Courier Exchange

Hello, I'm new to this and having a look around. Any feedback on Courier Exchange as an organisation?

It is a very good site. Established, has work on it, so good for bidding and more importantly for some, the ability to cover work quickly. But it does come at a price so isn't for everyone.

This site is growing day by day, and for me is the only alternative... or will be.

All others you may have come across are increasingly getting filled with backloads i.e. eBay and suchlike.

I can't stand ebay callers. I had a call at 2am last week for a price if they won some wheels they were bidding on. A 10 mile journey. They didn't even call back, how unfortunate.

You need a negative keyword on your website.

Thanks Speed. And i think thanks everyone else!

If you're expecting everyone to tell you that courier exchange is the place to go then think again!

The whole industry is as quiet as a sparrow fart!

Sorry to be a downer but I think we may need a bigger band wagon soon!

I've delivered a few ebay items. I don't charge a minimum price but what I think is fair. For instance I'm collecting a wardrobe from Lewisham early Friday and delivering it to Erith - distance 10 miles. I told her £20 and she was OK with that, and so was I because Erith is just up the road from where I live.

The problem with eBay is that people use it to find a cheap bargain without thinking about transport costs.

We did a £2000 oven from Grantham to Luton, yes an eBay job but a high value item so the client was happy with the cost.

It's the "I have bought a bed and mattress in Leeds, how much for delivery to Derby?" "ooh that's alot" "I only paid £15.00 for it. can you do it for £20.00?".

The problem is not just eBay, it's down to an awful lot of people not actually understanding what a sameday courier is. The calls i've had!.. jeez

You could place a big massive banner with the word same day on it and they still wouldn't understand the meaning of it, especially the eBay lot.

I had an old chap yesterday looking for a price to send 7 paperback books from mansfield to cambridge. He was a nice chap but didn't understand the concept of we collect in 30 - 40 mins and deliver direct. He said but that's what the post office do don't they?.. Er no you take it to them and hope for a 4 day service.

It's funny you should say that Simon.

I had some old bloke rining me just before Christmas Last year asking how much I'd charge him for collecting a 60 inch flat screen TV from Harrods in London, bringing it back to Wolverhampton. When I gave him the price he turned around said Harrods would do it cheaper than that. I explained to him Harrods probably would do it cheaper but doubt very much you'd get it in the condition that you'd bought it in as it'd be delivered via an overnight like DHL or City Link where it's likely to be knocked around few times!

CX experience?

It is the way you look at it: good and bad at the same time.

Website is very easy to use, though I got charged a setting up fee of about £125, on top of the £300 or so for 6 months, and £60 for the 6 month mobile alert, which I didn't know anything about, didn't ask for it, haven't been told about, and didn't need. And for the privilege of getting charged the £125 set up fee I had someone ring me, keep me on the phone for over 30 minutes, trying to explain me how to use their website. I guess most of us, already posting here, are computer literate, don't need tuition to use a website, and don't want to be harassed.

And then every so often I was getting phone calls from CX, telling me how to run my business, how to ring people up, network (like anybody is bothered about me). I don't need anyone phone me up, waste my time, and harass me basically. How am I doing?(rubbish) Oh I am very well thank you! How is business? There's no business! -Oh you should try and contact people.- Yes I am already bidding on jobs I don't get.

Nobody advises about the charges you should apply, like on other trades, for example the recovery trade.

So I've started out asking £1.10/mile, couldn't get anything, tried £0.90, getting nowhere. Then £0.75, then £0.70. I guess £0.65 started to bring some attention, and also remarks: Oh you're the cheapest. That's a very good price.

I must have listed the jobs I've done on a recent post. These have been the only ones. So a first and a last at those prices. I did get my fair share of "experience", thank you very much.

So the only way of me doing any work at all was asking these prices.

• £260 Aylesbury to Glasgow
• £50 Hatfield to Basildon
• £50 Hatfield to Croydon
• £100 Basildon to Manchester
• £60 Manchester to Birmingham
• £750 London to Milan
• £300 Leicester to Milan
• £600 Milan to Peterborough
• £350 Northampton to Frankfurt
• £700 Milan to Skegness

Twice I've taken the jobs waiting for a second job to be confirmed, but it didn't happen.

So I've subsidised most of the trips.

CX is good if you want to get out of the house. It feels good when you come back home and get some diesel money back.

BUT it is very bad for not getting a decent price out of it, and allowing all the europeans with insurance that costs £300 for an artic for a year on the UK site. I pay £290 a month for a van, direct debit. My home is in the Uk, and I pay the UK rent.

Do not join it unless you want the "drive not empty" money or you've got too much time to spend ringing numbers that are busy as soon as the job is posted. and 5 minutes after you'll get through and it'll say sold.

Sorry to hear some of you have had a poor experience with CX. I have been with CX since going self employed last June. I make 99.9% of my money on CX and I have built up a great deal of kudos on there. Many of the contacts I have made call me first nowadays. I run a SWB Vivaro which is just fine for the jobs I do. My turnover is in excess of 25K in the short time I have been on CX so I guess I must be doing something right.

It's what you make it, yes, there are some real cheapskates and choice characters operating but what has that to do with me, you need to set your stall out and decide where you want to be then stick to your guns! For instance, I have a minimum charge and I stick to it, I'd rather park the van up than work for nothing. It is my only source of income so dont do loss leaders etc.

It cost me £680 for my first year plus an extra 2 months free.

There are many sites but none of them quite come up to the standard the CX offers. I tried that Shiply thing... what a piss take that was!

It is what you make of it... never a truer word said.

Absolutely Rob, and to some extent where you're based I would think.

Yes, I think that is a good point, being based in a 'quiet area' can be unhelpful. I live in urban Leeds near to the airport/Bradford/Keighley so it works well for me.

Its not everyone's cup of tea, I enjoy the bartering for business etc. Tried working direct for a courier outfit but disliked the lack of freedom.

CX has definitely worked for me, numerous jobs posted throughout the day and many contacts to be made throughtout the site, most of my work at the start came off CX now most ring me direct. However the return journeys etc are always helpful when out on the road.

Yeah it is quite expensive to join however there is good money to be made. I'm based in Cumbria where literally nothing moves from so travelling to collection points is the norm, however thats just life. CX can literally keep you going all week if you're lucky and prepared to wait around a few hours for work to appear. It's the busiest site I've came across, and coupled with AnyVan/Shiply/Delivery Supermarket when used right can be very good.

People need to face facts, the money isn't great in this business and while its not regulated you will always get people willing to do it for less. Thats where I let my reputation take over, the guys running round for nothing if insured etc correctly wont be around for long.

Yeh, once you're moving it's definitely easier to get additional jobs. And get more of your "dead miles" covered with something. Just getting that 1st one to get you out the house isn't it...

A Year? Blimey that was quick

It's like having a tardis innit... You can go back in time and listen to what was happening back then

Who said time travel couldn't happen

It's happenin now and is available to everyone

It's called the internet and old threads

A photo is time travel too

You're looking at something from the past... Hmmm... You can get quite deep with this... lol

Just call me Doctor

Watch out for the Libyans!