I’ve been out of the parcel industry for many years, but 35 a week is only going to get you average rates, no big deal yet. Talk to a few and see what they can offer.

Thanks I’ll try contacting most of them over the weekend.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

For the lowish output I would recommend APC you may not be getting the cheapest price but you will get the best service .
I would wait until Monday when all their offices are open !

 

[Alison Moore]

I personally, always use Interparcel - who compare prices with a lot of the major courier companies, although you do have to watch out for insurance issues with all couriers as certain items are covered under their insurance policies.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I personally, always use Interparcel - who compare prices with a lot of the major courier companies, although you do have to watch out for insurance issues with all couriers as certain items are covered under their insurance policies.

They are good but I recommend against using the Parcel resellers If you hold an account with the actual carrier it is much easier to resolve any issues or problems

 

[Guy Incognito]

Presuming this is normal sized and boxed? Unfortunately with 35 per week you're not doing the volume to get decent pricing.

We send out oversize items (500+ per week) and TNT - now about to be FedEx - are the best combination of price and performance for our items. It varies depending on what you're sending so definitely look around.

 

[SillyBill]

Couriers is a bit "how long is a piece of string". You have to just factor in swallowing higher cost while you a) up volumes b) negotiate prices and c) try a few out. Most online businesses will have been through this process over years and indeed its ongoing process given its one major aspect of cost. If there was an out-and-out leader on price and service, we'd all be using the same one. For instance: I use UPS as I found them to the be the best for shipping hazardous items like flammable paint and chemicals. So they are tuned to my business.

 

[momon121]

For the lowish output I would recommend APC you may not be getting the cheapest price but you will get the best service .
I would wait until Monday when all their offices are open !

Thanks Jeremy

 

[momon121]

Presuming this is normal sized and boxed? Unfortunately with 35 per week you're not doing the volume to get decent pricing.

We send out oversize items (500+ per week) and TNT - now about to be FedEx - are the best combination of price and performance for our items. It varies depending on what you're sending so definitely look around.

Thank you I didn’t realise there were so many options

 

[momon121]

Couriers is a bit "how long is a piece of string". You have to just factor in swallowing higher cost while you a) up volumes b) negotiate prices and c) try a few out. Most online businesses will have been through this process over years and indeed its ongoing process given its one major aspect of cost. If there was an out-and-out leader on price and service, we'd all be using the same one. For instance: I use UPS as I found them to the be the best for shipping hazardous items like flammable paint and chemicals. So they are tuned to my business.

You are right there - not a single leader everybody has their own preference based on their own business needs

 

[stuartm1962]

I would go with APC or DHL, not DPD. You will get lower rates with DPD, but the service from DHL and APC are way above DPD.

 

[momon121]

Thank I have been in contact with above companies. Thank you so much.

regards

 

[momon121]

I would go with APC or DHL, not DPD. You will get lower rates with DPD, but the service from DHL and APC are way above DPD.

I am in talks with APC, They have quoted me £3.75 plus for 20KG around BB FY PR and LA postcode.

Their service looks spot on so hopefully moving forward I may start of with them. I have submitted my application so fingers crossed. Hermes have not knocked me back strangely.

 

[anonuk]

Have a look at despatchbay. They use a network of couriers and are very competitive.

 

[anonuk]

I am in talks with APC, They have quoted me £3.75 plus for 20KG around BB FY PR and LA postcode.

Their service looks spot on so hopefully moving forward I may start of with them. I have submitted my application so fingers crossed. Hermes have not knocked me back strangely.

We use APC and DPD Local at present but currently looking at DespatchBay. We appear to be in the same area as you (PR) and I prefer APC for a lot of our deliveries because they actually turn up. We’ve had issues with DPD Local not turning up on occasions.

The thing to watch out for is that all couriers increase their prices AT LEASE once a year so what might be a great deal in year one might not be so great in years 2 onwards.

 

[Limited100]

Depending where you're based Parcelhub may be able to offer something but generally you need to be at 20ish items per day to get on their carrier contracts.

 

[momon121]

We use APC and DPD Local at present but currently looking at DespatchBay. We appear to be in the same area as you (PR) and I prefer APC for a lot of our deliveries because they actually turn up. We’ve had issues with DPD Local not turning up on occasions.

The thing to watch out for is that all couriers increase their prices AT LEASE once a year so what might be a great deal in year one might not be so great in years 2 onwards.

For new business it is extremely difficult to prove yourself to get the best rate. Parcel Monkey used to be good but I’ve compared their prices and it’s no different.

APC seems to be the best now with fantastic service. As operate in such low margin I am reluctant to use APC by really pushing the business as much and concerning the respective post codes

 

[BMX90]

TNT express is a cheap provider

 

[anonuk]

For new business it is extremely difficult to prove yourself to get the best rate. Parcel Monkey used to be good but I’ve compared their prices and it’s no different.

APC seems to be the best now with fantastic service. As operate in such low margin I am reluctant to use APC by really pushing the business as much and concerning the respective post codes

Out of interest, what rates have APC given you for outside of your local area?

 

[momon121]

They haven’t, only £3.75+ for BB,FY,PR and LA1-6 upto 20kg.

outside

TNT express is a cheap provider

what sort of price ?

 

[momon121]

Seems like ABC after taking my details haven’t got back to me. Since then I’ve been signed up with lowcostparcel. They have offered me £4+ for economy upto 17kg.

i guess I’ll just have to accept and work keen to build business online and then hopefully negotiate better terms

 

[Guy Incognito]

Volume is ultimately what it comes down to. Make sure you continue to check as you hopefully send more and more parcels!

 

[momon121]

Volume is ultimately what it comes down to. Make sure you continue to check as you hopefully send more and more parcels!

Thank you so much, better to get the ball rolling and start the online procedures now than later so by then I would have increased my volume and negotiated rate

 

[momon121]

Just further updates. Low cost parcel have taken me on board with a rate of £4+ for parcels weighing upto 17kg and Parcelhub have offered me £4.12+ upto 17kg and then £4.32+ upto 30kg with their Express or Expect tariff.

However parcelhub require a refundable bond of £500 which is refunded after 6 months. Parcelhub contract is with barcode and I would be initially dropping the parcels off. Until the volume is increased and they will look at another rate collection rate.