What is a courier service?

Answer 1

A Courier service is when a courier company collects and delivers your item/pacakge. Courier companies tend to be smaller companies, who tend to undertake all jobs themselves. A Parcel service is where local operators, usually franchise owners, collect your item/package and deliver it to a central hub, where it is automatically sorted, and put out for delivery with local agent in the delivery area. (A hub is a process similar to a luggage sorting system in an airport) Parcel services tend to be cheaper than courier services, because with a courier service your item gets handled by only the one company. Where as parcel services use a lot of automated processes. Parcel delivery companies can have runs of up to 70-80 drops per day. The lower prices are based on them handling a far larger amount of items. Use a courier if your item is high value, or breakable, or fragile, or outwith the normal parcel dimensions & weights. Use a parce service if your item is within the parcel weights & dimensions, and can be suitable boxed and packaged.

Answer 2

An individual responsible for the exchange of items between two or more parties. Couriers are usually employed by a company that charges a flat rate to the party using the courier service.