How Do Couriers Charge for Delivery?

TL;DR

• Couriers charge based on actual or volumetric weight, package size, shipping route, type of goods, and transport method.
• International shipments and fragile or restricted items generally cost more.
• Shipping by road is cheaper than air, and sea freight is less expensive than rail freight.
• Use tools like Eurosender’s booking system to compare rates and access pre-negotiated lower prices.

Every time the holiday season approaches, delivery prices tend to increase dramatically. At Eurosender, we would like to provide you with some hacks to cheaper shipping that will help you benefit from lower courier delivery costs. To start with, how much do couriers charge, and what is the courier companies’ calculation method?

Read more about shipping rates with:

• Shipping rates with DHL
• Shipping rates with UPS
• Shipping rates with FedEx

What affects the shipping price?

Here are the crucial elements for determining what affects the shipping price and the courier service charges:

• Actual weight OR volumetric weight of your parcel

Larger but lighter parcels can sometimes cost less than smaller, but heavier ones. It has everything to do with how couriers use the space inside their delivery vans.

• Package measurements

This parameter is key to determining the type of shipping service you need (check our pages dedicated to standard shipping, pallet delivery service, etc.). Check all about shipment dimensions here.

• Shipping route (distance)

Factors such as mileage, fuel costs, and congestion fees (if applicable) are the ones that shape delivery rates. Read more about fuel surcharges here.

• Type of goods or freight

Packages containing fragile, valuable, or restricted items must be handled with the utmost care, and thus, the shipping price for such articles can exceed standard delivery fees.

• Shipment destination

Local parcel and freight deliveries are always cheaper than international shipments. In the case of cross-border transport, customs duties may also apply and increase the delivery costs for the sender. Read all about international shipping here

• Transport method

Shipments transported by road cost less than the ones carried by air, while cargo delivered as sea freight is generally less costly than rail freight.

• Individual courier company’s tariffs.

Even though the competition in the logistics world is quite high and all the service providers strive not to be more expensive than their counterparts, in some cases, the price difference may become quite tangible. Check out all courier companies’ tariffs here.

Courier service charges: how to pay less?

At Eurosender, we have developed a tool helping you get lower courier delivery costs for any door-to-door shipping option. Through our extensive network of international logistics partners, the Eurosender platform users can benefit from pre-negotiated rates. Our algorithm compares multiple courier service charges for the relevant service and grants you immediate access to the best price-quality ratio. Our standard shipping service will be the most cost-efficient choice for your small and medium-sized parcels.

How much do Eurosender partner couriers charge?

If you would like to get a general idea about Eurosender shipping rates for the most popular European routes, check our dedicated blog article. As an example, you will find below our price list for standard national and international shipments to and from countries, such as the UK and Ireland.

From	To	Parcel up to 2kg	Parcel up to 10kg	Parcel up to 20kg	Parcel up to 30kg
United Kingdom	United Kingdom	€12.59	€12.70	€12.81	€12.92
United Kingdom	France	€38.45	€40.16	€42.73	€44.44
United Kingdom	Germany	€33.32	€35.89	€37.60	€39.31
Ireland	Ireland	€26.61	€26.85	€27.09	€27.32
Ireland	United Kingdom	€15.38	€17.09	€19.65	€22.21
Ireland	Netherlands	€29.91	€41.02	€45.29	€50.42

Hacks to a cheaper shipping

Now that you know how couriers charge for delivery, you are ready to learn more about dos and don’ts in terms of shipping. So, if you are looking for lower courier delivery costs, here is the way to proceed:

1. Do not be afraid to ship with new providers.
2. Do not be shy to ask for a discount to benefit from lower courier delivery costs.
3. Pay attention to the size of the box you choose for packaging.
4. Do not throw old boxes away, you may reuse this packaging for your future shipment.
5. Use the best price/quality selection algorithm instead of price comparison platforms.

Most of us believe that price comparison is the right way to go, given a huge number of specialized apps and websites. Still, we sometimes forget that these tools often compare standard courier service charges and do not indicate hidden fees and possible surcharges, not to mention how much time we spend on these resources trying to find the best option.

Instead of asking yourself what affects the shipping price and how couriers charge for delivery, get an instant shipping quote with the best price/quality ratio through our smart booking tool. Depending on the number and the volume of the items you intend to send, it will suggest you a viable alternative to excessive shipping charges in a few clicks!

Still have questions?

Check our articles that answer the most common questions about shipping.