Why don't couriers deliver later?

V4NT0M

V4NT0M

V4NT0M

Soldato
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I'm sure everyone has had this problem, you order a bunch of stuff online and wait eagerly for the parcel but couriers only generally deliver between 9 and 5 when everyone is at work. So you have to travel (sometimes quite far) to collect from a depot.

So why don't companies offer a later delivery option so you can be in to collect your items? Seems like something people would like, use and pay extra for. It's also better for the environment as less travel is involved and less wasted time for drivers.

Is there some law or unwritten agreement between couriers?
 
Its mainly because it doesn't make sense from a financial point of view.

The majority of deliveries are done to businesses, which will be operating within normal working hours. They can then schedule deliveries to individuals on a route based on whatever bulk deliveries/pickups they need to make that day.

If you need a specific delivery time, then you can certainly pay for that privilege, but you are looking at a great deal of money which likely isn't practical unless you are talking time sensitive items or documents. There are also couriers doing more standard deliveries who will go on into the early evening these days.

Many people can also choose to get items delivered to their workplace if it isn't possible to be at home. I know many will do this, unless you are talking large items, say like a washing machine or something where that just isn't practical.

If there was a real need for this service on mass, it would exist, but the reality is that there clearly isn't a demand because most can either have it delivered to work, to a neighbour, to a reception/porter or there is likely a family member home to accept it.
 
The largest part of the courier industry is taken by business deliveries, so I imagine they aren't really bothered about home deliveries. Maybe in the future.
 
I would have still thought there would be enough demand to send out a few later on.

Can't wait for the days when we won't have to get anything delivered and everything we buy will be sent digitally to our 3D printers :)
 
Skyfall said:
I would have still thought there would be enough demand to send out a few later on.

Can't wait for the days when we won't have to get anything delivered and everything we buy will be sent digitally to our 3D printers :)
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Except for the materials that the 3D printer needs :p
 
I don't think there's enough demand, a lot of people avoid the home delivery issue by getting stuff delivered to their work. I think as more and more stuff moves to online purchasing rather than high street it's something that might eventually happen.
 
httk said:
I don't think there's enough demand, a lot of people avoid the home delivery issue by getting stuff delivered to their work. I think as more and more stuff moves to online purchasing rather than high street it's something that might eventually happen.
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In some ways though there are already companies catering to that demand somewhat.

For example, Collect+ will allow you to have items delivered to local shops and businesses. Amazon also offers delivery to local shops deemed 'Amazon Lockers'. Thus if you were at work, you could have something delivered to a place nearby which is likely to be far closer than a courier depot.
 
This would almost certainly be an additional service you would pay for to a retailer if they were to deliver in later hours. Again the service would be best handled by the courier which you can use from different online retailers.

I think DPD is very good these days with how it handles deliveries. Online shopping is only going to keep growing so couriers will have to deal with the volume somehow.
 
[TW]Fox;24799778 said:
Would you like to spend your evenings at work?

It costs more to staff an operation out of hours.
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you do realise parcels are moving around at night anyway right? they could easily drop most parcels off at a 24 hour supermarket / petrol station and charge an extra quid or two and it's less deliveries for the drivers during the day
 
you could have something delivered to a place nearby which is likely to be far closer than a courier depot.
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What, Like a Local Post Office? ;) :D

This is why I tend to prefer shopping with companies that at least give me the choice of using Royal Mail!

(Not least because Royal Mail actually knows where I live and so doesn't spend a week attempting delivery to the vacant industrial unit 1/4 mile down the road which is where the Sat Nav directs them! :rolleyes: :mad: )

Id far rather pay an extra quid to be able to collect the parcel from the local PO than save a bit and have to collect from a "Convenient Depot" which is 30 (#) miles away and only open during working hours!

( # One company did indeed use some obscure courier whose "Local Depot" was Portsmouth! Quite a long way from SW Surrey!
 
Orionaut said:
What, Like a Local Post Office? ;) :D

This is why I tend to prefer shopping with companies that at least give me the choice of using Royal Mail!

(Not least because Royal Mail actually knows where I live and so doesn't spend a week attempting delivery to the vacant industrial unit 1/4 mile down the road which is where the Sat Nav directs them! :rolleyes: :mad: )

Id far rather pay an extra quid to be able to collect the parcel from the local PO than save a bit and have to collect from a "Convenient Depot" which is 30 (#) miles away and only open during working hours!

( # One company did indeed use some obscure courier whose "Local Depot" was Portsmouth! Quite a long way from SW Surrey!
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No, I was referring to the many corners shops, petrol stations, pharmacies etc that the likes of Collect+ and Amazon Lockers use.

Provided you live in a town, these are likely to be not much more than a short walk away, some will also be open for going on 24 hours, where as a Post Office and many Post Office Sorting Offices tend to keep normal business hours.

As an example, a petrol station just 2 minutes walk from me does Collect+ which is incredibly handy. My nearest Post Office is 10 minutes walk away and the actual sorting office is about 25 minutes.
 
I dont have this problem as either i get my mum to stay at home to watch out for any parcels or if not, i just tell the missus to take a day off work and wait for my parcel:p.

But yes it would be handy if they gave us the option to choose our delivery time slots.
 
httk said:
a lot of people avoid the home delivery issue by getting stuff delivered to their work
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This was the perfect solution but they stopped us doing this where I work due to the volume, especially at Christmas.

[TW]Fox;24799778 said:
Would you like to spend your evenings at work?
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Most definitely, most of my working life has been spent outside of 9 - 5. ;)

Yas786 said:
i get my mum to stay at home to watch out for any parcels
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I would do this but my mum lives 200 miles away =/
 
Get your parcels delivered to work if you must.

Or specify to leave with a neighbour/ put a note on the door. There must be one old couple in your street who are usually in.
 
arknor said:
you do realise parcels are moving around at night anyway right? they could easily drop most parcels off at a 24 hour supermarket / petrol station and charge an extra quid or two and it's less deliveries for the drivers during the day
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Most parcels being moved around at night are in 40ft containers going to delivery depots.
 
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