BIDDING SITES

Hi guys, ive been using Anyvan for some time now and have some good results as long as your willing to do some hard work. I know off uShip and Shiply but I don't use them as im doing ok with Anyvan however im now looking to expand and have heard of a few other sites just wanted to see if any of you guys have used some of the others like Courier Frog, Auctigo & Delivery quote compare

From what I've seen the jobs on those sites all go so ridiculously low I don't know how anyone makes it work. unless you have a luton and 2 people and it's all you do, scheduling all your collections and deliveries on specific days for different parts of the country. Sounds like a lot of hard work for not a lot of return to me.

Even for backloads it doesn't appear to be helpful. I'm not waiting 3 hours for someone to see if they can get it 5 quid cheaper.

Have I got it all wrong?

The sites you mention are NOT sites that bonafide couriers woud be interested in. Its a completely different type of work and not something you'd find a "sameday" courier looking at.

I'm not putting down anyone that uses these sites, just commenting that because the word courier seems to cover anything that is moved from a to b, the kind of work on sites such as the ones listed above, do nothing but help complicate what is already very confusing to many.

JRG and Speed i once thought like you did yes I would love taking just a pallet load of goods half way across country and watch some guy on a forklift load and unload me problem is every tom has a van and wants the same thing I didn't have a list of clients when I started out so I looked at these sites and fact is yes there is some people who want to work for free on there but dig a little deeper and you can find some good paying jobs its not for everyone I understand as there can be some manual work involved better than paying Gym fees ive lost about a stone, iam now getting more sameday work but these things take time however im doing so well im looking at another van and driver so cant all be bad and cash in hand so cash flow isn't a problem ether 1 day im moving a table next day im moving 3 pallets i dont care what I move as long as it pays well

Well said Mr ACB. There are a lot of people that wait for the perfect job (no such thing) then moan when they don't make any money. A van is a vehicle for moving things. Not something that sits in the drive looking nice.

I dont get how a job can got so low on some of these sites. I tried to get my head around the idea of say a 100 mile run and space inside for certain items, normal rate call it 90pplm. 1st collection at less than half rate ok so far, 2nd becomes 80-90% of a normal run. 3rd and your now better than working for a general courier company plus then theres the same on the return. Loads of working out what can fit next to each other and viola that 100 mile run pays at £220 and your quids in. In practice however that space on the van seems to be going out at about 10% of the cost! No idea how people can possibly manage this unless its a known empty return run and its fag money

A big difference in what comes under the term courier

One is predominantly ad-hoc, is a dedicated A to B, isn't planned, and is priced accordingly

The other means plotting a route, trying to amass as much as will physically fit on the van, is most definitely not dedicated, is very much pre booked and is priced accordingly

There is room for both, but let us not confuse which is which