Mailing and packaging charges

[Jess78]

Hi,

I have been researching into which courier to use for my online store. I obviously want the cheapest charge for delivery for my customers. As it will be a new store, at first I will be doing the packaging myself and sending it to the post office. I will only be delivering within the UK and not internationally.

What couriers do you suggest are able to offer the cheapest delivery charge for customers?

Also where do you suggest buying the cheapest cardboard boxes from ? I am not looking to customise the box with a logo or anything like that, a plain cardboard box will do for me.

Thanks

Jess

 

[fisicx]

@Jess78 - is this for your online poundshop type business? If so then you need to read the responses in all your other threads.

Unless you are shipping hundreds of orders everyday couriers aren’t going to give you any deals. Going with the cheapest will mean more lost parcels resulting in extra costs for you sending out replacements.

There are loads of packaging suppliers. But again, unless you are buying by the pallet load you aren’t going to get any discounts.

 

[Socio South West]

Without some idea of carton size and volume its impossible to give you meaningful advice... but to illustrate @fisicx 's point,
On one of the high ranked Google suppliers, you can buy a fairly ordinary 381x381x381 single wall - 30 boxes @ £1.38p per box.... but if you take 5 pallets, total 1350 boxes the unit price comes down to £0.53p per box.

There used to be a very active market in secondhand cartons but this is less common now owing to the cost of labour to get them picked and packed, and red tape that has become involved.

If you can find them nowadays the price difference isn't that great: You are also at the mercy of what the supplier has available.

In a former life I had a link with the waste disposal contractor for New Look and he always had a really good stock of the right sized boxes for me which saved £K over the years, For reasons above, he stopped selling them used, and ended up just baling them for recycling.

 

[DefinitelyMaybeUK]

As you're thinking of using the post office too, then bear in mind their size limits, especially small parcel size, as it'll be a cheaper rate and should influence your box size. Note that box suppliers usually quote the internal size, but royal mail specify the overall size. I'm sure some suppliers offer stock pre-sized small boxes, but you may be able to get away with cut down A4 boxes which tend to be relatively cheap in packs of 25.

 

[Carol Learmouth]

Remember if you can get your stock into Large Letter boxes there will be considerable savings with Royal Mail on the postage.
We use Kite Packaging or Macro Packaging for the best range of new boxes . Clothes (if that is your line) go well in mailer bags and these can be picked up from Ebay very cost effectively. It might be worth getting a Royal Mail Click and Drop account to integrate your orders. Saves an age copying and pasting!! But always glance over the addresses in case there is house number missing.
Good luck on your new eCommerce adventure.

 

[DoolallyTap]

Macro packaging are good for plain boxes. large letters and small parcels, get a franking machine to save on postage, whichever delivery service you use, everyone will tell you they are no good. I use evri, no problem, but others will tell you different.

 

[VJR Business Support Ltd]

If your sending small packages then look into royal mail. I ship small parcels up to 2kg via royal mail for £2.99 second class and that includes free collection (obvs, check if they offer this in your area). Yes the likes of Yodel and Evri can be cheaper but I personally find the service better from RM.

 

[DontAsk]

If your sending small packages then look into royal mail. I ship small parcels up to 2kg via royal mail for £2.99 second class and that includes free collection (obvs, check if they offer this in your area). Yes the likes of Yodel and Evri can be cheaper but I personally find the service better from RM.

Free collection stops at the end of June. I think it used to be about 50p, bit no idea what it will be.

Agreed, the service is second to none. At the moment 1st class click & collected is £3.69 v. £4.85 and a trip to the PO.

 

[CaesarWong]

hello,Jess,i want to ass ur requirement! No.1-International logistics:What is the quantity? What product is it? Is it for personal use or for second sales in other countries? Could you please provide this information.

 

[CaesarWong]

No2-Carton size:What type of cardboard box do you want? What is the quantity required?

 

[VJR Business Support Ltd]

Free collection stops at the end of June. I think it used to be about 50p, bit no idea what it will be.

Agreed, the service is second to none. At the moment 1st class click & collected is £3.69 v. £4.85 and a trip to the PO.

They still collect mine for free, so maybe its regional

 

[DontAsk]

They still collect mine for free, so maybe its regional

It was extended until 15th August, but I realised it does not apply to business accounts.