Cheap Parcel Delivery

Poor packing may void postal insurance and compensation claims, so package your goods properly. You never know how much they'll be thrown around in transit, so take the following precautions:

Make sure you read these key warnings before you buy:

If parcels go missing, you've few rights

While you're likely to be using big courier firms, parcels do, on occasion, go missing. The fact you've done it through a discounter shouldn't increase the chance of this. Always think twice before sending irreplaceable items (and consider insurance).

If the worst happens, it can be a bit of a pain as you should first go to the middleman - the discounter. The company should give you a claim form from the main carrier. It's up to them to deal with any enquiries. Sometimes they're understaffed, so be sure to chase things up. Weigh this up before deciding what to do.

What if these companies go bust?

If one of these middleman companies goes bust after you've placed an order, it's likely to have little impact as long as your order has already been referred to the main courier (this usually happens a couple of hours after you've placed it).

However, should your parcel not arrive or be damaged in transit, it may not be possible to make a claim for compensation, as these have to go through the account holder.

As with all parcel delivery services, unexpected problems can arise so it's about finding the best balance between lowest price and established reputation that you're comfortable with.

This system hasn't been tried and tested, so we can't guarantee it works this way - please let us know how you've got on in the forum discussion.

What about the service?

You're getting the same service as you'd get if you went direct. However, we've seen some negative feedback from MoneySavers (see the forum discussion) as some discount courier services can be slow to respond to enquiries and sort out compensation claims.

Usually, this isn't for want of trying; they're small operations and find it tough staying on top of things at busy times. Therefore, it's a question of balance between price and service. This is a decision you need to make, depending on what you're sending.

Always check the delivery company out

Finally, make sure you only go with a delivery company you've heard of and are happy to use. If there are only a few pennies difference, it may be better to go with the established company with a reputation rather than an unknown name.

For an idea of customer service, an MSE poll run in January highlighted which of the big delivery firms have the best and worst feedback. You still need to read their terms and conditions carefully to make sure you're covered should something go wrong.