Sold something too big to post? How to get a bulky item delivered in the UK

You've sold the armchair on eBay, or the buyer on Vinted is three counties away, and then you measure it. It's not going in a parcel shop.

1. Check whether it really is too big.

The big parcel networks publish their limits. Evri takes parcels up to 15 kg, up to 120 cm long, with the length plus twice the two shorter sides under 245 cm (Evri size guide). Royal Mail's standard parcels go up to 20 kg at 61 x 46 x 46 cm, and Parcelforce large parcels up to 30 kg and 1.5 m long, with length, width and depth adding up to no more than 3 m (Royal Mail large parcels). Measure it packed, longest side first. If it fits, a parcel service is usually the simplest route.

2. If it doesn't fit, it's a "man and van" job, not a parcel.

Most sofas, armchairs, sideboards, garden benches, bikes out of their box, large mirrors and framed prints, and boxed flat-pack wardrobes go over those limits on length or weight. That's when you need a driver who will carry it from door to door.

3. Agree who's arranging it.

Many listings say "collection only" or "buyer arranges courier". Make it clear in the listing or the chat who books and pays for the delivery, and swap pickup and drop-off towns early so nobody is surprised.

4. Wrap it before the driver arrives.

Blankets or bubble wrap on corners and legs, cardboard over glass, drawers taped shut or removed, loose cushions bagged. Take a few photos of its condition. It protects both seller and buyer.

5. Give the driver the details that matter.

Rough dimensions, approximate weight, whether it comes apart, floor levels and stairs at each end, and any parking issues. Those matter more than the distance.

6. Post the job and compare quotes.

On Pink Pumpkin Logistics (disclosure: it's our site, a UK reverse-auction transport marketplace) the seller or the buyer posts the pickup, drop-off and dates for free, and drivers bid for the job. You choose the quote that suits you.