Alternatives to Royal Mail – Collect+
by Sue Bailey
Here’s another novel way to get around the postal strikes. Collect+ offers a network of shops around the UK, where you can drop off a parcel. It then gets picked up by the Home Delivery Network – the same people who deliver for huge mail order and high street companies – and dropped off at another store, close to where your buyer lives. It costs just £3.99 per parcel up to 10kg.
The service has some great features: sender and recipient can both be notified of dispatch and delivery by email or SMS; the receiving store will hold the parcel for collection for up to ten days, and insurance up to £40 is included. Online tracking is available.
Having a play with postcodes I know in various English cities, it seems that most of the stores in Collect+’s network are small corner shops and independent supermarkets. I love the idea that this network is itself being used to support independent businesses, though I think we can probably bet that some of the supermarket chains are looking at it (and if I were Messrs Tesco or Sainsbury, parcel drop-off and collect in store would be my next product launch). As most of these stores have long opening hours, it’s a much more convenient option for buyer pick up than having to go to a courier depot.
Disclaimer: Collect+ do not advertise with TameBay, though frankly I think they should. Thanks to the lovely Maria from Seduction Lingerie for the link.
If you’ve used Collect+ either as a sender or recipient, please leave us a comment and let us know how it went for you.
23 Responses on "Alternatives to Royal Mail – Collect+"
Related Posts:
- Not even the government want Royal Mail
- Alternatives to Royal Mail – Royal Mail
- Royal Mail reinstate Special Delivery Guarantee
- eBay negotiate Collect+ discount for eBay sellers
- Royal Mail update on strike action
Recent Posts
- 21 Day PayPal holds for all new sellers
- Free auction listings for private sellers this weekend
- Gumtree celebrate their 10th birthday
- eBay sued for “discriminatory” registration system
- eBay and Twitter to partner @anywhere
I was looking at this the other day, and it looks a good idea. But I found hidden in the FAQs that if your customer doesn’t bother to collect, then they will levy an additional charge to the original sender to return it , and retain the right to return or dispose of the package at their discretion.
Now I guess that is just a disclaimer, but I don’t like the idea that they might just decide to bin my valuable collectable because they think it too much hassle to return it to me…:(
And since I have had customers who can’t be bothered to collect from the sorting office if they are out when the postman called, do I want to take the risk that they won’t be bothered to collect from the Home Office collection point?
Charge to return uncollecteds is, in my experience anyway, pretty standard with couriers, Lynne. I’d guess most of that is pretty standard.
I have used HDN
As a buyer.
Basically its impossible to work out when your package will arrive.
When they do decide to deliver it they will either chuck the package over your fence, leave it in your wheely bin (yes really), or just leave it at the side of the road.
If you are VERY, VERY, lucky they might leave it with a random neighbour halfway down the road.
They will not bother to tell you which of the above they have done, you have to hope you either trip over the packet in the dark or a neighbour comes and tells you.
“leave it in your wheelie bin” is by no means unique to HDN.
Eh,
THEY are not delivering to your home, just local shops…..!!!
Stop moaning radams. If you cant be in to singn for it do you expect them to hang around until you get back?
Leaving in a wheeley bin is a sensible option…its dry, thiefs dont normally look in bins and its on or beside your property.
Would you prefer them to leave at you doorstep where it could get soaked or stolen.
If you cant be in or bothered to leave a note do you expect a driver to go knocking round your neighbours doors for someone to leave it with? He would be working until mdnight if they all done that and sending a parcel would be over £20
It’s an interesting idea but doesn’t it kind of negate the whole idea of mail order?
I have used reserve & collect services before but that has the advantage that I can get my goods on the same day.
It would be more convenient for many people to collect a parcel from their local shop, rather than wait in the house all day for a delivery (or drive miles to the courier depot).
I agree. Looking at my old addresses, the places I’d have to pick up are the places I’d be going anyway for milk or fags or cat food, or passing on my way home. I really love the idea.
Lots of French catalogues use a similar system: I can pick up La Redoute stuff at the video shop in town
At the moment the service is very rough around the edges, with a number of drawbacks. However it’s very encouraging to see that alternatives to Royal Mail are developing.
If Royal Mail continues their action it’s highly likely that more and more traders will use alterative services, which will attract business interest and possible investment. With sufficient investment and an expansion in services combined with the economics of growth prices could become more competitive.
I just hope the CWU are watching developments and realise that if they create a vacuum in the marketplace somebody is going to come along and fill it.
http://is.gd/4ktPx
This is a rather interesting take on the strike, as is the comment by a postie.
Sounds like the voice of reason. Thats about 20k a year before tax, not bad wedge for an unskilled job.
Sheesh, nurses start on 17k.
Not bad but also not great if you want to have a family or a house or if you live in London (wonder what a postman can claim on expenses
).
Lifes what you make it.
I agree with you there whirly. I actually worked for Royal Mail for a brief period of time more than 20 years ago. I enjoyed it at the time and felt the money was relatively good. Had to get up early and did work hard for it though (But not full shifts). It was something I did just to get money in the pocket but could never of stuck it out for too long (too early & too cold/wet).
In my opinion there is a difference between a good postman & a bad postman. Unfortunately the number of good postman does seem to be diminishing. I feel that the present management is to blame for this rather than changing times.
I believe inner London weighting is about £4k. No doubt someone will be along shortly to let us know exactly how much
Ha you must mean me
A posties basic pay is £347.85,mine is £412.26 as i am outer london,inner london is about £20.00 or summin more.
Anything else just ask,don’t be shy now.
Love the links you put up,must of taken you ages to find that one,and also the 2-3 year old ones you usually come out with.
Impartiality: is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons.
WIKI
On the CWU website, it lists the grievances they have with RM including (get this) the closure of the old pension scheme to new applicants who instead are offered a defined benefits scheme. Hello!!! just about every other company has been forced to do the same to protect existing members while being able to offer the benefit of a pension to new employees. That article is spot on, the CWU is stuck in a timewarp, the last 30 years have passed it by.
Sue – hope you don’t mind – I’ve cross posted this to http://www.rubbishroyalmail.co.uk
All the best,
MailHater
No problem at all MH – welcome to cross-post so long as you link back.
I have to say this method will probably create more problems than its worth for high volume sellers. I can see the hundreds of questions appearing in my inbox saying “where’s my item” – and having to spend hours explaning to people how to collect it. Luckily I have an alternative to RM – Interlink. They are reliable and I hav good pricing, so I am going to ship everthing via them for the coming weeks. My postage costs will rise by about £2 a parcel, but I think its worth it for peace of mind. I would urge volume sellers to think very carefully about who you use as an alternative to RM…dont just consider price, consider the service that the company will provide. Next week could be make or break for your business…so give it the thought that it deserves.
I would just like to point out that although we suggested this service (I stumbled across it whilst looking for good deals on couriers) we do not use it.
We currently use UPS for Next Day delivery & hermes for 3-5 day courier.
Also from today, all items will be sent via courier(except under £8 items) as some people still seem to be using RM … then emailing 3 days after saying ‘where’s my stuff’
Also, I cant help thinking that some (unsavoury) people may use this to their own advantage (ie lost post – when its not)
Anyway I hope everyone’s sales are not being affected by the Strikes.