Couriers - how do they work

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I am an experienced seller on eBay, I live right next door to a Post Office and rarely send anything very heavy or oversized.

I'm about to list two huge bundles of preschool toys which are going to be very heavy. I have never used a courier before and am wondering how exactly they work

Do you book online then someone comes and collects from your house?
Is Parcelforce comparable price wise ? Again I have never used them though my lovely Post Office suggested them the other day for something.

Sorry for such an open ended question - its just completely new territory for me

nnoooh parcel force is NOT comparable price wise. the ones I use are Parcel Monkey for comparison but I usually end up with Hermes for medium size packages. as well as weight you also need a rough idea of what size box it will all fit in to get a quote.

parcel monkey give you the best range of prices for ebay selling but Hermes takes paypal as payment so more convenient.

I've used Hermes before, found them to be fine. They either collect from you or you can drop the parcel off at one of there parcel shops which I tend to do. Collect + have also been fine but again they need you to drop the parcel off somewhere. With both you book the delivery online giving the necessary details and I use Paypal for payment, then just print off the postage label.

sorry - they all collect from your nominated place so could be work or home, even granny's there is a weight dimension limit. but to give you an idea I sent a 45 kilo package to Cornwall from Suffolk on a 3 day service guaranteed before noon. Parcelfarce wanted over 65 quid for it. Parcel Monkey had a DHL service for under 40.

It does make a lot of difference to buyers. and as a tip I would put that it is freight in the description right at the top of the listing as I've had a few jokers try it on as free postage when the postage says refer to description and it has been there but they haven't read all the way to the bottom.

Can I hijack and ask when you ask for the item to be picked up from you? Do you do it when the auction has ended and you have been paid or do you prebook it (and what then if there is a delay with payment)?

you only book a courier after you have been paid, and as a seller you shouldn't let a buyer arrange their own courier either

I have just had a buyer ask for just that! I said no on the basis it would be pain(not what I said)

So, do you get a rough estimate to put for potage costs then order after the sale?

plus you wouldn't have a tracking number to prove delivery, and if the item is damaged the buyer could claim from you but you would not be able to claim from the courier for the damaged item.

See I'm the only person on MN who almost always reverts to Royal Mail every time I look into couriers. Couriers do have their place, for fairly unusual items, but my problems usually are (I'm saying look for all this to be sure courier is your best bet):

1. The default insurance value is much lower with couriers, double check it's enough for you;

2. The dimensions allowed and packing and labelling regulations are stricter (in general), check carefully;

3. The quotes I get online on Monday are not the same as the quotes I get online on Friday (or any other day except the moment I looked on Monday): what I mean is, I have trouble getting consistent pricing);

4. Couriers charges apply only for parts of Britain; I suppose state the courier price is only for England and main cities of Wales & Scotland, buyers must ask you for prices to elsewhere in UK;

5. This staying in or safe place business, I can't stay in all day & I think safe place thing only works if you build up a consistent relationship with same collector, but I may be wrong.

Interesting.... Fergoose?

Wow - been away for a couple of days and come back to all of these replies - thank you so so much. Opens many more ebaying opputunities for me

I have a dropbox for my hermes collector and he has the access keycode which changes but as we know each other fairly well now I can text him the code I have set the lock to and then I change it again for the next time.

Your other way of course is to quote the royal mail price but then tell them in listing you may be able to get it cheaper if you use a courier. that way the listing is the maximum postage charge

I use parcel2go and either yodel/ collect+ you can send upto 5kg for about £5, but it is true that posting to northern ireland scottish highlands and islands is more so quote royal mail price for 4kg or 6kg or whatver as as someone suggested say courier will be cheaper

I use couriers all the time but our house is a bit of beaten track so perfectly safe to leave parcel on doorstep to be collected, i never stay in

collect+ means you drop at local shop so no staying in, it is £5 for upto5kg but does need to be medium size box

I've come to a dead end with the courier option I think. It seems you have to print a postage label, and I don't have a printer. Blah.

Ugh, what a pain!! Could you use printer at the library?

could you email it as a pdf to a colleague or friend who does?

printer in the library is a good idea...

Both of those are a good idea for next time. Right now I am stuck indoors with ill preschoolers.

city link do not require you to have printer they come with own labels but about £3 more than cheapest otherwise

Thanks. I'll have a look.