If you print your own labels, the question is where to hand the parcels over, and the three names that come up most are Evri's ParcelShop network, InPost's lockers, and Royal Mail's Post Office and Local Collect points. They all do the same basic job, but they differ on opening hours, size limits and cost, and the best one for you depends on when you pack and how big your parcels are.
Evri ParcelShops
Evri's ParcelShop network lives in convenience stores and newsagents, and its appeal is the hours, many are open early and late, seven days a week. You hand the parcel over, it's scanned, and it enters Evri's network. There's no drop-off fee on top of the postage, which makes it a genuinely cheap option for Evri parcels. The limit is that ParcelShops only take Evri parcels, so it's a single-carrier solution.
InPost lockers
InPost's lockers are self-service, open 24/7, and sit in supermarket car parks and petrol stations. You scan a QR code, a door opens, and you're done. No queue, no counter, no opening hours to worry about, which is the killer feature for sellers who pack in the evening. The constraint is compartment size, lockers only take smaller parcels, so bulky items need a fallback. Our InPost guide covers the details.
Royal Mail counters and Local Collect
Royal Mail gives you two options: a Post Office counter, where you can also get proof of posting, or a Local Collect point, which is a wider network of shops that scan pre-paid parcels with no fee. The Post Office has the advantage of that paper receipt, which matters for higher-value claims. Local Collect matches the convenience of the other networks while keeping you on Royal Mail's services, which our Local Collect guide explains.
Cost comparison
None of the three charges a drop-off fee for pre-paid parcels in the standard case, so the cost difference is really the cost of the postage itself, and that varies by carrier rather than by drop-off point. Evri is usually cheapest on small parcels, InPost is competitive on the locker-sized range, and Royal Mail is the safe national option. The drop-off decision is mostly about convenience, not a per-parcel fee.
Opening hours are the real differentiator
If you pack during the day near a Post Office, Royal Mail is fine. If you pack in the evening or at weekends, InPost lockers and Evri ParcelShops win on hours alone. This is the single biggest factor in practice, because a drop-off point you can't reach when you actually pack is useless, regardless of how good the network is.
Size limits to watch
InPost is the most constrained, fixed locker compartments cap both dimensions and weight. Evri ParcelShops take parcels up to Evri's standard limits, and Royal Mail counters take the full range including heavier items. If your catalogue includes anything bulky, the locker network won't be your whole answer, and you'll need a counter or collection option as well.
Tracking from the moment you drop off
All three scan the parcel at drop-off, which is what starts the tracking and matters if a customer asks where their parcel is. A clean, scannable label is the prerequisite for all of them, because a smudged barcode at the point of handover means the parcel never shows as dropped off, which is the worst possible start. Our barcode guide covers keeping it scannable.
Which should you use?
The honest answer for most sellers is a mix. Use InPost or Evri for the small, non-urgent volume where hours and price win, and Royal Mail for anything heavier, higher-value or going somewhere remote. Because all three print on the same 100 × 150mm label format, switching between them costs you nothing in equipment, you just pick the drop-off that fits today's parcels.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fee to drop off at an Evri ParcelShop? No, dropping a pre-paid Evri parcel at a ParcelShop is free, and the same is true for InPost lockers and Royal Mail Local Collect points.
Which drop-off option is open latest? InPost lockers are open 24/7, and Evri ParcelShops typically open earlier and later than a Post Office, which suits evening packers.
Can I drop a large parcel at an InPost locker? No, lockers have fixed compartment sizes, so bulky or heavy parcels need a counter, ParcelShop or collection instead.
One label, every drop-off network
Whichever network you hand parcels to, our 100 × 150mm direct thermal labels scan cleanly at the locker, the ParcelShop and the counter alike.
Shop 4×6 Labels