5 Reasons Parcel Is My New Doorman

I needed to buy a microwave for my apartment, and since I buy pretty much everything on Amazon, naturally I shopped there. Since I don’t have a doorman in my apartment, I’ve had to make alternative arrangements when I ship things. I’ve had items shipped to my office, to family’s houses, and even to an Amazon’s locker at my local 7/11. However I wanted to try a new service called Parcel, since they promised to deliver any package to you during the 1 hour window of your choice for just $5. It worked flawlessly, and I’m now hooked.

1. Straightforward

When I signed up for Parcel, I just had to fill out one form - which was super easy. In the past I’ve built giant monstrosity multi-part forms for onboarding users into an app, so I can really appreciate the work they’ve done to eliminate any friction in the signup process.

Pricing is also very easy to grasp and frankly a good deal. Parcel will ship any regular sized package (less than 2’ in all dimensions, and under 30 pounds) for just $5. This is also the actual total price - in their FAQ they say “don’t ever worry about tips — they are not accepted!”. This kind of straightforward pricing suits me well. I am actually avoiding using Amazon Prime Now because their ambiguous tipping policy is causing me consternation.

2. TXT Message Interface

When Parcel received my package from Amazon, I was sent a TXT message notifying me that it was delivered. In that same TXT message, they also gave me a few 1 hour delivery window options, and asked me to reply to them via TXT. This was actually extremely convenient, and saved me from the hassle of having to call them up, or log into their website.

3. Easy to Change Delivery Time

Right after I told Parcel to deliver my package around 7pm, I made loose plans to hang out with some friends at that same time. Curious to see what would happen if I tried to change my delivery window - I sent Parcel another TXT asking for a 10pm delivery. They immediately responded saying that my package would now be delivered at the later time - which was a huge relief.

4. Fast

A huge reason I have and Amazon Prime account is for the free 2-day shipping. It’s nice getting things shipped to you relatively fast, and with Parcel there really isn’t going to be any delay in this process. Less than 2 hours after Amazon shipped my package to the Parcel warehouse, I was contacted by Parcel asking me when that same day I wanted my package delivered. A few hours later, the package was at my apartment, and I had my microwave.

5. Great Service

Every step of the way, I’ve received excellent service. First, after I signed up I was sent an awesome welcome email from the founder of the company - which was a nice touch. Instead of just giving me a PO Box number, they instead gave me a “Member ID”. This very small word change made me feel like I was part of Parcel, not just somehow who used them.

At one point Parcel thought that my package would be delayed. They sent me an email explaining that their delivery truck was stuck in traffic, and that my package may not make it to my apartment during my delivery window. They told me they would waive the charge if it happened, and even let me choose to get the package the next day in case I wouldn’t be home later. In the end they ended up making my delivery on time, but it was really nice of them to keep me informed about these potential delays

Finally, the delivery person came running my the stairs, with my microwave, a Parcel jacket and a giant smile and then greeted me by my name to verify my identity. I’ve never seen a more enthusiastic courier, and really sealed the deal that I’ll be using Parcel again.

I’m clearly impressed with what Parcel has to offer. They are currently only delivering to Manhattan, and parts of Brooklyn - so if you live there and don’t have a doorman, you should sign up and try them out.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I get a free delivery if you sign up for Parcel using my link.