How to ship with The Courier Guy, Pargo, PUDO and PAXI

The Courier Guy delivers to the customer's door, while Pargo, PUDO and PAXI deliver to a pickup point where the customer collects the parcel. To ship with any of them you set up an account or use a platform that connects to them, pack and label the parcel, hand it over or book a collection, and then pass the tracking number to your customer. This guide explains how the two kinds of network differ and how to pick between them for each order.

Try TrackIt For Business →

Door-to-door and pickup-point networks

South African online sellers tend to use two kinds of delivery. The first is door-to-door: a courier collects from you and drives the parcel to the buyer's address. The Courier Guy is the best-known example, and Aramex works the same way. The second is a pickup-point network: the parcel travels to a shop, kiosk or locker and the buyer collects it when it suits them. Pargo, PUDO and PAXI belong in this group, though each runs differently.

Neither kind is better in every case. Door-to-door suits buyers who are home or have a reliable receptionist or security desk, and who want the parcel brought to them. Pickup points suit buyers who work all day, live in complexes where couriers struggle to get in, or want a cheaper option, and are happy to collect.

How each network works

The details below are general. Each company changes its service, coverage and rules over time, so confirm current terms on their own sites before you build a process around them.

Because buyers choose the pickup point, you need to capture that choice at checkout or in a follow-up. A pickup-point order with no chosen point cannot be booked, so add the selection step to your checkout or use a plugin that supports it.

The Courier Guy: door-to-door courier with collection from the seller and delivery to the buyer's address. You normally book a collection or drop parcels at a depot.
Pargo: a network of pickup points in retail locations. The seller sends the parcel to the point the customer chose, and the customer gets a message when it is ready to collect.
PUDO: lockers and pickup points. The customer collects with a code or similar proof, and the seller books the parcel to a chosen locker or point.
PAXI: a drop-off and pickup service that runs through retail partners, with the buyer choosing a point and collecting there.

Setting up an account with each

You can deal with each company directly or through a shipping platform that connects to several. Going direct gives you a relationship with the company and access to its own dashboard. Using a platform means one login and one booking screen for many couriers.

Whichever route you take, you will usually need the following before your first parcel.

Register as a business or merchant with the courier or platform and supply your company details.
Add your collection address and contact person for pickups.
Agree the service types you want, such as door-to-door or pickup-point delivery.
Connect it to your store if there is a plugin or integration, or learn the booking screen if there is not.
Send a test parcel to yourself or a colleague before you take real orders.

Choosing the right option for each order

Question	Leans door-to-door	Leans pickup point
Is the item large, heavy or fragile?	Yes, where the network accepts it	Check size limits first
Is the buyer likely to be home?	Sí	No, they work away from home
Is the address hard to reach?	No	Yes, such as a remote area or a complex with strict access
Does the order have a high value?	Often, because of handover to a named person	Possibly, if the point offers secure handover
Is the buyer price-sensitive?	Less often	Often, because pickup options can be cheaper

You do not need one answer for the whole store. The best option often depends on the parcel and the customer. Think through a few questions when you set up your shipping rules.

A simple setup is to offer both at checkout and let the buyer choose, with the pickup option showing a point selector. That moves the decision to the person who knows their own week.

Packing and labelling

Every network has size and weight limits for the parcels it accepts, and pickup-point services tend to be stricter than door-to-door ones because the parcel must fit a shelf or locker. Look up the current limits for the service you plan to use and build your packaging around them, not the other way round.

Print the label at full size on plain paper or a label printer, and stick it flat on the largest face of the box, away from seams and tape. A creased or smudged barcode is the most common reason a scan fails. Put the order number inside the parcel as well, so you can identify it if the outer label comes off.

For pickup points, double-check that the buyer's mobile number is correct on the label or booking, because that is where the collection message goes. A typo in the number means a parcel sitting on a shelf with no one told.

Getting the tracking number from each

Each network gives you a tracking number or waybill number once you book the parcel. Where you find it depends on how you booked.

Copy the number straight away into your order system. Do not leave it on a slip in a drawer. If you cannot find a number later, you cannot answer the customer when they ask where their order is.

Booked through a courier's own dashboard: the number appears on the booking confirmation and the printed label, and the dashboard lists your parcels.
Booked through a platform or plugin: the number is usually returned to your order automatically or shown on the shipment screen.
Booked by a staff member at a depot or pickup point: ask for the receipt or slip, which carries the number.

Keeping all your tracking numbers in one place

The awkward part of using several couriers is that each has its own tracking page. A customer who bought from you could be waiting on any of them, and you end up opening four sites to answer one email.

Pick one home for tracking numbers and make it part of fulfilment. In WooCommerce, the official Shipment Tracking extension adds a box to the order edit screen under WooCommerce > Orders, where you enter the tracking number and carrier, and the customer sees it in the completed-order email and their My Account page. Plugins such as Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce do similar work. In Shopify, add the number when you fulfil the order, and Shopify emails the customer a shipping confirmation with tracking.

Whatever you use, record the carrier name next to the number. The same string of digits can mean different things at different companies, and the carrier tells you where to look it up.

Comparing couriers with Bob Go

If you do not want to open accounts everywhere, a shipping platform such as Bob Go lets you compare couriers for a parcel in one screen. You enter the parcel details and destination, pick a courier from the results, and book. It is a practical way to see your options for each order without learning each company's booking system.

Check which couriers and services the platform currently supports, and whether the one you want is included. Use it to compare and book, then store the tracking number in your normal order record so it follows the same routine as every other parcel.

Where TrackIt For Business fits

When parcels move through several couriers, a single view of all of them saves time. TrackIt For Business tracks parcels across more than 3,000 carriers, and you keep your own couriers because it is not a courier itself. Connect a WooCommerce store and completed orders become tracked shipments automatically. Other stores can add shipments manually, by CSV import or through the REST API.

The dashboard shows status, flags parcels at risk of delay and compares delivery performance per courier, which helps you decide between door-to-door and pickup options based on how they actually perform for your own orders. Customers can also get a branded Apple Wallet or Google Wallet pass that updates as the parcel is scanned.

Preguntas frecuentes

What is the difference between The Courier Guy and Pargo, PUDO or PAXI?

The Courier Guy collects from the seller and delivers to the buyer's address. Pargo, PUDO and PAXI deliver to a pickup point, such as a shop or locker, where the buyer collects the parcel themselves. Each has its own coverage, size limits and rules, so check their current terms.

Can I offer both door-to-door and pickup-point delivery in my store?

Yes. Many South African stores offer both at checkout and let the buyer choose. Pickup-point options need a way for the buyer to pick a point, so use a plugin or integration that supports it, or collect the choice another way before you book the parcel.

How do I get a tracking number from a pickup-point network?

You get it when you book the parcel, either on the booking confirmation in the network's dashboard, from the platform or plugin you booked through, or on the receipt if staff at a drop-off point booked it. Copy it into your order record straight away.

Is Bob Go a courier?

No. Bob Go is a shipping platform that lets you compare couriers and book through one account. The actual delivery is done by the courier you choose. Confirm which couriers and services it currently supports before you rely on it.

How can I follow parcels from different couriers in one dashboard?

Store every tracking number with its carrier name in your order system, then use a tracker that covers several carriers. TrackIt For Business tracks parcels across more than 3,000 carriers in one dashboard, and you keep using the couriers you already have.