How to choose the right courier for your e-commerce store

Turn shipping into an accelerator for growth. Compare courier services, costs, advantages and use cases to build the best logistics strategy for your store.

CONTENTS

Introduction: How to choose the perfect courier 3

Part 1

UK courier overviews

DPD 5

Hermes 7

Royal Mail 9

FedEx 11

DHL 13

DHL Express 15

UPS 17

Parcelforce 19

Part 2 A direct courier comparison

Market positioning matrix 21

Courier comparisons 22

Part 3 A Multi-courier strategy

Roadmap to implement a multi-courier strategy 24

Who are Sendcloud 25

What our clients think about us 27

3

How to choose the perfect courier for your online store?

Don’t just settle for the first courier you come

across. And don’t just settle for the courier that

seems the cheapest. Although it’s definitely

important to consider your costs, there are many

factors to think about when choosing the delivery

you offer your customers.

But fear not! We’re here to help. In this guide, we take a close look at each of the top UK couriers, giving you an overview of their shipping methods, pricing, special services, what they’re good to use for, and more.

Gain the insight you need to make an educated comparison and build the best shipping strategy for your business.

So, shall we get started?

But first, why is it important to do this research?

Shipping can be extremely costly for your business. It may seem logical to go for the cheapest delivery company to keep your costs low. But that’s not necessarily the best strategy for customer retention. Why?

Well, despite saving you some cash, it’s important to remember that delivery is one of the biggest parts of your customer’s experience when shopping with you. Its success is intrinsic to your business’s success. You must consider whether these cheap services will live up to your customers’ expectations?

What’s more, what if you want to add in more services for your customers? A courier may offer very economic standard delivery, but

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their charges for express, international or tracked delivery may surprise you with steep costs or limited possibilities.

This is why it’s vital to understand what each delivery company offers, their costs, and in what situations are they good to use.

How can this research help you save money?

A multi-courier strategy will allow you to mix ‘n’ match shipping methods from various delivery companies. You can choose both the most economic methods and the methods that fit with your business, your products, and what your customers expect.

You will need to compare all the services available to you in order to choose the best combination for your business.

This guide collects information about the following couriers, their services and shipping services. It has been created under the best intentions to provide accurate details, but no rights can be derived from the information provided. This guide is only for informational purposes. It is not an indicative document for what either the couriers or Sendcloud can provide.

What should you consider when choosing your couriers and shipping services?

Ľ Your budget

Ľ Your average amount of shipments per day/week/month

Ľ What your customers expect with their delivery

Ľ The shipping options you want to offer

Ľ The types of products you sell - their size, weight, value, fragility etc

Ľ Your return rate (and the return timeframe)

Ľ Do you ship internationally (and if so, what percentage of your total shipments)?

Ľ Maybe something else specific for your business?

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Delivery times Volume MAX Weight MAX Pricing

DPD Next / Two Day Domestic Service

Delivery within 24-48

hours100x70x60 cm 30 kg £7.70

DPD Pick-Up PointDomestic Service

Delivery to a

collection point100x70x60 cm 30 kg £6.50

DPD Home SaturdayDomestic Service

Choice of delivery

before 10:30 or 12:00

(Sat) or 12:00 (Sun)

100x70x60 cm 30 kg £10.00

DPD ClassicInternational Service

2-7 days*

Max length: 120cm. Max

girth: 300cm.31.5 kg

Starting from £12.95*

DPD is the largest parcel delivery network in Europe. It is also one of the top couriers in the UK. In the UK, DPD employs over 11,000 staff who operate in 56 locations across the country (including the superhub in Hinckley, Leicestershire). DPD’s 8,000 vehicles deliver 230 million parcels a year.

� Please note these are indicative prices that are offered through Sendcloud. These are not prices offered by DPD and are not subject to any rights for what DPD can supply. These prices

may vary for certain locations so may not be relevant for where you plan to ship, as well as they may face surcharges for certain criteria.

� *Delivery times and costs for DPD Classic - the international service - are dependent on the country being shipped to.

DPD time-sensitive shipping

If you need a package to arrive before a set time, DPD offers a selection of services.

Ț DPD Next Day 10:30

Ț DPD Next Day 12:00

Ț DPD Saturday 10:30

Ț DPD Saturday 12:00

Ț DPD Sunday 12:00

DPD also offers DPD Next Day and Two Day Delivery

DPD international shipping

On a worldwide scale, DPD delivered over 1.3 billion packages in 2019, proving to be a reliable choice for international shipments.

DPD Classic : 2 - 6 daysShip with DPD Classic for a fairly fast delivery to key European destinations. This includes DPD’s 26,000 pickup locations as well as tracking notifications.

DPD Express & DPD Air: 2 - 4 daysShip with DPD Express or DPD Air for express delivery to over 200 countries worldwide. DPD air is a great economical option if your packages aren’t time-sensitive.

