Which courier services are most reliable for DTC ecommerce fulfillment, and how should we plan around Royal Mail strikes?

Members have tested multiple couriers for DTC fulfilment and strike resilience. The consensus is to run parallel options rather than rely on a single carrier.

**Tested couriers:** - **Yodel** — recommended by members as reliable; several have had good experiences - **DPD** — tested and viable; mentioned as an option to keep available - **Parcel Force** — tested in comparison - **Hermes** — flagged as problematic; one member called it "an absolute disaster"

**Strike planning:** For Royal Mail strikes (e.g. November strikes), members recommend testing **Yodel** as a primary alternative, with **DPD** as a backup option and willingness to pay extra for expedited service when needed.

**Packaging note:** Members warned that courier selection is only part of the picture. One reported £4k of stock not arriving over 2 weeks and traced the root cause to **Codestorm packaging** (the packaging supplier, not the courier). Members noted that getting refunds from Codestorm for mistakes is difficult; the advice was to "stay on them all the time" rather than expect automatic compensation.

**Caveat:** Members have not reported successful fee reductions or compensation claims against couriers for strike-related delays, suggesting these should be treated as accepted risk factors rather than negotiable issues.