Many of us could have switched to delivery services, whether to purchase pre-made boba pearls to fulfill our bubble tea cravings or to give a surprise gift to our Zoom workout buddy, due to the inconveniences of store closures and virtual gatherings on Houseparty. One thing is certain in this time of uncertainty: delivery services are important!

There are plenty of distribution choices to choose from, whether you’re emerging from the circuit breaker with a booming home business or practicing social distancing by having your care packages shipped to friends in Germany. The question is, how do you choose between the options?

Don’t worry; we’ve got everything you need to know about using a courier service in Singapore covered!

Courier, regular mail, or meet-up?

Have you ever had a customer cancel a meet-up at the last minute due to late or missed deliveries through regular postal services? You will prevent such unpleasant experiences by using delivery services!

Unlike regular postal services, courier services provide the convenience and guarantee of delivery within a specified time period and the ability to monitor the package’s delivery status for both the sender and the receiver. Courier companies will carry bulky packages that regular postal providers cannot because they have more resources and versatility to meet consumers’ needs.

Furthermore, courier services are not as costly as you may believe. On Carousell, courier delivery rates start at S$4.00 per place – the cost of your transportation (and time!), if you want a meet-up instead, you will easily surpass that!

The three most widely used courier services

Express/Same-Day Shipping: For home bakers… and forgetful people

If you own a food company that deals with perishables or have a guilty loved one who has missed a birthday, choose express or same-day delivery to ensure that your packages arrive as soon as possible! Within a few hours, express courier services carry goods from one location to another. The delivery costs can vary depending on the job’s pace and urgency, as well as whether you booked the service days in advance. With express delivery, you can guarantee that your hungry customers will receive piping hot food on time!

Standard/1-3 Day Delivery: For non-emergency shipments.

Even if your order isn’t urgent, you’ll want to get it as soon as possible. Choose regular courier services, which usually deliver within 1 to 3 days after being picked up! This is one of the most cost-effective solutions for ensuring that your goods arrive safely and promptly. These courier services usually provide monitoring, delivery alerts, and confirmation for both the sender and the receiver, ensuring that they are kept informed at all times.

For those that have specific requests, custom delivery is available.

Are you planning a surprise for someone you care about? Do you need to obey particular instructions?

It’s best to contact your courier company directly to customize your delivery if you’re shipping particularly delicate products, needing specialized equipment to carry, or having precise instructions. Your courier service provider will be able to decide if they can fulfill your requests in this manner, and you will be able to negotiate a fair price for your needs!