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DPD: Pros

L Costs: accessible prices for European non-time sensitive shipments

L Speed: time-guarenteed domestic shipment and 24-48 hour delivery is available

L Tracking: DPD’s Predict and Precise services are brilliant tracking solutions for your customers

L International: Strong European network

DPD: Cons

M Costs: Not the cheapest courier for domestic shipments

M Speed: DPD is not an express courier, and is slower with international delivery

When to use DPD?

DPD has a good reputation as a UK and international shipping courier. DPD is a great choice for merchants who want to offer a very high level of flexibility and convenience to their customers. With a one-hour package delivery window and 2,500 handy PickUp points across the UK merchants using DPD can build strong customer relationships and boost customer retention. Businesses who regularly send express packages, heavy shipments or require freight services may be better off with a different courier as this is not a strong focus for DPD.

DPD special services

PickUp This DPD service helps provide flexible and convenient delivery. Customers can both receive and send packages from a PickUp point, including parcel shops and self-service lockers.

PredictA precision tracking service, DPD predict allows customers to know the exact hour-window their package will arrive. The notifications are sent by email or SMS or DPD’s

highly-rated and easy-to-use mobile app. Customers can change the time, day, or place if they need to, providing extra flexibility and decreasing the amount of failed deliveries.

PreciseWith Precise, customers can choose their own date and hour delivery time-slot from an available list. This gives them complete control, and again reduces the risk of their package not being delivered.

DPD Local

is DPD’s sister company. It focuses on

providing a local service and is good for lower

shipping volumes. DPD is better for more

substantial shipping.

Delivery times Volume & Weight Mainland UK Other Post Codes

Hermes Next Day Domestic Service

Drop off by 12 noon,

delivery within 24 hrs

120x225 cm15kg

£3.59 £7.06

Hermes ParcelShop Domestic Service

Delivery with 1-3

days

120x225 cm15kg

£2.76 £7.06

Hermes Two DayDomestic Service

Drop off by 12 noon,

delivery within 48 hrs

120x225 cm15kg

£3.41 £7.06

Known as myHermes, they claim to be the UK’s consumer delivery specialist. They deliver over 400 million parcels a year and offer flexible and affordable delivery options, including parcel shops and lockers. Hermes boasts working alongside retailers such as Next, ASOS, John Lewis and PrettyLittleThing.

� Please note these are indicative prices that are offered through Sendcloud. These are not prices offered by Hermes and are not subject to any rights for what Hermes can supply.

� These prices may vary for certain locations so may not be relevant for where you plan to ship, as well as they may face surcharges for certain criteria.

7 days a week domestic shipping

Hermes offers delivery 7 days a week with their couriers, parcel shops and lockers.

Standard or next-day domestic delivery

Ț Use standard delivery to deliver your products in 2 - 5 days.

Ț Next-day delivery arrives the next day, including Saturday and Sunday.

Hermes international shipping

Hermes offers international delivery service to over 190 countries worldwide. Your parcels are covered by £20 insurance.

Hermes partner with local couriers to deliver the package. The whole journey is trackable for visibility of your parcel’s progress.

Delivery time takes between three to seven working days. The costs depends on where you are sending from and to and the weight of your packages.

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Hermes: Pros

L Costs: Very cheap domestic prices

L Speed: Domestic delivery within 24 hours

L Tracking: Included in the price as standard, and is executed through their user-friendly app

L Extras: A large network of 5,000 parcel shops and 1,000 lockers for extra flexibility and reduced undelivered shipments

Hermes: Cons

M International: International shipping is handled through local partners or couriers in the destination country rather than handled by Hermes directly

When to use Hermes?

Hermes is an ideal courier for businesses that send a lot of low weight shipments that don’t require a guaranteed delivery time. Hermes offers 1,000+ conveniently located lockers across the UK where customers can pick up their goods, 24/7. So it’s great for businesses that want to provide a highly flexible, convenient service to their customers. What’s more, by giving buyers the opportunity to manage shipments via the free Hermes app, you’ll reduce your margin for error and offer even greater choice and control to your customers.

Hermes special services

The Hermes AppWith the Hermes app, consumers can track, direct, and return their package. They can also set preferences for their package delivery. When consumers have more flexibility and control, the risk of your products not being delivered decreases.

ParcelShop DeliveryHermes have 5,000+ parcel shops based in local businesses across the UK. A customer is able to send, collect, and return packages.

Post-Box PackagesHermes offers postable (under 1kg) packages which are perfect for guaranteed delivery if you sell small products.

Hermes LockersLockers have become increasingly popular. Lockers allow your customers to collect their package through self-service using a unique access code. Hermes offers 1,000+ lockers in the UK which consumers can access 24/7.

With Sendcloud,

easily integrate a user-friendly pick-up

point selector into your checkout to use Hermes ParcelShop. This won’t

need development resources.

Delivery times Volume & Weight Tracked 24 Tracked 48

Royal Mail Tracked Domestic Service

1 - 2 business daysSmall parcel (1kg-

2kg)£5.46 - £7.80 £4.47

Royal Mail is the UK’s official postal service and is instantly recognisable to any British inhabitant. In our own consumer research, it was the clear leader for the most preferred courier by consumers. Offering both domestic and international shipping services, Royal Mail is a high contender to consider.

