Despatch Bay. Anyone use them?

[a1anm]

I've been having a look at https://despatchbay.com/ as a possible alternative to Royal Mail.

Currently they have a fixed price of £2.48 (£2.98 signed) for shipments within the uk which would be cheaper than the £3.15 we now pay for second class recorded with Royal Mail. The parcels would get sent with Parcel Force so would offer better tracking than Royal Mail.

They also offer international shipping but unfortunately you can't see the prices until you add money to your account!

The thing that puts me off lightly is that all your packets need to be placed in another box or sack to get them ready for collection so we would need to buy a bunch of sacks or big boxes.

Just wondered if anyone uses or have used them in past and what your thoughts are?

Thanks!

 

[LianneF]

We used to use Despatch bay a while back when they offered DHL but haven't used this new service. There is a weight and size limit though for that packet rate but if your items are small then it should work for you. I would just use Royal Mail sacks to put the parcels in and ask the driver to bring them back at the end of every week.

 

[a1anm]

We used to use Despatch bay a while back when they offered DHL but haven't used this new service. There is a weight and size limit though for that packet rate but if your items are small then it should work for you. I would just use Royal Mail sacks to put the parcels in and ask the driver to bring them back at the end of every week.

Yes, all our shipments weigh just under 0.5 kg and fit in a 16x16x16 cm box so is under the size limit.

How do you get Royal Mail sacks? Do you buy them in the Post Office?

 

[LianneF]

We have a PPI account and get our parcels collected everyday so the postman drops off a load every week. You could try your luck at your post office to see if they will give you some but if parcelforce don't keep giving them back to you each week then you might come unstuck. You can't buy RM sacks but can probably find something similar on ebay. Maybe give Despatch bay a ring and see what they suggest as you shouldn't be buying sacks to put parcels in!

 

[a1anm]

We have a PPI account and get our parcels collected everyday so the postman drops off a load every week. You could try your luck at your post office to see if they will give you some but if parcelforce don't keep giving them back to you each week then you might come unstuck. You can't buy RM sacks but can probably find something similar on ebay. Maybe give Despatch bay a ring and see what they suggest as you shouldn't be buying sacks to put parcels in!

I spoke to despatch bay earlier and they basically said you need to use your own boxes or sacks. I'm pretty sure we can get some from the Post Office as they are quite helpful with us in there. Can give it a trial run and see if Parcel Force will return them at the end of the week or keep us with a constant supply.

Hopefully it won't be a problem and Despatch Bay just don't want to guarantee that they will be able to supply us when they might not.

 

[AndyP]

Re the sacks.... if you don't have them returned to you as a matter of course you can order them online on a weekly basis via your PPI account. They are not charged for, they just ask that you don't order more than one working week's worth at a time.

 

[a1anm]

Re the sacks.... if you don't have them returned to you as a matter of course you can order them online on a weekly basis via your PPI account. They are not charged for, they just ask that you don't order more than one working week's worth at a time.

Is a PPI account just an account anyone can create? I'm not sure if it would be a problem ordering the sacks even though I won't be creating any shipments through Parcelforce directly.

 

[tickseed]

I'm fairly sure that the new packet thingy from despatch bay works like this:

1. You label all your under 1.5kg parcels/boxes/bags

2. Place them all in a container (RM bag, box etc) and attach
a Parcel Force label to this.

3. PF collect and take them to Coventry that day.

4 They get sorted and sent on the next day to Royal Mail who then deliver them. If you look at the labels in step 1, it has Royal Mail on.

We have used this and it works out at a 3 day delivery and cost effective. The hardest part is the Despatch Bay system for doing the PF label for the bag !

Regards,

david

 

[AndyP]

Also see: http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=255840

 

[titanicuk]

Used to deal with DB sending 30+ parcel a day. The rate was great but the real cost is alot higher, I had missing parcels every week, not really missing driver signed for it and leave it somewhere or someone, so the parcel was "deliveried" and very difficult to cliam lost. I complained by phone and email every week, at frist they seemed happy to help but after while my emails just been ingored. Leaving DB is one of the big thing I done for my business.
At the end of the day, you get what you pay for.

 

[keir77]

I wonder how long they will be able to maintain the rate they are quoting. Every other company has raised their prices, are DB using this to get a client base, then slowly raise prices?

We use RM and have a PPI account, so I'll stick with what I know.

 

[titanicuk]

I wonder how long they will be able to maintain the rate they are quoting. Every other company has raised their prices, are DB using this to get a client base, then slowly raise prices?

We use RM and have a PPI account, so I'll stick with what I know.

Yes I agree, DB just want to signed as many users as possible, as you need to deposite £50 to open an account. Once account is open they add on many EXTRA, like re-seal, missing paper work etc

 

[Dmkths]

We used DB for 3 years and when they changed to Yodel from DHL everything went pear shaped, we use royal mail PPI for our packets but after the hassle we have had with parcels we wouldn't use them for the packet service, You would be better of getting a PPI account with RM.

Regards,

Mark.