Perhaps you’re a small business owner who regularly despatches parcels to customers, or maybe you only send a parcel when a special occasion pops up. Whatever the case which delivery option do you choose?

1.  Perhaps you opt for Royal Mail. Their standard parcel service is conveniently available at Post Office branches, and it’s an affordable option. Actually if you only send parcels on an ad hoc basis you might instinctively choose to use Royal Mail.

2.  Or perhaps you have an account with a major courier like City Link, Parcelforce Worldwide or Yodel. If you’re sending lots of parcels on a regular basis this may be the easiest option for you. Even better the courier collects your parcels directly from you. That saves a job!

3.  Alternatively do you use a local courier? Perhaps you’ve identified a smaller localised outfit that meets your particular needs and your service requirements.

But did you know there is another option?

4.  Have you heard of parcel comparison sites or courier middlemen? These on-line parcel delivery services offer an alternative way to access big named couriers without having to open an account. Perfect for individuals who only post on an ad hoc basis or who want the flexibility of shopping around when they have a parcel to send.

Courier middlemen book collections with the likes of Parcelforce Worldwide, Yodel & City Link on your behalf. What’s more you’ll pay less than if you went to the courier direct. That’s because parcel middlemen pass on some of their bulk buying discounts to you.

Next time you need to post a parcel, search collectmyparcel.com and see if you get a better price. That’s good news with Christmas rapidly approaching.