For store managers, wholesalers and multi-site brands
Retail and Wholesale Courier Guide: Stock Transfers and Store Drops
Retail courier work is mostly moving the right stock to the right branch before it sells out, or getting a new store ready to open. This guide explains how to book single transfers and multi-drop routes so each store receives exactly what it was promised.
A dedicated van suits work that is too urgent or too valuable for a parcel network, but too small for a full truck.
Collection and delivery are required — a town, city or postcode is enough.
Same-Day / Urgent
Need retail and wholesale deliveries today? Collection within 60–90 minutes, direct driver, status updates — your job goes straight to the front of the queue.
Car from £1.25/mile · £55 minimum
Flexible DeliveryTypically around 30% less
Not in a rush? Flexi7 allows collection and delivery within seven days. We can match your retail and wholesale deliveries with suitable vehicle movements, subject to route suitability and availability.
Ideal for furniture, marketplace pickups & non-urgent freight
Typical retail and wholesale consignments and the van that suits them
A starting guide only. Vehicle specifications vary, so we confirm the exact vehicle against the dimensions, weight and access requirements of your job before allocation.
Best-selling lines moved between branches
Usual vehicle: Small or SWB van
Boxed and labelled per store.
Wholesale cash-and-carry orders
Usual vehicle: SWB van to Luton
Collection from the trade counter with your order reference.
Store opening kit and fixtures
Usual vehicle: LWB van to Luton
Shelving, display units and opening stock in one trip.
High-value goods such as luxury items
Usual vehicle: Car or small van
Declare the value so additional cover can be arranged.
Customer returns and faulty stock
Usual vehicle: Small van
Collected back to a warehouse or supplier.
See vehicle sizes and starting rates on our pricing page. Website prices are shown + VAT.
Before you book: what to have ready
Having these details ready lets us allocate the right vehicle and avoid a wasted journey.
- Each store address with its delivery entrance and receiving hours
- A store contact who can sign, for each drop
- Carton count per store, labelled with the store name
- Shopping-centre or high-street loading rules, such as time slots or service yards
- Your transfer or order reference for each drop
- Declared value for high-value stock
What happens on the day
1.Loading
Cartons are loaded in reverse drop order so each store's stock is at the door when the van arrives.
2.Each drop
Signed for by the store contact with the carton count. Each stop is recorded on its own proof of delivery.
3.Exceptions
If a store is closed or refuses part of the delivery, you're told straight away and the stock comes back on the van, never left unsigned.
Same-Day or Flexible: which to book
Book Same-Day when…
- A promoted line has sold out in one branch and is overstocked in another
- A store opening or refit is due tomorrow
- A customer order must be fulfilled from another branch today
Urgent collection is typically 60–90 minutes, subject to availability and location.
Book Flexible when…
- Routine rebalancing of slow-moving stock
- Returning faulty goods to suppliers
- Moving end-of-season stock to an outlet or warehouse
Flexible jobs are collected within an agreed window and cost less. The quote above shows both prices.
What we don't do
Knowing the limits up front saves you booking the wrong service.
- We don't offer per-parcel rates for high-volume online order fulfilment. We price by dedicated vehicle.
- We don't provide warehousing or pick-and-pack.
- Drivers deliver to the store's receiving point. They don't merchandise or fit stock to shelves unless that labour is agreed in the quote.
Goods are normally covered under the assigned driver's goods-in-transit policy up to £5,000. Taylors Courier Service Ltd's contractual liability is capped at £250 unless otherwise agreed in writing. Additional cover can be arranged before collection. How cover works
Retail and wholesale deliveries: common questions
Can one van cover several stores in a day?
Yes. Book it as a multi-drop route with every address and carton count. That is usually much cheaper than separate jobs.
Can you collect from a cash-and-carry?
Yes. Give us the order reference and the account name. Some wholesalers need the account holder to authorise a third-party collection.
What happens if a shopping centre needs a delivery slot?
Send us the centre's delivery rules and booking confirmation. We'll schedule the driver for the slot and the service yard you've booked.
Do you offer regular weekly store runs?
Yes. A recurring route is usually the simplest way to price regular branch transfers.
Ready to book a retail and wholesale delivery?
Get both prices online in under a minute, or send the job details on WhatsApp and we'll confirm the right vehicle.