How Can I Tell How Much a Parcel Will Cost to Deliver?

There are many different factors to take into consideration when you're trying to work out how much a parcel will cost to send. Not only does the courier company you choose have an impact, but the type of parcel you're sending and how you want it delivered can make your delivery either more or less expensive.
 
Here's a quick guide of the different factors that will affect your parcel delivery cost.
 

Parcel type

The key thing to bear in mind is that both the size and weight of the parcel will affect the cost of delivery. The bigger or heavier the parcel, the more it will cost to send. However, you can cut back costs by sending more than one parcel at once, as many couriers will offer to discount the delivery cost if you're sending extra parcels.

Dropping off the parcel at the courier's depot or the post office, or having the recipient collect it upon delivery can also save you money, depending on the courier company.
 

Delivery service

Naturally, next-day delivery costs more than standard delivery so remember that if you want something delivered in a hurry, it will cost you more. Some companies offer different types of next-day delivery; for example, most couriers will aim to deliver a parcel by 1pm but some offer to get the parcel delivered by 9am. The earlier you want your parcel delivered, the more expensive the service will be.
 
Some services even pick up the parcel from your doorstep. While this costs more, it can be extremely convenient if you don't have time to go down to the post office or depot. If you want your parcel tracked, that can often cost extra too, but that depends on the company and delivery type.
 
International parcel delivery costs more too and can differ from country to country. Remember that you may have to pay extra tax or duty charges when sending parcels abroad too.
 

Liability Cover

Most packages are covered up to a certain amount as part of the courier service. This means that if your parcel is damaged or lost, the company will offer to cover part of the cost. If you're sending something very valuable you'll probably want to purchase additional cover, so remember to take that extra cost into account.
 
However very delicate items, such as china or glass-based pieces, will only be delivered via an economy service - which typically won't include any compensation. This is because there's a high risk of the item breaking, so if you want it covered, you'll probably have to go with a special service. 
 
It can be very handy to have a rough estimate of how much a parcel is going to cost, especially if you don't have time to go down to the post office to get an official estimate. This can be particularly useful if you're selling something on a site such as eBay, as you'll need to note how much customers will have to pay for postage and you don't want to underestimate, otherwise you'll lose money. To get the best price, remember to shop around and only pay for extra services if you really need them.

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* £2.49 from price based on a next day XS parcel size with a UK depot drop off and UK depot collection service. Delivery to British Isles, The Highlands, Ireland, Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland operate on a 1-3 day delivery service and can incur further costs. £8.74 price based on a parcel weight of up to 25kg (50cm x 50cm x 50cm) on a UK depot drop off and economy delivery service to Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg or Austria. All prices quoted on content pages (outside of the quick quote and booking form) will be based on the depot drop off discounted price for UK deliveries and on a 0.5kg parcel with dimensions of 10cm x 10cm x 10cm for all international air countries. The size and weight of your parcel affects the price you’ll pay so it’s important to weigh and measure your parcel correctly to ensure your parcel arrives on time without any delays. Use our quick quote for all pricing options.
The £1 saving on every additional consignment sent in a UK order is exclusive to home collection orders only - this discount will not be added in addition to the depot drop off discount or depot collection discount. If you do not select the "signature required" delivery option, UKMail will not be liable should your items be subsequently lost or damaged after the delivery (see clause 5.2.2 of the Terms & Conditions). We define a "Parcel" as a package with dimensions up to 80cm x 80cm x 80cm or up to 120cm x 50cm x 50cm or up to 140cm x 35cm x 35cm. **’Was’ pricing based on the previous fixed collection and signature price for XS and collection price for small. ‘Now from’ pricing based on the new prices for XS and Small with the depot drop off discount applied.

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