� Prices are sourced from Royal Mail’s Online Price Guide April 2021. These prices are indicative and are not subject to any rights for what Royal Mail or Sendcloud can supply.

� These prices may vary for certain locations so may not be relevant for where you plan to ship, as well as they may face surcharges for certain criteria.

Royal Mail domestic shipping

Royal Mail 1st and 2nd Class: Ship up to 20kg packages for next day delivery with Royal Mail 1st Class, and up to 1kg packages with 2nd Class. There is no tracking, or time-guarantee for delivery.

Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed:Guaranteed next working day by 9:00 for packages up to 2k, and 13:00 for packages up to 10kg. This service has tracking available and Saturday delivery.

Royal Mail 24 and 48: These are a popular non-tracked e-commerce

shipping methods. Choose between either next-day delivery or delivery within 2 - 3 days.

Royal Mail Tracked 24 and 48: The same great shipping method with tracking included. Tracking, of course, increases the costs.

Royal Mail Local Collect: Royal Mail Local Collect is a lower-cost option that enables your customers to pick up their parcel at one of Royal Mail’s thousands of local pick-up locations.

Delivery times Volume & Weight£1,000 Cover-

age£500 Coverage

Special Guarenteed by 1pm Domestic Service

13:00 by the next

business day

Small parcel (1kg-2kg)

£9.85 - £12.05 £8.85 - £11.05

Delivery times Volume & Weight 1st Class 2nd Class

Standard 1st and 2nd Class Domestic Service

1-3 daysSmall parcel (1kg-

2kg)£3.68 - £5.47 £3.00

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Royal Mail: Pros

L Costs: Very affordable prices for domestic shipping, particularly Royal Mail 2nd Class for non-time sensitive shipments

L Speed: Time-guarenteed services are available, though do cost more

L Extras: A well-known, well trusted service (named consumers most preferred courier in Sendcloud’s Delivery Compass 2020)

Royal Mail: Cons

M International: International shipping is passed on to local couriers in the destination country. Heavier shipments are also outsourced to a sister company

M Tracking: Tracking isn’t standard included and costs extra

M Extras: The Royal Mail App’s rating on the Apple Store is 1.9 which suggests a less user friendly system than competitors

When to use Royal Mail?

As one of the most trusted UK couriers, Royal Mail is an excellent option for both experienced and start-up e-commerce businesses that need a reliable, cost-effective service for lower-cost shipments that don’t usually require a guaranteed delivery time. Royal Mail does offer guaranteed services as well as tracking but these services are not available on all shipping options. This, coupled with the fact that it outsources international shipping may not make it the most attractive option to merchants who need to fulfill a variety of both domestic and international shipping needs.

Royal Mail special services

Free weekday pickup for higher-volume shippersIf your business spends more than £15,000 on shipping with Royal Mail each year, you are eligible for free weekday pickup. For businesses that spend less than £15,000 a year, you can still use regular weekday collection, which costs around £800 a year as of 2020.

Royal Mail tracked returns for e-commerceWith a Royal Mail Business Parcels account you get access to Royal Mail’s Tracked

Returns service. The pricing is calculated individually, based on your return shipping needs. Typically, prices range from £2 to £3 per return, depending on your volume and other conditions. However, you must meet these conditions to be eligible:

Ț You are a Royal Mail Business Parcels account holder.

Ț You receive at least 20 return shipments a week, or 1,000 per year.

Royal Mail even

offers their Sameday service, which operates 24 hours a day

all week, and includes tracking, delivery confirmation, and

coverage.

FedEx has been a leader in the transportation sector since 1973. The courier connects over 220 countries and territories across the globe. FedEx acquired TNT in 2016, significantly increasing its European networks, with a fleet of over 25,000 vans and shuttles, 6,500 trucks and around 70 aircraft.

� Please note these are indicative prices sourced from FedEx’s website using Bristol as an example shipping location. These prices are not subject to any rights for what FedEx or

Sendcloud can supply. These prices may vary for your start location, and for the locations you plan to ship, as well as they may face surcharges for certain criteria.

FedEx domestic shipping

Ț FedEx Express next day delivery – 9 am, 10 am, 12 pm, and close of business.

Ț FedEx Shipping on Saturday.

Ț FedEx also offers its FedEx Economy service. This option is cheaper than FedEx Express and takes between 2-3 business days.

FedEx international shipping

FedEx Europe/International FirstA premium service for time-sensitive packages. European deliveries arrive by the

next day. It takes two days to the US, Canada, Latin America, the Middle East and India.

FedEx International Priority

An express service for time-sensitive packages. A delivery to Europe or the US will arrive the next day and 1-4 days to other regions.

FedEx International EconomyAn economy service for packages that are not time-sensitive. This budget-friendly shipping service takes between 2-5 days to ship to Europe, 4-5 days for the US and Canada, and between 4-6 days for other regions.

