Online shopping is now more prevalent than ever among Malaysians. As major sales events happen year-round — such as the upcoming 10.10 Sales, Christmas promotions, and the like — order volumes are likely to skyrocket during these periods. This naturally raises some important questions: “Which courier should I opt for? A premium courier for better value, or settle for cheaper options?
Influencers have been trying to figure out if “More expensive = Better”
As this debate rages on among online shoppers, two local influencers try their hand at settling it with a special “experiment”: Order the same items online and have them shipped via different couriers! Using their side-by-side comparisons, their findings may surprise you!
“It’s all about the overall customer experience.” – Ivor Xian Z
To find out where the couriers excel and where they fall short, influencer and business owner Ivor Xian Z (@ivor_xianz) decided to put 6 couriers to the test — SPX Express, J&T, LEL Express, Pos Malaysia, GDEX and Ninja Van— by ordering her own business’s products for maximum transparency.
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Using the same test, another lifestyle influencer, Anne (@ghumah.co), ordered bathroom products using a slightly different lineup of products (and she also left out LEL Express).
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To add in test results of our own, we at WORLD OF BUZZ also did the same experiment by ordering the same everyday product — a simple tube of toothpaste — using the same 6 couriers as Ivor.
All in all, the couriers were judged based on 5 factors: speed, condition, price, tracking transparency, and overall user experience.
Another thing to note is that some couriers offer pickup services directly from users’ locations, while others only allow drop-offs at collection points, which may add a slight degree of difference to the user experience. (e.g. Anne used a pickup service when she delivered via SPX.)
Their side-by-side comparisons (along with ours) highlighted a few key areas:
1. Speed of delivery
○ GDEX proved to be the best in this area for the influencers’ test, albeit their service is the most expensive. “If GDEX is free, I would vote them [as the best courier]”, Ivor said.
○ In our case, SPX was the clear winner by delivering within 21 hours of order placement. As a bonus, we also tested the Same-Day Delivery option (where the order is delivered by a ShopeeFood rider) and the order arrived in just 6 hours, making them fantastic for urgent deliveries.
2. Condition of parcels
○ Despite a few issues with the condition of some of the items on Ivor’s side — especially the low-cost ones — across all of the services, the items arrived safely.
○ In Anne’s case, there were no visible signs of damage on any of her parcels.
○ Our ordered items arrived intact, although SPX’s packaging was notably the most neat and secure, while J&T, Ninja Van, and GDEX used ample bubble wrap.
3. Price vs quality
○ In terms of speed, condition of the parcels, and reliability, the couriers performed quite similarly, even between the cheapest and most expensive options.
○ Budget-friendly couriers such as J&T, SPX, and LEL Express proved strong despite their lower price points.
○ For us, costs varied significantly even before vouchers, with SPX and LEL offering the most competitive pricing (SPX stood out for its combination of low cost and high speed).
4. Tracking transparency
○ Tracking reliability varied, with each service’s price point not being an indicator towards delivery transparency.
○ In our case, SPX and J&T provided the clearest real-time updates. PosLaju and GDEX were decent but lacked details, while LEL’s updates were a bit inconsistent.
5. Overall experience
○ When everything’s added up — speed, price, condition, and tracking, this part looks at which courier offered the easiest and most seamless experience overall.
○ In this regard, both Ivor and Anne chose J&T as the best courier.
○ For us, SPX is the standout performer for their smoothness and reliability. They also offered the fastest delivery, neat packaging, voucher savings, and user-friendly tracking.
Value wins in the end!
With that, we return to the original theory that sparked these experiments: “More expensive courier = Better”. Is it true, though? For a more nuanced answer to this question, we rephrased the question into two more detailed questions with the test findings as their answers:
- Q: Do higher courier fees mean better courier service?
No. Despite charging more, PosLaju and GDEX were not necessarily faster or more detailed in service compared to the cheaper options
- Q: Did the lower fee still deliver good value?
Yes. SPX and J&T offered the fastest speeds and reliable tracking at affordable prices, while vouchers from SPX and LEL added further savings.
Ultimately, these tests reveal that lower fees can still deliver excellent value. Many affordable couriers delivered parcels quickly, safely, and with clear tracking, making them just as dependable as premium couriers for most delivery needs.
For Malaysians who dread rising costs and economic uncertainty, this may come as a relief. The experiment proves that you don’t always have to pay a premium price for reliable service, as true value comes from an effective mix of speed, safety, and convenience — not just a high price! Our advice is just to look out for voucher deals, choose reliable but affordable couriers, and do your best to save both time and money without sacrificing peace of mind.
Do you agree with the conclusion that lower-priced couriers can offer as much value as their pricier counterparts? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Also read: Malaysians Praise Hardworking Courier for Delivering Parcels Even After Midnight
