SHIPPING COST - WHAT MAKES UP THE SHIPPING COST?

The fee charged for the transportation of the shipment includes part of the costs that the courier company had to incur to ensure that the service is carried out quickly, smoothly and with safety standards. Each carrier applies its own individual price list in this regard, but it is possible to list several conditions that always affect the cost to the customer. An important factor in this regard, for example, is the distance between the sender and the addressee. Packages  shipped to countries far away from Poland cost more because more resources will be used to transport them. Similarly valued  will also be the return of a shipment sent abroad. It should also be borne in mind that if the recipient of the package is not present at the agreed place, a surcharge may be charged for the courier's unreasonable arrival.

The cost of sending courier shipments often fluctuates, but the difference in price is not due solely to the carrier's decision. Included in the price list for parcel transportation services is a fuel surcharge, the amount of which depends on the current price of fuel. It is worth remembering that for shipments sent abroad, it may be necessary to pay customs duties. To avoid surcharges and the risk of sending the transported item back to the shipper, find out what fee will be charged for it and how much the gross price will be before sending it.

The most important factor that largely determines the cost of sending a shipment is its form. Irregularly shaped, very large or heavy parcels require special shipping conditions and therefore more effort on the part of the courier. Due to their characteristics, they often cannot be sorted automatically, which lengthens the delivery process and involves more resources. Therefore, before shipping a non-standard parcel or pallet, it is important to check the carrier's dedicated pricing tariff for them. Take into account the maximum dimensions and weight, as well as whether any non-standard element is present in the structure of the shipment. It is also worth finding out how to prepare goods packed in this way for the courier's driveway.

Why is this type of parcel property so important? Incorrectly stated at the time of ordering the service, the sum of dimensions or the weight greater than the maximum weight will cause the courier to carry out verification of the shipment during transport. This procedure is concerned with verifying that the actual characteristics of the package match those declared by the shipper. If they are noted, the courier company has the right to recalculate the delivery price and expect a surcharge. A similar rule usually affects the price of a long parcel - if the dimensions given do not match the real ones, a surcharge may be charged, for example, for each meter of parcel length started. How to minimize the risk of confusion when giving dimensions? It's worth subjecting the shipment to measurement and weighing more than once, and to use the services of a parcel point, where an associate of the carrier will once again check its characteristics.

Today’s carriers, such as DHL eCommerce, are constantly keen to make shipping and easier for their customers. That's why you can find numerous additional services in their offers, which allow you to modify the delivery process and take advantage of various kinds of facilities. Many of these are included in the shipping price, but customers will have to pay for some. Some of the most common choices include Saturday or late evening delivery, additional notification of shipment status (e.g., right before scheduled delivery), collection and return of payment, or pick-up at a particular point. It is worth remembering that additional service offers are different from one carrier to another. For example, in DHL eCommerce, redirecting to the Package Service Desk is included in the price of the basic service so that the customer does not have to pay an additional fee for this.

Shippers of shipments containing high-value items often choose to purchase additional insurance. Its basic version is already included in the price, however, the additional service is available regardless of whether the item inside the package is valuable or not. The fee for covering the transported goods with special insurance may be fixed or a certain percentage of the declared value of the shipment.

●       Additional services for domestic shipments

●       Additional services for international shipments

●       Courier services for business