Econt vs Speedy — how to choose (and why the answer is 'both')

"Econt or Speedy?" gets asked every week in every e-commerce group and collects a hundred answers, ninety of which are "mine is better."

Here is a more useful way to look at it — and the framework works for any two carriers, anywhere.

The short version

Both are serious couriers with national coverage, comparable prices and working cash on delivery. There is no wrong choice. There is a better fit for your case — and in most cases the best answer is to have a contract with both.

Where they actually differ

The pickup network

This is the most important criterion and it takes two minutes to check: open the map and see which one has a point closer to your customers, not to your warehouse.

If you sell nationwide, the difference evens out. If 60% of your orders come from one city, open that city and count.

Lockers

Both run 24/7 self-service lockers. For small parcels they're the cheapest and most convenient option, and the refusal rate on lockers is noticeably lower — people collect when it suits them, not during office hours.

If your product fits in a shoebox, that's a serious argument.

Cash on delivery and when you see the money

Both wire the collected cash back to you. The practical difference is rhythm: how often they transfer and how soon after delivery. Ask about that specifically when signing. At a few thousand euros a month, three days of cash-flow difference is felt.

Prices

List rates are close. Real prices depend on your volume and are negotiated. Rule of thumb:

• Under 50 parcels a month — you pay list. Don't waste time negotiating.
• 50–200 parcels — call and ask for a quote. You'll get something.
• Over 200 — you have real leverage, including on return legs.

Integrations

Check this before you pick a platform, not after. Automatic label generation saves 3–4 minutes per order. At 20 orders a day that's over an hour daily.

Why "both" usually wins

The argument is simple and shows up in the numbers of every shop that has tried it: people have habits. Your customer has a pickup point two streets away where they know their name, and they won't walk across town just because you picked the other carrier.

When you offer both:

• Fewer "I can't collect it" drop-offs
• Fewer refused parcels, because the point is convenient
• You keep customers who would otherwise bail at the last step

The cost is one extra contract and slightly more work when shipping. It almost always pays for itself.

How to present them on the site

Don't write "Courier delivery". Write exactly:

• Econt — pickup point or locker, €2
• Speedy — pickup point or locker, €2
• To your address — €3.30
• Free delivery over €40

Concrete numbers build more trust than any promise. And always show them in the cart, not at the final step — that's the leading cause of abandoned carts.

Selection checklist

1. Open the map and see whose point is closer to your customers.
2. Ask about the transfer rhythm for cash on delivery.
3. Check your platform integrates with both.
4. Ask what a returned parcel costs — that's the hidden fee.
5. Send one test parcel with each. You'll learn more than from any review.

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Choosing a courier isn't a strategic decision, it's an operational one. Don't give it more thinking time than it deserves — take both, show them clearly in the cart, and get back to selling.