Shipment Description: What Is It and How to Write It?

TL;DR

• A shipment description provides essential details about a package, including its content, weight, size, destination, and value. This information helps couriers process and deliver the parcel accurately.
• Be specific when describing the items inside, including product name, size, origin, and any unique features. This is crucial for smooth customs clearance and in cases of damage or loss.
• A shipment description differs from a shipping label. The description details the contents, while the label includes sender, recipient, and tracking info.

A shipment description, or order details, is a set of information that is used to describe a particular parcel or shipment. The description is one of the most important parts of your parcel because it contains all the information that is needed to process and deliver it. The description helps courier companies determine if they can deliver your parcel or not. The shipment description includes information about:

• The content of the package (list each item individually in details)
• Weight and size of the package
• Destination of the shipment
• Shipment’s value

It is important to include a detailed description of the items inside the package, including the brand, model number, and quantity of the items. This is especially important when your shipment goes through customs. Not only that, but you need to always make sure you write the correct weight and size of the parcel to avoid surcharges.

Read more about:

• Customs after Brexit – guide
• What happens to overweight parcels
• Surcharges for overweight parcels

How do I write the shipment description?

When you’re writing the content description of your parcel, you’ll want to include as many details as possible. You should include the following information, and anything else the specific courier company might ask you for.

• The name of the product
• The size of the item
• The shipment’s origin
• The colour and material of the product
• Any special features that make it unique, such as a designer’s signature or historical significance

Other important information that your shipping label should include is the following, both for the recipient and sender in the designated fields:

• Full names (or, the business name if you are shipping to a company)
• The street addresses
• The city, state and postcode
• Countries

Read more about:

• Shipping with DHL
• Shipping with DPD
• Shipping with Royal Mail
• Shipping with FedEx

Why is the shipment description important?

In general, when writing the shipment details you should always be as specific as possible, as a good shipment description means a good shipping flow.

The shipment details are especially important in case the parcel gets damaged, goes missing or needs to go through customs. The provided information will determine the amount of money you would get for your shipment from the insurance, or in the case of customs, smooth customs clearance.

Read more about:

• My parcel got damaged, now what?
• My parcel is missing. What do I do?
• I need help with customs clearance

What to put in the order details when booking with Eurosender?

The description is one of the most important parts of your parcel because it contains all the information that is needed to process and deliver it. When shipping through our platform, you should provide us with the following information:

• Full name, address, city and country of the recipient and sender.
• Weight and dimensions of the parcel.
• The type of goods that are included in your parcel, for example, electronics, clothes etc.
• Descriptive information about the type of goods that are included (like, two shirts, the brand name, colours etc).
• Content value.

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Is a shipment description the same as a shipping label?

A shipment description is not the same as a shipping label. Here is why:

• A shipment description is a detailed description of the package and its contents, including the type of package, the weight and size of the package, the destination of the shipment, the shipment’s value, any special instructions for the package, and a detailed description of the items inside the package (including the brand, model number, and quantity).
• A shipping label, on the other hand, is a label that is attached to the package and contains information about the destination, sender, and tracking number related to the shipment.

Still have questions?

Check our delivery guides for more information.