Delivery times Weight FedEx Next Day FedEx Economy

Bristol to London Domestic Service

1 - 3 business daysUp to 10kg

package£15.49 £12.91

Delivery times WeightInternational

PriorityInternational

Economy

Bristol to Berlin, Germany International Service

1-5 business days 1kg package £80.93 £65.07

Delivery times WeightInternational

PriorityInternational

Economy

Bristol to New York, US International Service

1-5 days 1kg package £85.98 £79.86

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FedEx: Pros

L International: Excellent worldwide coverage

L Speed: Fast express shipments across the globe

L Tracking: FedEx Delivery Manager allows customers to track and adjust the delivery

L Extras: Personal customer service available

FedEx: Cons

M Costs: Very high prices (but remember these are negotiable for higher volumes)

M Extras: Less pick-up options compared with other couriers and no free package pick-up services available

When to use FedEx?

Offering negotiable prices on higher volumes, FedEx is a good option for merchants who need to ship larger amounts to single destinations. FedEx also offers personal customer service so it could be useful for businesses who are just starting out or who may require additional support with shipping processes. This courier is one of the best for insurance cover, so coupled with the fact that they operate an excellent tracking system, makes FedEx a good choice for merchants with higher value shipments. FedEx doesn’t offer the best range of flexibility services, however. So, if convenient pickup points are a priority, you may be better off with another courier.

FedEx special services

High-Value shipmentsFedEx offers two extra services for shipments that contain expensive or sensitive material; Priority Alert and SenseAware.

Delivery Signature servicesFedEx offers the following delivery signature services to UK businesses: no signature required, indirect signature required, direct signature required, and adult signature required.

FedEx Delivery ManagerCustomers are sent a notification indicating the delivery day. They can change their delivery location or time. Customers are kept

up to date on their shipment’s progress via SMS or email. With FedEx Delivery Manager, consumers are able to:

Ț Deliver on a date in the future.

Ț Change the delivery address.

Ț Deliver to a neighbour.

Ț Deliver to a pick-up point.

Ț Deliver to a planned safe place.

FedEx’s prices may

seem very steep, but the courier offers negotiable rates for

higher shipping volumes.

DHL is one of the leading delivery specialists in the UK. It offers a range of shipping services across the UK, Europe and around the world. It has half a million employees working across more than 220 countries. DHL operates a national network of over 50 depots, 3,500 ServicePoints and 2,000 vehicles.

� Please note these are indicative prices sourced from DHL Parcel’s website. They are not subject to any rights for what DHL Parcel UK or Sendcloud can supply.

� These prices may vary for certain locations so may not be relevant for where you plan to ship, as well as they may face surcharges for certain criteria.

DHL Parcel domestic shipping

DHL Parcel UK will deliver the next day, though some regions can take 1-3 days. The courier can collect and deliver parcels from 1cm to 70x70x70cm with a weight of up to 25kg.

Ț DHL Parcel UK Service Drop-off Point

Ț DHL Parcel UK Depot Drop Off - Prices start at just £4.79.

Ț Urgent deliveries with DHL UK Parcel - For time-sensitive packages with a delivery slot for guaranteed delivery before 9am, 10.30am, 12 noon the next day or Saturday delivery.

DHL Parcel international shipping

Sending to the US takes 2-3 days, China 3-4 days and Australia takes 4-5 days.

DHL Parcel Connect: a road service throughout Europe that includes tracking.

DHL Parcel International: a global road service with online tracking, and up to £500 cover.

DHL Road Economy Delivery: ideal for larger parcels and covers the whole of Europe, with online tracking, and up to £1000 cover.

DHL Worldwide Air Delivery: ideal for urgent parcels with tracking, proof of receipt, and up to £1000 cover.

Size & WeightHome collection

to doorServicePoint to

doorDepot to door

Extra Small Parcel Domestic Service

Max 2kg

max 23x23x23cm£8.79 £5.79 £4.79

Small Parcel Domestic Service

Max 5kg

max 35x35x35cm£8.79 £5.79 £4.79

Medium ParcelDomestic Service

Max 10kg

max 45x45x45cm£8.79 £5.79 £4.79

Large ParcelDomestic Service

Max 15kg

max 60x60x60cm£8.79 £5.79 £4.79

XL ParcelDomestic Service

Max 15kg

max 70x70x70cm£15.79 £15.79 £8.79

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DHL Parcel UK: Pros

L Costs: Accessible domestic prices for Depot to Door (not as cheap as Royal Mail or Hermes though)

L Speed: Time guarenteed services available and standard shipping takes 1-3 days

L Tracking: One hour time slot notifications

L International Network: Connected to 220 countries

DHL Parcel UK: Cons

M Speed: Not an express international service though urgent options are available

M Costs: Its international shipping services are relatively expensive

When to use DHL Parcel?

If driving down costs isn’t a priority but you want to offer a great range of flexibility services to customers, DHL Parcel UK is a strong choice. The returns process is second to none, and they offer a wide range of delivery, drop-off and collection options as well as guaranteed delivery in an exact time frame. A great tracking system is the cherry on the cake that should keep your customers loyal and happy. As mentioned, the costs are a bit higher than other couriers, including international options, but the benefits of increased customer retention should balance that out.

