Parcels are used in principle for shipments that are too large to fit in an envelope and too small to be on a pallet. They are typically between the size of a shoebox and a large crate.

Parcel post is typically used for distribution and smaller international shipments. You may have experienced parcel postage from online shopping, whether you have purchased from within the UK or from overseas. Parcel post is typically used for this type of distribution of goods, ie for B2C purposes.

In addition, parcel postage is also for smaller international shipments, even if it does not have to go fast. The reason is that at the slower modes, such as by ship or hauler, there is a minimum size, on which you will be charged. This is usually 1 cubic meter of ocean freight and one pallet for haulage. In other words, you’re going to pay for a 1 cubic meter or 1 full pallet, even if you only send a small cardboard box. This minimum does not exist for parcel post. Here, in principle, you could go down to letter-size.

There are big differences in prices. Should it be a cheap parcel, it is a good idea to order on a portal like this, where you can get the benefit of a major account contract, regardless of whether you send parcels often. Our portal gets you prices directly from a courier company and you will often be able to get the same package service at least 50% cheaper here on the portal.

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Parcel solutions

The providers of parcel delivery solutions can be divided into two groups; public and private. However, in the UK, whilst Royal Mail used to represent the public side, it was privatised in the years following the Postal Services Act of 2011. Nonetheless, Royal Mail continues to act as the national postal service for the UK.

Whilst Royal Mail may seem like the obvious choice when sending parcels, thanks to the emergence of price comparison websites (such as Transporteca), there is greater competition and therefore a lower price point for other courier services.

The different players, both public and private, have different geographical strengths although there is some overlap in these. Within Europe, GLS, TNT and UPS each have with a strong European network. Intercontinental traffic is dominated by the three big plays DHL, FedEx and UPS, which operate their own fleets of cargo planes.

The courier companies offer both slow and fast parcel products. However, they are all relatively quick, compared to sea freight. An express transit is typically can be delivered to the other end of the world in 1-2 days while standard shipping takes 3-5 days. This is compared with the 30-50 days that it typically takes for intercontinental sea freight.

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Parcel service via Transporteca

On Transporteca you can easily get an overview of rates and times. That way you will soon find the cheapest parcel delivery solution for your needs. Once you have chosen the best option for yourself, you can easily and securely book and pay for the shipment.

It works as follows:

Make a search by entering the pick-up location, destination, dimensions, and weight of the package
Choose the solution that best fits your transport needs (ie. Whether you need it delivered cheaply or quickly)
Fill out the sender and recipient address
Confirm and pay by credit card, paypal or bank transfer
You will receive an email from Transporteca with a label to put on the package
Print the label and put it on the package with tape
Then you call the chosen courier and order pickup
The package will be picked up from you and will be delivered at the receiver’s address
You can track the package online with the tracking number provided