How to post larger items - courier virgin

[MistressIggi]

Can anyone give me any advice on using a courier to send a larger ebay item? Trying to sell my bednest on ebay, they seem to be popular items but as a collection only sale I'm getting no interest. So, a courier - I put the dimensions and weight (16kg) into interparcel.com, and it is coming up with things like 8.80 + vat. This seems very cheap to me? Will it cost more to take item a short distance via, courier, or a long? Or is it like Royal Mail when it's all same price in UK?
There is an identical item on ebay for £30 postage. I'm scared of putting a small postage on and then it does cost 30...
Also, I've heard of couriers that have collection points, does anybody know one?
Sorry for the ramblings, hope you don't mind giving me the benefit of your experience

We use couriers for loads of eBay posting, there's a comparison website for good prices. It's often cheaper than Royal Mail and they come pick the item up, £8 sounds reasonable. Weigh and measure it and put those details into couriers website then list the item with that shipping cost.

Sabbby is there a company you would recommend? Or are they mostly good?

have a look at \link{http://www.collectplus.co.uk/\collect +}

I don't know what their weight categories are like but they are cheap & reliable

oh, they seem to have a 10kg limit, sorry

how about \link{http://www.parcelmonkey.co.uk/\parcelmonkey?}

Ponders good quotes from them too - wonder how anyone can charge 30 quid for same thing? (lots of bubblewrap??)

collect+ expensive for more than 6kg other couriers cheaper, you can send most stuff upto 20kg for about £8-10

typically couriers only insure for about £20 so might need top insurance but only pennies

try parcel2go you do need to be able to print a barcode label though, if no printer citylink as do not require printer

things get expensive over 20kg over 32kg need a pallet as i person not allowed to lift more than 32kg alos long thin packages cost more ie more than 1metre long as not so easy to load in vans they like squareish boxes

This is all great info for me, thank you
Don't think I'd ever need to send over 20kg (unless someone wants to buy dh).

MI, I just came across this when I was looking for something else this morning

\link{http://www.p4d.co.uk/\P4D} - recommended on moneysavingexpert

I put in 16kg with some made-up dimensions (max 60cm, I have no idea what a baby nest is, let alone what size it is ) & it quoted £9.59 inc VAT for next day with Citylink!

CityLink have seriously pissed me off and I won't use them.

One of my suppliers use citylink. Last order, I was due 3 boxes - only one turned up. Whilst looking for the others the driver was throwing parcels all around the van - very roughly, not just the usual rough handling, lobbing them out the door onto the road etc. He was also standing on boxes, and at least one box was crushed to half its size.

They then tried to tell me that my whole order had been delivered as I had signed for it - no I hadn't I'd only signed for 1 of 3 boxes.

3 days later another parcel arrived - with a large hole in the side and the contents smashed. The next day, the 3rd box arrived. This was all on next day delivery btw.

I placed another order with the supplier on Tuesday. Citylink turned up yesterday - so it was actually next day - but didn't have any parcels on the van for me at all, it was on his sheet but not loaded. It has arrived today. When I rang customer services they said that it was caused by the flooding in the area, had I not heard of the issues the SW were having I pointed out that we were under 2 foot of water (back of house inc the office we work out of, but the roads not affected) and I had not let down a single customer - and how come all the other parcels were able to be loaded at the depot but the flooding stopped mine! He also commented that I wasn't the only customer who's parcels had gone missing - he meant it as I shouldn't be expecting him to just look for my parcel, unfortunately he didn't realise until I pointed it out, that he was just making my point for me.

Perhaps their ineptitude is why Citylink come up cheap on these comparison sites.

Ponders - I used that comparison site, it's good isn't it? But I went with parcelforce as you had the option to drop off at their depot. I'm in a lot as on ML, but I simply can't be in during the hours required for a courier, unless I kept ds off school!
That's an awful experience with citylink. Hope you get your stuff.