DHL Parcel special services

Just Right ReturnsJust Right Returns is a straightforward returns service. You can choose to include a returns label in the shipment or direct the customer to an online portal where they can print the label. The customer can then take the package to one of the 3,500 dropoff points for fully tracked return.

One hour time slot for deliveriesRecipients are notified by text or email advising them of the one-hour slot they can

expect their delivery to be made within. When the time approaches they will be informed again when they are the next delivery in line.

DHL Parcel UK Collection serviceThis is a great service for sending larger shipments. Book a collection for the next working day and a DHL driver will pick the parcel up from your nominated location.

Customers can also choose flexible delivery

options by having their parcel delivered to a safe

place, to a neighbour or a DHL Parcel ServicePoint.

DHL Express is a separate entity from DHL. It is owned by the same parent company, Deutsche Post. DHL Express is a highly respected UK shipping provider and a global market leader in express deliveries. It has an excellent international reach, shipping to over 220 counties.

� Please note these are indicative prices sourced from DHL Express’s website. They are not subject to any rights for what DHL Express or Sendcloud can supply.

� These prices may vary for certain locations so may not be relevant for where you plan to ship, as well as they may face surcharges for certain criteria.

DHL Express domestic shipping

DHL Express has only one service level for shipping in the UK - next day delivery:

Ț Next day delivery with Express 9:00, Express 12:00, or Express Domestic or Express Easy for next end of day delivery

Ț Money-back guarantees are available on Express 9:00 and Express 12:00 services

Ț The maximum volume is 48x40x39cm and the maximum weight is 25 kg

DHL Express international shipping

Urgent Time Sensitive Delivered the next possible business day. Choose from Express 9:00, Express 10:30, Express 12 noon, Express Worldwide and Express Easy. Includes door to door courier delivery, tracking, customs clearance facilitation and delivery management.

Less urgentDelivered within 1-3 business days, with door to door courier delivery, tracking, customs clearance facilitation and proactive notifications on request. Dangerous goods can be shipped on this service.

Size & WeightHome collection

to doorServicePoint to

doorDelivery time

Next DayDomestic Service

1kg

10x5x10cm£15.17 £13.95 1 working day

UK to Germany International Service

1kg

10x5x10cm£38.05 £33.95 1 working day

UK to USInternational Service

1kg

10x5x10cm£40.65 £37.95 1 working day

UK to AustraliaDomestic Service

1kg

10x5x10cm£52.04 £49.95

3 working days

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DHL Express: Pros

L Speed: Same day express available with a wide range of express international delivery options

L International: A large international network of 220 countries

L Extras: No pickup fees and offers refunds for service failures, with 24/7 international support

DHL Express: Cons

M Cost: Not the most cost-effective for domestic deliveries

M International: Not the strongest presence in the US with UPS having more presence there

M Domestic: Only one domestic delivery

When to use DHL Express?

DHL Express is a good option if you don’t need to offer a variety of shipping options for UK deliveries and you don’t ship regularly to the US. The courier is generally very well connected and offers a wide range of international express delivery options. This includes a number of guaranteed delivery times. DHL Express customers can avail of 24/7 international support and are compensated when deliveries fail so the courier could be a good fit for businesses that manage a lot of international shipments and need to ensure high levels of service and accuracy.

DHL Express special services

DHL ExpresSMSDHL ExpresSMS is available for mobile only and is used to track single shipments. Customers can text DHL with the waybill number and receive the status of the shipment within seconds. Retailers can forward the text to customers to keep them informed.

Customs preparation servicesDHL Express can help with export declarations, bonded transit, multiline entry, clearance authorisation, broker notifications, permits and licenses, preferential origin processes and more.

Duties and taxes paidThis chargeable service enables you to nominate a third party or yourself to pay duties and taxes instead of your customer being charged.

GoGreen Climate NeutralA great service for environmentally-conscious merchants, GoGreen Climate Neutral offers the option to offset transport-related carbon emissions for shipments. DHL can also provide reports for either a high-level estimate or a detailed carbon footprint on a contractual basis.

The most preferred

way for British consumers to receive

tracking updates is via SMS, which DHL

ExpresSMS can provide.

UPS has a good reputation as a global and domestic shipping provider. UPS connects more than 220 nations and territories via road, railway, air and sea. It manages more than 1,800 operating facilities across the globe, has 38,000 drop boxes and 5,100 stores globally.

� Please note these are indicative prices that are offered through Sendcloud. These are not prices offered by UPS and are not subject to any rights for what UPS can supply. These prices

may vary for certain locations so may not be relevant for where you plan to ship, as well as they may face surcharges for certain criteria.

UPS domestic shipping

Ț UPS Express Plus: Next day delivery, usually by 9am.

Ț UPS Express: Next day delivery, usually by 10.30am.

Ț UPS Express Saver: Next day delivery, usually by 12 noon.

Ț UPS Standard: Dependent on the day scheduled. Arrives by the end of the day.

Ț UPS Standard to Access Point: The same as UPS Standard, but delivers to a UPS Access Point instead.

