Q&A: Does Shiply Couriers Franchise in the UK?

Hannah Burnett, writer

Published at 23/02/2022, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 6 min

Q&A: Does Shiply Couriers Franchise in the UK? — Photo © Q_A-Does-Shiply-Couriers-Franchise-in-the-UK.jpg

Perhaps you’ve just considered that a career in the courier franchising business might be for you - or maybe the desire to be your own boss has always been there. Either way, if you’ve got the drive and ambition to delve into the courier franchising sector, there’s a chance you’ve heard of Shiply Couriers. But do Shiply Couriers franchise in the UK? Read on to find out all you need to know.

Since the pandemic began, online shopping has experienced a boom like never before. But it was a thriving sector even before that. According to Ofcom, UK parcel-generated revenue reached a whopping £9.4 billion in 2017-2018 - and the market has only continued to grow since.

So, there’s really never been a better time to make a career change with a courier franchise and start enjoying financial stability and the perks of running your own business today.

But with a plethora of courier franchises to choose from, finding the right one for you is the first step on the ladder to franchising success in this industry. Could you start franchising with Shiply Couriers in the UK? Keep reading this article to find out.

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What is the history of Shiply Couriers?

Shiply Couriers were established in 2008, when the business’s founder Robert noticed that the large lorry that had delivered a pool table to his home in Manchester was then driving back to London with nothing else on board. This struck him as a huge waste of both time and resource - and a shockingly pointless contribution to CO₂.

And this problem wasn’t limited to one company either. Throughout the entire logistics sector at that time, over 25% of vehicles were driving around completely empty and over 50% were running partly full [Department for Transport Statistics]. The answer to this problem?

An online transport marketplace that connects delivery companies and customers. We empower delivery companies to maximise spare vehicle space (thus reducing harmful CO₂ emissions). All while providing users with the best possible price for their delivery. - Shiply Couriers

A niche in the market was spotted, and Shiply Couriers was created to fill this gap in the market and deliver things to people in a way that made logistical sense and reduced harm to the environment.

And the business has been a success. The Shiply Couriers website is full of positive testimonials from satisfied customers and clearly explains the ethos behind the business and why it works so well.

By utilising spare capacity of vehicles running on the road, Shiply helps reduce the number of otherwise wasteful journeys needed to transport the item. - Shiply Couriers

Does Shiply Couriers franchise in the UK?

Unfortunately, Shiply Couriers is not currently offering any clear pathway to becoming a franchisee with their business in the UK. This might be disappointing news, but Shiply Couriers is a thriving and growing business. It will pay to regularly check their website and social media pages to see if it begins offering franchising opportunities in the UK any time in the near future.

But until that day comes, this doesn’t mean you have to delay enjoying all the advantages of running a courier franchise. There are a host of other brilliant courier franchises that do franchise in the UK - so a career change with a courier franchise might still be on the cards.

Take a look below at some of the other business offering the chance to franchise with them in the courier sector:

Speedy Freight is a leading UK same-day delivery courier and freight service, packaging up goods within an hour and delivering packages of any size to clients of any kind. They have over 2000 vans on the roads.
World Options is an online courier booking service built for busy UK businesses, offering customers a range of worldwide courier options. This franchise can sort out the trickiest of deliveries quickly and easily.
Post & Packing is a post shop for businesses, providing services including packaging, storage, archiving and delivery.
Mail Boxes Etc. - sometimes known as MBE for short - is a global brand offering a high-calibre local and international delivery service to customers. It also offers other services like packaging, printing and designing, and mailbox rental.

Start a franchise in the courier industry

There’s lots of compelling reasons as to why you should start a courier franchise. It’s a sector experiencing clear growth thanks to online shopping and changes to shopping habits in general, and it’s an industry you won’t always need experience in to become a part of - plenty of people learn on the job.

So if you’re keen to get started with a career in the courier sector, read on for everything you’ll need to know,

1. What are the main skills courier franchises are looking for?

In this customer-facing industry, you will need to be the kind of person who enjoys delivering excellent customer service in their work. Besides this, here are some general skills that will be of utmost importance when becoming a courier franchisee:

Having good people skills
Having experiencing in management
Having excellent time-keeping skills
Being meticulous and well-organised
Being able to follow your franchise’s business plan
Having prior industry experience or, when that’s missing, having the willingness to learn the industry inside and out

All the skills you’ve already amassed in your career could still prove useful to you as a courier franchisee. So even if this is something you’ve never done before, look at what each courier franchise is looking for in a franchisee to choose the right courier franchise for you.

2. How much will you need to invest?

Your total investment cost will vary depending on which franchise you decide to go with. For a quick comparison, courier franchises such as Speedy Freight, World Options and Post & Packing are looking for a minimum initial investment of £38,500, whilst courier franchise Mail Boxes Etc is only looking for £25,000.

This scope of the courier sector is broad, so shop around to find a courier franchise business that is a good fit for your investment budgets.

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3. What training and support is on offer?

This is exactly why joining a franchise is such a great way to start your own business, because as a franchisee, you are entitled to training and support throughout your franchising journey. From beginning to end, your franchisor will be there to support you.

Franchisor support can take many forms, from helping you market your courier franchise, to building a successful business plan for your courier franchise - all this support and more could be yours.

Find the courier franchise that suits you best

There are many compelling reasons to join this still growing sector, so all that remains for you to do is investigate the top courier franchises in the UK and decide which business opportunity is the right fit for you.

If you want to explore your wider options, check out the UK franchise directory for opportunities in every sector,