I want to sell some larger items but have never used a courier before - are there any dos and don'ts?

[Merrylegs]

DD wants to sell the toys she has outgrown - mainly Sylvanian Houses (sob) and some larger Breyer items.

I have only ever posted or offered cash on collection before but I think the houses especially are too large to post.

I have always been a bit unsure of using couriers but think I have no other option?

Is it straightforward?

Should I be arranging the courier or does the buyer do that?

How does it all work?!!

parcels2go is good, and pretty straightforward.

You arrange the courier, after the buyer has paid.

Might also be worth considering collect+ if you have one near you, so you don't have to wait in for couriers to pick up the items, and it is cheaper.

I had the buyer organise the courier, the only problem is I had to wait in all day as they give you a 8-5 slot which I wasn't too happy about. I don't think I'll offer courier again.

Could you not do collection only? In my experience something like Sylvanian Family toys in good condition people are willing to travel to pick up.

Never, ever let a buyer arrange a courier, you must always arrange that yourself or you won't have a tracking number to prove delivery.

I've just discovered MyHermes which also allows you to drop off your parcels at participating shops. It allows you bigger parcel dimensions than collect+.

I often use a company YouSellWeDeliver. They sell you PF slots for less than going directly through PF. I have a depot about a mile away and can drop parcels there to save waiting in all day for them to be collected.

I use SendItNow - always goes smoothly and they'll collect from the wendy house and print the labels for me.

Thank you all!

I did list the Breyer stuff before and specify cash on collection only, but I had so many enquiries about courier collection and in fact the winning bidder lived at the other end of the country and contacted me to say they were arranging a courier.

We both agreed amicably to drop the sale but it got me thinking I was missing a trick by not offering courier.

I just didn't want the hassle - or, as hev says, to wait in all day.

But these links and ideas have been really helpful. Thank you.

I think I will list a couple of things tomorrow evening and see if it works. (If I DD can really bear to part with the sylvanians)

the courier may collect from your work address cheap couriers do not do specific slots but genereally once you have used a few times you get to know as same person covers an area and there is normally an optimum circuit if their set out point is 30 miles away they wont be there at 7am

if you offer postal service you will get more bids you can send upto 20kg in huge box for about £8-10 depending on size a bit more for extra insurance if valuable parcelforce would be about £14 for huge box upto£500

just make sure you state that northern ireland all island and scottish highlands are extra i include something like

" couriers do not delivery everywhere for the same price like royal mail, there is a surcharge for more remote areas NI etc ( as above) if unsure please email me your complete postcode at least 24 hours before auction ends and I will check "

also in postage section remove domestic flat rate and choose heavy/bulky item otherwise someone from NI could be wanting parcel there for your £8 courier charge

gt cardboard boxes from supermarket also a lot of toys can be dismantled to a certain extent to be packed in smaller box

Parcel force send larger items, and you can still do it via the post office.

'course it means you have to haul them into the PO though.