UPS international shipping

Ț UPS Express Plus: Delivered within 1-2 days, usually by 9.00am with a mo-ney-back guarantee.

Ț UPS Express: Delivered within 1-3 days, usually between 10.30am - 12.00 noon with a money-back guarantee.

Ț UPS Express Saver: Delivered within 1-5 days, by the end of the day with a mo-ney-back guarantee.

Ț UPS Standard: The delivery commitment depends on the day that it is scheduled. Delivery is made by the end of the day.

0-3 kg 3-6 kg 6-10 kg 10-15 kg

UPS Standard - GB Domestic Service

£7.80 £8.95 £8.95 £10.30

UPS Standard - DEInternational Service

£13.70 £14.25 £16.45 £17.70

UPS Standard - USInternational Service

£30.60 £39.85 £50.25 £61.65

UPS Exress Saver - GBDomestic Service

£17.10 £18.55 £20.05 £23.55

UPS Exress Saver - USInternational Service

£28.80 £37.65 £41.30 £58.20

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UPS: Pros

L Costs: Cheaper than FedEx for Express International Shipments (depending on negotiations), especially Express Saver.

L International: Comprehensive global network of 220 countries

L Speed: An Express courier with time guarentee shipments

L Extras: Convenient parcel drop-off and pickup locations

UPS Cons

M Costs: Expensive domestic delivery (although it is express). Cheaper next-day options

M Extras: Do not offer free pickup and no deliveries on Saturday

When to use UPS?

UPS is best used for express international shipments that need to arrive quickly with a high-class service and secured arrival. UPS is also great for merchants who want to offer a variety of pick up, rerouting and delivery options. E-commerce merchants that sell goods through WooCommerce, Prestashop, Opencart and Magento can link their accounts with their UPS delivery services which helps to save time and money and improve accuracy. Merchants can also streamline shipping processes by integrating UPS’s API with their own software so customers can find their delivery information directly on the site rather than being redirected to UPS’ website.

UPS special services

UPS Smart Pickup The UPS Smart Pickup service offers the convenience of the UPS Daily En-route Collection Service but pickups are only made on the days nominated by the customer. This saves money and helps reduce carbon emissions. When customers log a shipment using WorldShip, UPS Internet Shipping or UPS CampusShip, the driver receives an automatic notification to make a Smart Pickup on the same day. If a parcel is processed after the cutoff time, the sender can schedule for the

following day. Alternatively, the customer can request a UPS On-Call Pickup or find a UPS location to drop off the shipment.

UPS Daily On-Route CollectionPerfect for merchants who send packages on a daily basis, the Daily On-Route Collections enables you to plan ahead with your shipments. The service is available Monday to Friday apart from UPS holidays. Costs start at just £1.50 for one pick up a week. For a list of all the rates visit the UPS website.

Parcelforce is part of the Royal Mail group. Parcelforce operates 43 depots across the UK and has 3 automated tracking and sorting centres. The international centre handles more than 7 million parcels every year and the national centre is designed to handle 58,500 parcels per hour.

Parcelforce domestic shipping

Apart from Express 48 Large, the max parcel weight is 30kg, the max length is 1.5 metres and 3m lengh and girth combined. All services are fully tracked.

Express 9/10, or Express AM: time-sensitive services that will arrive by 9am, 10am or before midday in the morning the next day.

Express 24 or 48: delivery by close of business the next day, or within 2 days.

Express 48 Large: delivery within 2 days for parcels from 2.5m length and 4m length and girth combined, weighing up to 30kg.

Parcelforce international shipping

Global Express: Next working day delivery to

the USA, Canada and Europe with tracking. 100% refund available if undelivered.

Global Priority: Delivery from 3 working days to Europe and major destinations worldwide, with tracking.

Global Value: Delivery from 4 working days worldwide. No tracking available. £100 max compensation if lost or damaged.

Global Economy: Delivery from 28 working days worldwide (not available to European destinations). No compensation included. No tracking available.

Ireland Express: Guaranteed next day delivery on working days from N. Ireland to the Republic of Ireland, with tracking. 100% refund if delivery time is missed.

Delivery time Compensation Prices from

Express 24 Domestic Service

End of the next working day

£100 £16.68

Express 48Domestic Service

Within 2 working days £100 £12.12

Global ValueInternational Service

Delivery usually 5-8 days

£100 £9.78

Global PriorityInternational Service

From 3 working days £100 £30.00

Ireland ExpressInternational Service

Next working day £200 £16.68

� Please note these are indicative prices sourced from Parcelforce’s website. They are not subject to any rights for what Parcelforce or Sendcloud can supply.

� These prices may vary for certain locations so may not be relevant for where you plan to ship, as well as they may face surcharges for certain criteria.

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Parcelforce: Pros

L Costs: Attractive savings and loyalty programs available

L Speed: Fast deliveries throughout the UK, even on Sundays

L Extras: Generous insurance coverage included

Parcelforce: Cons

M Tracking: Tracking available through a website instead of an app or automatic updates

M Cost: Mid-low range of prices for international shipments, but expresive domestic shipping costs (though this is express)

When to use Parcelforce?

