The short answer
A depot network is cheaper per item because your parcel shares a lorry with thousands of others, and it works well for small boxed goods within its size limits. A door-to-door dedicated run is priced per journey and carries large, fragile or awkward items in one van with no sorting in between.
Depot network against a dedicated door-to-door run
| Depot parcel network | Door-to-door dedicated | |
|---|---|---|
| How it moves | Sorted through hubs with thousands of other items | Loaded once and driven straight to the address |
| Handling stages | Several, mostly automated | One load and one unload |
| Size limits | Strict length, girth and weight caps | Whatever the vehicle takes |
| Cost basis | Per item, shared across a full lorry | Per journey, sized to your load |
| Typical cost | Lower for small boxed goods | Priced per journey, sized to large items |
| Best for | Small, robust, boxed items | Furniture, appliances, fragile or awkward items |
Swipe the table sideways to see every option.
How does a depot network actually work?
Your item is collected or dropped off, taken to a local depot, trunked to a national hub overnight, sorted, trunked to a destination depot and finally delivered. That is typically four to six separate handling events.
The model is extremely efficient for standard parcels because the cost of the lorry is shared across thousands of items. That shared cost is exactly why a small parcel can cross the country for a few pounds.
The constraint is that everything must fit the sorting system. Published limits vary by carrier, but length, girth and weight ceilings exist at every one of them, and furniture sits outside all of them.
How does a dedicated door-to-door run differ?
One driver collects your item and drives it to the delivery address. There is no depot, no sorting and no overnight storage, so the number of handling events drops to two: loading and unloading.
Because you are paying for a vehicle and a driver for that journey rather than a share of a lorry, the price relates to distance, vehicle size and handling time rather than to parcel dimensions.
This is what makes large, heavy and fragile items possible. It is also why a dedicated run is poor value for a shoebox going 200 miles.
Which should you choose for your item?
Choose a depot network when the item is boxed, robust, within published size limits, and cost is the main consideration. Books, clothing, small electronics and most retail goods belong here.
Choose a dedicated run when the item exceeds network limits, cannot be boxed, would not survive repeated handling, or must arrive on a specific day. Sofas, wardrobes, appliances, glass, bikes and event equipment belong here.
There is also a middle case worth naming: a small but genuinely urgent item such as a contract or a set of keys. A network cannot promise a time; a dedicated car run can, and it is priced well below van rates.
What are the honest trade-offs?
A dedicated run costs more for small items and always will, because you are not sharing the vehicle with anyone. If you have time and the item is small, a network is the rational choice.
A network offers no realistic recourse for a damaged wardrobe, because it should never have been in the system. Matching the item to the model is what prevents that problem entirely.
The verdict
- A small boxed item within network size limits
- Use a depot network. Sharing a lorry with thousands of parcels is a genuine efficiency and you should take advantage of it.
- Furniture, an appliance, or anything over network limits
- Use a dedicated door-to-door run. This is not a preference; networks exclude these items rather than pricing them.
- Fragile items you cannot risk being sorted mechanically
- Use a dedicated run. Fewer handling stages is the entire point, and it matters more than the headline price.
Frequently asked questions
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Related service: Furniture delivery