Navigation and Content

SHIPPING ABROAD IN AN ONLINE STORE - WHAT IS WORTH CHECKING?

Current as of: 04.01.2023

Shipping a package abroad is a much more difficult process than a standard domestic shipment. To be able to provide your company with a seamless delivery process to countries other than Poland as well, it is worth taking the time to familiarize yourself with the requirements and conditions of this endeavor. What do you need to know when wanting to send an international package? How do courier services to meet the needs of an online store?

International shipments - how to find the best services?

Foreign parcel is a service used on a daily basis by entrepreneurs who conquer international markets with their services. By working with professional courier companies like DHL eCommerce, they can fulfill orders for customers in other countries extremely quickly and conveniently. However, the variety of products available as part of the courier service offerings can make it a bit difficult to select the right services for your business. Several characteristics of the offers can be singled out for special attention. These include parcel prices, delivery time to the destination country and the range of shipments handled.

Low prices and short delivery time

When you choose to ship international parcels via DHL eCommerce, you can count on a tailored price quote that takes into account the capabilities and needs of your business. Meanwhile, a wide range of additional services will help customize the overseas shipping process to meet the specific needs of your company and the expectations of your customers. Getting your package across borders doesn’t have to take long if you work with the best carriers – DHL eCommerce offers some of the shortest delivery times in Europe. As part of the service, you can conveniently send an international package at one of the available partner outlets in the DHL POP network or with a courier. Partner parcel pick-up points and courier deliveries also work on  in other European countries, so you can give your customers easy, convenient pick-up at no additional charge.

Match the offer to your products

When planning to send an international package by courier, you need to find out whether the specifics of the product you are sending, its weight and dimensions allow you to take advantage of the offer. To do this, it will be necessary to weigh and measure the package, and determine whether its shape, contents and type of packaging allow it to qualify as a standard shipment. Based on its weight and other characteristics, it should also be determined whether the goods will need to be shipped on a pallet or whether plain packaging will suffice.

Foreign shipments - what should I check before sending them?

Depending on the country of residence of the recipient of the package, there may be different requirements for the type of items that can be sent to a particular country. When planning to provide your services on the territory of other countries, you need to check whether the items offered by the online store are authorized in their territory. Remember, too, that certain documents may be necessary for the ability to ship certain goods.

An international shipment sent outside the European Union (for example, to the UK) is a bit more difficult to handle - any goods exported to third countries face customs clearance. To ensure that the process goes smoothly and the package arrives at the recipient on time, take care to obtain the data necessary for this purpose. For example, for a shipment to the UK, the trader will need to obtain his EORI number and UK tax identification number. Couriers like DHL eCommerce help your business customers meet their customs duties by helping you identify the data needed to ship internationally at the time of shipment creation.

International courier shipments - how to prepare the shipment of a package abroad?

To help your online store build a reputation in the overseas market, you should make every effort to ensure that international shipments are delivered in impeccable condition. When selecting materials and packaging techniques, it is therefore worth considering the specifics of long-distance shipping. Shipped goods should be properly protected - wrapping them in several layers of bubble wrap can help. The empty spaces inside the package will be good to fill, for example, with sponge or Styrofoam. This step will help immobilize the contents of the shipment and reduce the impact of shocks on it in transit.