Cheap Parcel Delivery Official Discussion

A question about : Cheap Parcel Delivery Official Discussion

This is the previous discussion for the Cheap Parcel & Package Delivery article. The new discussion can be found at:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=4326525

The previous three discussions have now been closed, but can be found here for reference. Thread 1, Thread 2, Thread 3, Thread 4

Note:

This thread is meant for posting genuine feedback on experiences with budget courier re-sellers, not for promoting or slandering companies or other forumers involved. Posts which don't abide by the Forum Rules will be deleted. Please don't do business with websites which lack fundamental adherence to regulations, especially those that don't have a privacy policy; there's no comeback.

Best answers:

• Ooh new thread
• Using the links in the previous thread, I found a Ј39.99 air parcel delivery for max 5kg to Australia via Express Packages on eBay. This seems the cheapest by far, but no indication if you can track your parcel or not.
  Is it worth me continuing to look? I need to send 5kg of books to Oz, dimensions are 30cm x 30cm x 30cm.
• Recently sold some goods on ebay, and found a service called Collect + Store (https://www.collectplus.co.uk/storefinder.php) where you take (up to 10kg) parcel to a local shop (1 fo 3-4000 in UK) and it is delivered to buyer's local shop (you select) via the HDNL network (I think they deliver for Littlewood's catalogue, etc) - COST Ј3.99!! which includes insurance value of Ј40.
  Worked for me
  chrisnorden
• Something to watch out with these companies is that you may have trouble getting any kind of compensation if there are any problems with the delivery.
  I used Parcel2Ship for an 'Express' delivery to Spain to my parents so that when I went out the following week, it would be there. It was sent via DHL and I paid Ј30 for about 15kg. I went to Spain for a week and it still hadn't been delivered until I had been back home for a couple of days. The delivery took 13 days!
  I complained to Parcel2Ship and they just said that their terms state that delivery times aren't guaranteed and I couldn't get any kind of refund. Had I had booked via DHL, I would have been able to get a refund but because I went through a third party, they wouldn't let me. They were slow to respond to any queries and generally unhelpful.
  So was very disappointed and the whole thing was ruined
  Just something to think about...maybe check the terms and conditions first as I suspect the couriers perfer using these 3rd parties so they have no real liability!
• One of the draw backs I've found with cheap parcel delivery is you have to sit at home all day hoping they come and collect your parcel. I've stayed in for 2 days before with parcels2go until they eventually turned up.
  I recently used sendingparcels.com which was great. They may not be the cheapest but you book online, print off your label, stick it on the box and drop it off at a local high street store and get on with more important things in life. The extra few quid was well worth it as I didn't have to watch day-time TV for two days or queue for hours in the local post office
• I have literally just come in from posting a 8kg package using Collect+. This should have cost approx Ј12 at the Post Office, but only cost Ј3.99. I had to drop it off at one of the participating stores and as soon as the label was scanned, I had a text message to say it had been dropped off. I hadn't even left the shop .
  Just have to see how long it takes to be delivered :confused:.
  Alan
• I took my parcel to a Collectplus drop off point on the 29th September, I'm still waiting for it to reach the other end.
• I use Click4Parcels, they do a UK 24 hour service for Ј6.99, which is cheaper and faster than what's on the guide at the moment. I'm new so can't put up the link but google them.
• Just beware with Collect+. make sure the shop dosent think its a return and they add there own orange barcode, if they do it will go to Littlewoods return centre first !
  All the shop has to do is scan the barcode you printed off and give you a receipt.
  I have used it about 5 times first 2 went to Littlewoods first because of the shops mistake, but all took 4-5 days
• I use Interparcel.com for all my parcels to Australia. Its easy to do all the paperwork online, they collect from my workplace between a couple of hours, I can track the parcel online as soon as its been collected right down to the details of when its offloaded and reloaded onto another plane. I can see who signed for it at the other end. Brilliant. Never any problems and it usually takes 2-3 days. Would definitely recommend.