Whats the popn of the Highlands and Islands  ?  One million ?

 and they are all spread out 

The couriers surcharge for remote locations (they dont want to send a van on a hundred mile round trip , to deliver 10 parcels )

 when they could do similar in Brimingham and deliver 130 parcels )

 Since Couriers ar eprivate companies , they can charge what they want , you the custumer dont have to use them , by surcharging for the Highlands and anywhere that involves sea travel , they are basically saying , "thats the price it sup to you "

Royal mail on the otherhand has by law to treat all parts of the UK the same ,, and thye deliver letters , small parcels , preferably 

 a one kilo parcel with a signature is approx £4.30 

 a 2 kilo parcel with sig is approx £6.odd 

 and a 17 kilo parcel by Parcelforce 24 booked at the post office is £31 ! 

 Wheras Couriers the like of UPS , Fed EX , DPD , etc , will deliver 30 kilo parcels in the populous ares of the Uk , for region £10 

 (and they collect from your door and provide fuill online track , with £50 insurance ) as default 

 If someone sells online for a living , and they sell plus 1 kilo items  , then the only way to deliver them is with a courier 

 So if we accept that one in sixty of our custumers live in a remote area , and  it will be expensive to deliver to them , surcharges imposed , or a seller may have to use a courier they are not comfortable with (like Hermes , collect plus ) 

 then they can decide its not worth the hasle for sub 2% of sales