In order to increase the efficiency of an arrangement for distributing articles for dispatch with a distributing conveyor, a transfer device is proposed. The distributing conveyor is used to deliver the articles for dispatch to collecting containers that are arranged at delivery locations along a conveying route of the distributing conveyor. The transfer device responds to transfer signals emitted by a control device that respectively designate a delivery location of a collecting container, and is used for transferring the collecting containers between the delivery locations and a predetermined transporting route for the collecting containers.