Thinking of starting small?

Hi all I am looking a thew pointers as I have never done this as a job before. I have an estate car which is big enough for small parcel deliveries and looking for local work but not sure where to start?

Any help would be gratefully received

Firstly, Sit down and research your marketplace and competitors. Are there enough businesses in your location, How many other Courier business operate in your area. Calculate your costs to include late and non payment. Are you prepared for long and unsociable hours. Using a car is not ideal, You need to make sure you have the correct insurances and some business frown upon cars. I am sure many more pointers will be added soon

I can only offer advice from a newbe's perspective as i'm a newbe myself. Van insurance is cheaper than car insurance. Bike insurance is cheap again. But there's less work for a bike. A good place to start is sub-contracting for the other guy's. Thats what i've been doing, but you don't get rich doing that. You need to advertise your own business. And that takes a long time, and it's hard and costly. If you can live for a year with not making very much money, do it.. If not, go and work for somebody else. But you'll not get rich working for somebody else. It's a risk setting up any business. You have to start from the bottom, and there are a lot of big players out there.

Agree with all that apart from the van insurance being cheaper than car insurance... It's not, not even close

Having legit courier insurance is expensive, which is why so many seem to be prepared to do without it... Which is why rates continue to remain at a level that is unsustainable for the legit. Which is wrong... But that's another story

I beleive he means Hire & Reward on a van is cheaper than Hire & reward on a car simply because theres only one insurer in the UK offering it on cars

OP, did you buy a Courier guide? I suspect so by your forum name

Holy Shmoly can someone supply me with the details of this CHEAPER van insurance.

A few big timers with clever comments about pies etc, very rude, but hey hi good luck new fella

Freelance Courier said:

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Hi all I am looking a thew pointers as I have never done this as a job before. I have an estate car which is big enough for small parcel deliveries and looking for local work but not sure where to start?

Any help would be gratefully received

WELCOME!

The best advice would be to do lots of research before making any commitment as the sharks will circle and and try and eat you up : Suffice it to say it is a rewarding business if you can survive the first 12 months on very low income and lots of outgoings,