Despatch Bay

Despatch Bay is a UK shipping consolidator. Instead of opening accounts with each courier, a business books parcel services from several carriers through one Despatch Bay account. Options include Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DX, DHL and Despatch Bay Express collections. It is used by online sellers who want to import marketplace orders, print labels and send tracking details to buyers without entering each shipment by hand.

Despatch Bay has no account fees, subscriptions or contracts. Customers pay only for the parcels they send, using a prepaid balance with optional automatic top-ups. Rates depend on the courier, parcel size, weight and destination, and larger senders can get rates tailored to their volume. Check the Despatch Bay website for current prices before you book.

Despatch Bay integrates with eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Shopify and WooCommerce. It also connects through Linnworks, Shiptheory and Khaos Control Cloud, or through order file imports. Its eBay page says there is no limit on the number of eBay or other marketplace accounts a user can connect. Orders from all accounts are managed on one screen, and tracking updates are sent back to the marketplace automatically.

Despatch Bay offers services from Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DX, DHL Express, DHL Parcel UK and its own Despatch Bay Express collections. Its service range covers packets up to 3kg, parcels up to 30kg, worldwide delivery to more than 200 destinations and pallets up to 1,250kg. Depending on the service, customers can book a courier collection or drop parcels at a local depot or Post Office.

eBay sellers can connect as many eBay accounts as they need and see all orders on one screen. Despatch Bay imports the orders, lets the seller pick a courier service for each parcel and prints the labels. Tracking numbers are then sent back to eBay and to buyers automatically. Sellers can also create returns labels and choose between a courier collection and drop-off.