Send packages abroad cheaply and efficiently with this parcel guide. It is a compilation of the most important questions to consider before ordering the transport of a package. Find out how you can save money by using the best deals, which courier companies you should use for which services, and who should handle which documents.
1. What is Parcel Transport?
Whether you use parcel delivery, regular mail, or a full freight service depends on the merchandise you want to ship. Parcel transports are characterized by only admitting standard packages with specific dimensions and weight limits.
For example, if you ship packages overseas and decide to use a UPS courier for transportation, then the packages will go through a distribution network that cannot handle packages over 68kg, and the longest side of the package cannot exceed 270cm.If you need to send packages to or from other countries, you can see the current prices here เช็คพัสดุ.
2. Which Shipping Company should I Choose?
Different shipping companies have different advantages that you can benefit from, depending on what type of parcel shipping you need. There are five main categories of parcel transport companies:
- Global courier companies, such as UPS, FedEx, DHL, TNT
- Postal services, such as Correos
- Regional courier companies, such as GLS
- Local carriers
- Independent parcel transport
Global couriers have a huge and efficient network that covers most of the world, offering as a rule the ability to track your packages. Organizations are large, and their procedures are often standardized and automated, limiting flexibility. If you are shipping packages abroad, it is generally preferable to choose one of these companies as their services always include both door-to-door transport and customs clearance on exit and entry.
Postal services are generally local, but there is a strong network of post offices throughout the world. They are generally able to provide reasonable service around the world within 5-10 days, but their shipments can only be tracked at an additional charge and they usually require you to deliver your packages yourself to a post center.
Regional courier companies usually have one or more warehouses in Spain and neighboring countries. They work with a mix of private and partner vehicles, and can also ship their packages globally, in which case they typically rely on other global couriers.
Local carriers have a single vehicle or a fleet of vans or trucks that they use to plan their routes, depending on the orders they receive. Generally, you can expect the carrier to be solely responsible for the transportation itself and will only be able to assist you with documents and customs clearance to a limited extent. Local carriers are often more flexible than large companies and can sometimes adjust their pickups and delivery times according to your needs.
Independent parcel transports can be found through various portals. In general, they are private entities or individual companies that offer the transportation capacity they have along the routes they already carry out. If you use independent transport, you should be aware that if your packages do not arrive or are damaged it can be extremely difficult to obtain compensation.
3. Transportation Services when Sending Packages Abroad
When sending packages abroad with a courier company, you can generally choose from several types of shipping. At a minimum, these companies offer an express service with which to deliver your packages in several days, and a slower and cheaper service (standard) with a delivery time of about 7-10 days.
In both types of services, express and standard, the same transport network is used to send the packages; the only difference is that with the express service, the packages are marked in the system with a priority indicator. In practice, this works the same as the “priority” tags that airlines use for the luggage of business class passengers. This means that those packages will always go in the first exit and that they will be processed first during sorting and delivery.
4. Find the Best Price for Parcel Transport
With courier companies in particular, there can be big differences between the rates on a price list and the negotiated prices. It is generally not worth negotiating prices yourself if you have fewer than 100 shipments per year.
Instead of paying a price list fee, you may want to order courier services through a transport agency. For example, you can do it here, through this portal, where the agreed prices of transport agencies are displayed, which you can easily compare and order your transport online.
If you need an urgent delivery, it is good that you consult prices for both express and standard transport services. The reason is that there is only a small difference in price for some routes and package sizes, while for others they can be 3 or 4 times more expensive. The portal provides an overview of express and standard services so that you can easily compare rates and transit times.
If you arrange transportation directly with a transportation company, you will need to determine what is included in the service and the price. For example, the consignment note is often not included in the service, which means that the sender himself is responsible for creating it in the courier company’s system. In order to compare prices, it is also important to consider any surcharges, such as fuel or billing surcharges, so that you can determine the total price.
On our portal, the consignment note is always included in the price and all surcharges are included in the displayed price. If the transport agency does not include the consignment note, DHLwill prepare and send it free of charge.
5. Practical Questions after Ordering Parcel Transport
Once you have ordered transportation for your package, there are three things to keep in mind:
- Consignment note / labels
- Documents
- Pickup
The consignment note is usually a label that is put on the package. This document contains information about who the sender and receiver are, as well as the transportation service you requested and usually a reference that can be used for tracking. If you organize it through our portal, the sender will automatically receive an email with a link to his consignment notes, which he can print and stick to the packages.
When you send packages abroad, outside the EU, they will have to go through customs. For this, the transport company will need an invoice to document the value of the merchandise, as well as a packing list describing the contents of the packages.
You can arrange the pickup either when arranging the transportation or when the packages are ready to be picked up. There is no reason why you should not receive your consignment notes (labels) immediately and can schedule their collection at the latest one day before the date the packages are due to leave. Consignment notes usually contain instructions for requesting collection. You can call the local office of the courier company with the reference number from the consignment note and request collection. This can usually be arranged for the next day if you contact them before noon.