With the internet making shopping available from all corners of the globe, it’s no surprise that courier shipping is becoming more and more prevalent. It’s becoming increasingly common to buy goods from overseas, often due to high mark-ups or unavailability at local suppliers. Furthermore the advent of online auction sites has meant that domestic shipping is also at a high. We are more familiar with the idea of purchasing electronics, clothes, and other objects from internet retailers than ever before. But there is a large step between pressing “buy” and actually having the items in your hand. That large step is the shipping.
There are two ways to go about shipping- the first is the national postal service. This is a standard service, that simply takes your item and delivers it to the address at the corresponding rate. The other option is courier post. This is a much more comprehensive service, often allowing for insurance, tracking, and signing upon delivery. There are pros and cons to each service, some of which are listed here.
Standard Post
- Cheaper. Because your parcel will be treated along with all the other mail, it’s usually a lot cheaper to send items this way.
- Slower. Standard post can take a long time to get anywhere- sometimes up to a week. If you’re on a deadline, this is not the best option.
- Less secure. Standard post does not always offer insurance or tracking, and if you lose something in the post there may be nothing you can do.
So when should you consider using standard post? If you don’t have a deadline, and the items you’re sending aren’t particularly valuable, standard post is a great option. For instance, papers and documents that are in no particular hurry to get somewhere will be far cheaper to send by standard than courier post. Even if you have a deadline, as long as you can get your package out early enough, you’ll be able to use standard post without problem. If your package is small, it can also save you a bit of money.
Courier Post
- More expensive. Because your package is getting a much more comprehensive service, the cost is correspondingly higher.
- More secure. With courier post, you can add tracking, insurance and require a signature for the package to be collected. This means you have some recourse if your package goes missing or is delivered incorrectly.
- Quicker. Courier post can take up to half the time of standard postage, making it perfect for sending things on a deadline.
So when is courier post the best option? When you’re sending valuable goods, there really is no alternative. If you couldn’t afford to lose it, you can afford to pay a little extra to ensure that you’ll either get a safe delivery or your money back. In particular, people selling with online auction sites should give this option serious consideration- if there is a dispute about the item getting lost or broken, the auction company is far more likely to side with the buyer, which could leave you out of pocket. For valuables and objects that need to make it to their destination, courier post provides excellent peace of mind.
It’s always important to consider each package individually when deciding what kind of shipping is best. Consider the value, shipping time and security of what you’re about to send/receive. There are definitely occasions where it’s worth sticking to regular standard post and saving your money, but when buying and selling online, always remember to ask yourself whether you’ll be better off spending just that little bit more for courier.
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