Price of parcels
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• The highest parcel rates have fallen by more than 50% in the past six months but prices still vary by a factor of 10, says management consultant Rolben Consultancy. Rolben has been collecting quotes for a variety of destinations from Britain's 27 leading parcels carriers. The highest quote for nextday UK delivery was £55, it says, compared with £115 six months ago. But the lowest quote was £4.99—iust 10% of the highest price.
Rolben director David Dibbens says carriers are quoting prices that are 'significantly higher than their floor rates" for one-off deliveries. He is advising his clients to shop around for the best deals unless they can use regular collections as a bargaining tool.
But Birmingham carrier Apex's general manager Peter Heywood says Rolben's numbers are hard to swallow:"There are unprofessional people who will quote £50 for a £4.99 job and vice versa," he says. "But carriers know when they're being rung by a consultant or a competitor and they sometimes take the mickey."