Parcelforce is a great option for merchants that want to offer a range of guaranteed delivery times including 3 options with specific morning time slots. The courier is also a strong choice for businesses that need swift international deliveries with the additional peace of mind of financial compensation for lost, delayed or damaged packages. The guaranteed overnight service between Northern Ireland and ROI is a strong draw for merchants operating between these zones. If you sell through an e-commerce platform you can integrate one or more with your Parcelforce account, quickly and easily, so you can save time on shipping processes and offer even better customer service.

Parcelforce special services

Tracking services from ParcelforceThe majority of Parcelforce’s services are fully tracked. We have indicated where this isn’t the case. Customers can track their shipments via the tracking tool on the website. Simply enter the tracking number and the tool will update you on your shipment’s progress.

Parcelforce Worldwide services for eBay vendorsParcelforce offers special rates for eBay vendors who integrate their accounts with the courier. Vendors can ship up to 30kgs anywhere in the UK on next day parcels for only £9.00 (inc VAT). For 2-day parcel deliveries, the cost is just £8.00 (inc VAT). This includes drop off at a depot or Post Office.

Sending a package

internationally with Royal Mail, but it weighs more than

20kg? Then the parcel will be sent with

Parcelforce

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De

live

ry S

pe

ed

Non-time sensitive

Express

Cost

Expensive

Cheap

Conclusion: A direct courier comparisonBelow you will find a matrix looking at the position of the couriers. We analyse according to the speed of delivery (non time-sensitive to express) and costs (who is the most expensive).

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Fast but costly worldwide delivery

FedEx

FedEx could be considered the most expensive in this comparison. For the price, it offers some of the fastest delivery services that are comparable to UPS and DHL Express. It’s extra value comes from its secure shipping for high-valued items with great compensation cover, signature-required delivery, tailored customer service, and more. Although FedEx may seem costly, do not discard it as a shipping option. FedEx has the opportunity to negotiate rates and services, so be sure to contact them and find more possibilities. Ultimately, FedEx is a safe choice if you sell higher-valued goods that you’re looking to ship across the world quickly and securely.

DHL Express

Potentially the second most expensive option in our comparison, DHL Express seems to be more expensive than UPS for domestic and some international destinations. But their speed is unrivaled, even offering a same-day delivery service. Just as with FedEx, don’t let the prices scare you off. It’s best to speak directly with DHL Express’s team to see what can be negotiated for your specific needs. DHL Express’s GoGreen Climate Neutral is especially interesting to consider, and makes DHL Express a great option to offer to your customers alongside a more economic shipping service for your users to choose for carbon neutral delivery if they wish to pay for it.

UPS

Another great option for Express shipping is UPS. In our comparison, UPS prooves to be sometimes cheaper than DHL Express and FedEx for certain services and destinations, yet still offering the same time-guaranteed delivery. This makes it an attractive premium next-day delivery option for domestic shipments within the UK that you can offer to your customers alongside more economical shipping services for them to choose from. Sendcloud offers competitive pricing for UPS shipping services so you can easily add the express shipping service directly to your checkout without the hassle of setting up a contract and integrating the service to your store.

Mid-range cost with slower international delivery

Parcelforce

As primarily a non-express service, Parcelforce is less expensive than UPS, DHL Express and FedEx. However, this doesn’t mean it doesn’t offer express shipping services and you can still get time-guarenteed delivery from Parcelforce. However, many of the services offered are slower than its comrades, taking anywhere from 2 - 28 days. Ideally, ParcelForce’s Global value or Global economy services are good for shipments that don’t need to be immediately delivered. They’re also great for heavier shipments, as well including £100 compensation.

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DPD

Cheaper than the express services like FedEx, UPS and DHL Express, DPD still offers time guaranteed delivery. However, its standard shipping services are certainly slower, especially for international shipments. But this makes it a good choice for when your customers are willing to wait for their products to arrive. Prices are very accessible, but are still pricier than Royal Mail and Hermes for domestic shipments. For these extra costs though, you get access to DPD’s consumer-focussed features like Pick Up, Predict, and Precise (among others), making the experience more enjoyable and flexible for your customers.

DHL Parcel

DHL Parcel is another middle-range priced courier to consider. From our comparison guide, DHL Parcel’s prices seem cheaper than DPD, but of course, it’s always best to contact both companies individually to see if you are eligible for personalised rates and services for a better comparison. DHL Parcel is also a fairly speedy option, with most deliveries taking between 1-3 days, though it is not an express courier like it’s sister DHL Express. But, saying that, you do have the option for time-guaranteed delivery services. Just like DPD, its international shipping services are more suitable for less time-sensitive customers.

Affordable domestic delivery

Royal Mail

Royal Mail’s biggest advantage is its name and long standing reputation. Royal Mail’s prices are generally more expensive than Hermes, but Royal Mail offers a wider range of shipping services, from fully tracked time-guaranteed delivery to cheaper non-guarenteed options without tracking. Royal Mail’s 2nd class is a great option for deliveries that aren’t time-sensitive and don’t require tracking. But if you do want tracking, you’ll need to pay extra, and that’s where Hermes provides a cheaper similar service where tracking is included.

