How delivery works

— UK delivery

Honest answers about UK drop-ship logistics for events.

The flow, end to end

1. You configure your order on Merchalia — colour, size, quantity, technique, logo upload — and provide the shipping address at checkout.
2. We pass the order to the UK supplier (PF Concept, MidOcean or Ralawise depending on the product) with your artwork and shipping address.
3. The supplier produces at their UK facility. Lead time depends on technique and product — typically 5 to 12 working days from artwork sign-off. The lead time for each product is shown on the product page before you order.
4. The supplier dispatches via standard UK courier — DPD, DHL Express or Royal Mail Tracked depending on size and urgency. White-label packaging, no supplier branding visible.
5. You receive a tracking number by email when dispatched, plus a confirmed delivery date.

What we handle vs what you handle

About event venue delivery

Major UK venues (ExCeL, NEC Birmingham, Olympia London, ICC Birmingham, EICC Edinburgh, ACC Liverpool, SEC Glasgow and others) require pre-registered delivery bookings via their freight or logistics portal.

You arrange this directly with the venue and provide us the marshalling reference when you place your order. We then ship to the venue address with that reference, and the venue’s freight team receives the consignment. They typically deliver to your stand on the morning of build-up day.

Common UK venue freight portals:

• ExCeL London — excel.london/exhibitor/freight-and-logistics
• NEC Birmingham — thenec.co.uk/exhibitor-information
• Olympia London — olympia.london/visit/exhibitor-info

Alternative delivery options

Ship to your office

Most flexible. We deliver to your business address, then you transport to the event yourself or via your own logistics. No venue coordination required.

Ship to your hotel

For travelling event managers. Works if your hotel agrees to receive packages — most do, some charge handling fees. We recommend checking with the hotel concierge before placing the order.

Multi-attendee home shipments

For sales kick-offs, hybrid events, or distributed teams — each attendee receives a package at their home address. Per-address surcharge applies (typically £3–£8 per address depending on courier). For orders with more than 50 home addresses, contact us for a managed flow with CSV upload.

FAQ

When will my order arrive?

Lead time = production days + courier days. Both are shown on every product page before you order. We commit to dispatching by the lead time stated; the courier handles the delivery day after that (typically 1–2 working days for UK domestic).

Can you guarantee a specific delivery date?

We guarantee the production lead time. The courier delivery day is subject to standard courier reliability (rarely delayed but not guaranteed by us). For high-stakes events, order with an extra 2–3 days buffer.

What courier do you use?

Depends on supplier and parcel size. PF Concept primarily uses DPD and DHL Express. Ralawise uses DPD and Royal Mail Tracked. MidOcean varies. All include tracking.

Can I track my order?

Yes. You receive a tracking number by email when the supplier dispatches. You can also see status from your Merchalia account at any time.

What if my venue rejects the delivery?

This is rare but happens if the marshalling reference is missing or the slot wasn’t booked. We help reroute (additional fees apply) but the responsibility for venue arrangements is yours.

Do you ship internationally?

UK only at launch. EU expansion planned for 2027.

Have a delivery scenario you’d like to verify?

If your event setup is unusual — overseas attendees, build-up day before our standard lead time, multiple loading-bay constraints — talk to us before ordering. We’d rather flag risks early than apologise later.