Best courier service to use?

Rothko

I'm delivering a package to the UK and I haven't used a courier before. Are there any particularly courier services that you would recommend?

I've looked up DPD but found that they had a substantial amount of bad reviews. I've also looked at Hermes but they seem to only deliver from the UK and not to it.

ED E

Hermes are a joke.

UPS are excellent. Expensive, but excellent.

Cork Trucker

Avoid the usual suspects such as DPD/GLS. Nightline weren’t great either. UPS are great, DHL are ok. With couriers always remember cheapest (or best priced) isn’t always best. Yes you do pay that bit more for UPS but look at the service you get, you won’t hear many employees there saying they hate their job, in stark contrast you’ll hear very few in DPD/GLS say they are happy in their job let alone love it.

I did courier work for Masterlink AKA Disasterlink and another Cork based company who do groupage with the likes of JMC in Dublin and Breen in Wexford, ultimately, the choice is yours, pay peanuts get monkeys.

starlit

I’ve had the opposite experience I found UPS dreadful. Takes ages to deliver and won’t come to house despite eircode have to meet at a meeting point they so lazy! I’ve found DPD and nightline more prompt in my area and will actually use eircode! DHL not great before linked with an post. They went to wrong house! Amazon deliver via an post I think now which is a good thing. An post more reliable in my area despite delivery delays.

monkeynuz

Dpd are expensive but in my experience worth it, and also receiving deliveries to very rural Kerry Dpd are one of the best.

starlit

For Kerry DPD are sufficient as there is at least a depot in Kerry makes a difference.

mrcheez

I'm sending an envelope abroad to South East Asia.. UPS are 50% cheaper than DHL, and somehow say they will deliver from Dublin to the final destination in TWO days!?!

DHL say it will take 7 days.

So in this case DHL are double the price and more than double the time.

Are UPS reliable?? How can they get a parcel from Dublin to the far reaches of South East Asia in 2 days?

I mean that's the time it takes to fly there on Emirates

whiterebel

Probably different levels of service. DHL express could probably do the same.

UPS out of Dublin tonight to Cologne, transfer quickly and out to their Asian hub overnight.

mrcheez

No I got the most expensive quote from DHL and was 7 days

Maybe DHL don't have a hub out there

Strumms

Only ever received inbound shipments from UPS from a particular EU based clothing retailer and found their service and staff 10/10…. As well as their online tools for tracking etc….couldn’t knock them… really impressed. Nothing ever went wrong.

VG31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121047975#Comment_121047975

I haven't used them much recently, but I sent 2-3 parcels a month with UPS from 2020 to 2022 and have nothing negative to say. I can schedule a collection as late as 2/3 pm and have it collected the same day. All my shipping was to Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe so I can't comment on worldwide shipping. However I've received packages from the US in 2 days with them before. One time a delivery was delayed in customs for about a week but that was the only issue I've had. Of course like any courier, service might vary depending on the driver in your area.

mrcheez

Odd that UPS are 50% cheaper for sending an A4 envelope than DHL... and for half the time.

I read online that UPS are supposedly always more expensive