When posting a parcel, price is a vital consideration. Many couriers offer similar services both within the UK and internationally, so it is important to understand what affects the price of delivery and exactly how much sending a parcel costs before creating your shipment.
What affects the cost of sending a parcel?
Parcel weight and size
When arranging a parcel delivery online or in store, the package will be weighed and measured. Most couriers will have multiple weight and size bands, with varying prices for each bracket.
Value of contents
Most couriers will query the value of the package’s contents. If it is worth over a certain amount, a surcharge will often be added to cover potential damage in transit.
Speed of sending a parcel
Your desired delivery window is a significant contributing factor to the cost of sending a parcel. Most couriers will offer an express shipping service, with delivery guaranteed next working day – or even the same day in some cases.
Opting for express shipping will cost more than standard shipping. Generally, the earlier you need your parcel delivered the more it will cost.
Package destination
A common misunderstanding, when sending packages domestically, is that it will cost more the further the destination is from you.
This is not the case. Most destinations across the UK will cost the same, regardless of distance. The key exceptions are locations that are more difficult to access, such as the Outer Hebrides.
How much does sending a parcel overseas cost?
Contrary to popular belief, international shipping does not need to break the bank. While the base rate for international shipping will be higher than that for domestic destinations, costs will be calculated similarly. This means if you’re hoping to send a small parcel overseas using a standard service, the price will not be too high.
However, if you are sending a large package internationally and require express delivery, you will find that the price is higher.
Remember: international deliveries will be subject to customs fees. These must be considered when calculating overseas shipping costs.
How much does shipping dangerous goods cost?
Some courier companies, including Impact Express, offer special delivery services for dangerous goods that are prohibited from standard shipping. This includes, but is not limited to:
- batteries
- mobile phones
- dry ice
The cost of shipping dangerous goods will vary depending on the size and weight of the shipment, as well as your desired delivery time.
How to reduce the cost of parcel delivery
You will find that most couriers offer reasonable shipping rates, both domestically and internally. However, if you are looking to reduce costs further, there a few techniques you could adopt.
Use compact packaging
As most courier companies will use parcel size as a way to determine the cost of shipping, you should always package your parcel as compactly as possible. This can be done by using as small an outer container as possible. Ensure that no space is left between items.
While this will not minimise the weight of the parcel, it will help ensure that your package falls into a smaller (and cheaper) size category.
Post more items
It may seem counterproductive at first, but if you are mailing items for business a courier may offer reduced rates for larger and more frequent (i.e. bulk) shipments.
Compare shipping rates
Before committing to a courier, we would suggest shopping around to find the best price. Although we’re pleased to offer competitive shipping to destinations across the world, we want our customers to be confident that they are receiving the best price available when using our services.
Sending a parcel with Impact Express
At Impact Express we offer a variety of shipping services, to domestic and international destinations. To get an exact price for your shipment, please use our instant quote tool today.