Hermes

In this comparison, Hermes is definitely the winner for cheapest delivery, especially as it includes tracking. It’s ParcelShop delivery is particularly attractive. Hermes offers few choices in terms of its delivery methods, but this keeps things simple and straightforward. But this is where Royal Mail offers more variety in terms of the shipping options available. Hermes wins with its delivery options always include tracking, whereas certain Royal Mail services do not. The Hermes app is also a customer favourite, with the quick ability to track a package, rearrange the delivery, and easily set up a return making it an easier process for your customer.

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Roadmap for a multi-courier strategy

As discussed in the beginning of this guide, a multi-courier

strategy is extremely beneficial. But how can you quickly exucute

a multi-courier strategy without hassle and time-wasting of

negotiating contracts and integrating shipping methods? Below

we provide a step-by-step guide to walk you through it.

Step 1 – Choose your primary courier First things first, it’s time to choose your primary courier. This should be the delivery company with the best shipping methods for the majority of your products and the destinations you ship to. Consider your customers’ demographics and whether this courier fits their expectations in terms of costs and the services they provide (e.g. the speed of the delivery, tracking, and more). Once you’ve chosen, its wise to get in touch with the courier and find out the best rates and services they can offer you based on your business needs.

Step 2 – Integrate your primary courier with your store with Sendcloud Now you’ve chosen your primary courier, create an account with Sendcloud. With Sendcloud, you can quickly integrate your chosen courier with your online stores without the hassle for development support. Not only that, you can centralise your logistics process into just one platform, automatically importing your orders into Sendcloud so they’re all ready to ship without the need for manual administration. Automatlically create and print shipping labels individually or in bulk, to make sure sending your products is a simple process.

Step 3 – Enable a supporting courier (or two) Now you have a Sendcloud account, you aren’t limited to just one courier! Head into your account to quickly integrate with a

second (and third, and fourth) courier. You can do this in two ways. Enable a courier we offer direct competitive shipping rates with (so no need for negotiations). This means you can try out shipping with this courier without obligations or complex contracts. Or upload your own direct contract - the choice is yours. Now you can ship with multiple couriers while keeping your logistics process centralised and simple.

Step 4 – Set up Shipping Rules Shipping with multiple couriers might sound complex. But with Sendcloud’s smart shipping rules you can automate how a product is processed and what shipping method should be allocated to a certain order. How is this done? Well, our platform automatically determines whether an order meets the condition(s) of a shipping rule, then the action(s) set will be executed. You can use variables for couriers, volume, destinations, and more.

Step5 – Optimise your checkout & tracking Lastly, it’s time to optimise your checkout. Set your shipping methods in Sendcloud and they’ll be shown directly in your checkout, while easily integrating pick-up points as well. Replace those boring courier tracking emails with your own branding, including adding in promotions and your social media to increase customer engagement.

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What does Sendcloud do?

Sendcloud automates your shipping process to help you focus on growing your business. Quickly connect your store to your chosen couriers and ship both domestically and internationally without the need for spreadsheets, manual order processing or dealing with outdated platforms.

Which couriers do we work with?

L Royal Mail

L Hermes

L DPD

L DPD Local

L FedEx

L UPS

L DHL Parcel

L DHL Express

Who is Sendcloud for?

Sendcloud was born to help e-commerce retailers of all sizes save time on shipping and reduce the manual workload that comes with shipping products from online sales. Our mission is to see your e-commerce store grow through our help in optimising your shipping process.

The Benefits of Sendcloud?

L Full shipping automation: reduce manual administration and save time

L Multi-courier solution: quickly activate multiple couriers for customers to choose their preferred shipping method

L International shipping: expand internationally with access to international couriers and automated custom documentations

L Caring customer support: even when things do go wrong, we’ll be here to help find the solution

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Follow us!

Interested? Please contact us via contact@sendcloud.com or register without obligation via www.sendcloud.co.uk

Jaques Pijman | co-owner of Stuntwinkel.nl

“Because Sendcloud is a multi-courier tool, I always have the most suitable courier and shipping options for each country.”

Sign up here external-link

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What our clients think about us

Prices are just numbers. Our customers can tell you

why Sendcloud is valuable to them, and inspire you to

take the next leap to accelerate your shipping.

“Thanks to Sendcloud we offer two options in our check-out: same or next day at

home. Everything is arranged in one click in the backend. From printing shipping

labels to track & trace notifications to our customers. As a result, we have gone from 15 minutes total processing time per order

to approximately 5 minutes per order.”

Bibi Hermans | Webshop Manager Run2Day

“Sendcloud helps us enormously in sending parcels efficiently. In addition, we use the return portal via Sendcloud,

which allows us to make the return process accessible for our customers.”

Niels de Boer | Founder Sam Friday

“With Sendcloud we can automate our entire (international) logistics process. From order picking, scanning packing slips, to selecting the right shipping method for every order.

This allows us to work 3 times as efficiently.””

Jaques Pijman | Co-owner of Stuntwinkel.nl