Shipping internationally is considered a hassle. It takes time, has to clear multiple custom checks and no one guarantees the safety of your package once it leaves the borders. above all of it, most companies levy an exuberant amount and if you are planning to ship items internationally on a regular basis, then it's worth it to study about all the options and identify the most affordable one out there.
Luckily for you, here’s a guide on the overseas shipping cost and how you can ship your products safely, and internationally.
Always inquire before you send
Before you go to the nearest courier services, try getting a quote from at least three courier agencies. Specifically, ask for the services or features of the package they offered you. This will give you an idea of what you can get, and will provide maximum value for your money. This also helps when you want to send packages internationally regularly. Many services provide extra discounts if you continue working with them to deliver your products.
Factors that affect the international shipping cost
Usually, the package’s size, weight, type, distance, and priority are the main factors upon which the shipping cost is calculated. In the case of International shipping, this gets a bit more complicated.
The customs charges come into play and you might even have to bear any extra charges in the form of tax and this all depends on the destination. While the factors are unpredictable, you can always be in the know of what might be the extra charges by getting in touch with a courier agency that has a well-distributed logistic network in the country/place.
How to use a shipment calculator
You can easily find an international shipment fee calculator online. To make sure it's accurate, don’t forget to try out multiple ones and compare the results.
Most of the shipment calculators will inquire about the size of the package. That is whether it falls under the tiny, small, medium, large or extra large category and whether it fits the dimension criteria that are universally followed.
Next, they would inquire about the destination and the place of origin. You will have to provide proper addresses along with postal codes to get an accurate estimate.
Comparison of international shipment costs by USPS, FedEx, DHL, and UPS
To give you a better idea of the shipment charges, here’s a comparison of the prices quoted by each of the three courier agencies for a package of weight 2.3 Kg to be sent from New York to Malaysia. The dimension of the package is 3 x 9 x 2 inches.
UPS
If you were to send the above-said package by UPS Worldwide Expedited, it would cost you $70 and it would take around 5 business days to reach the destination. If you want to reduce the delivery timing, you can go for the UPS Worldwide saver which will cost you $80 dollars and the package will reach the destination within 3 business days.
USPS
The USPS priority mail charges you the same as the UPS Worldwide Expedited services, and the delivery timing is increased to 6 to 10 days. If you want to reduce it, then you will have to pay $20 extra and go for the Priority Mail express edition.
FedEx
When you go with FedEx, you will have to pay $90 dollars and the delivery can easily take a minimum of 5 working days. The expedited version would cost you $100, which makes FedEx, the most expensive option in this particular scenario.
DHL
With DHL, you can send the item for as low as $60 and the delivery would take around 7 days.
Final Thoughts
All these four couriers are an expert in the field and have a strong worldwide distribution network. This enables them to deliver the package on time as promised. If you are not tight on the delivery timing, you can involve multiple courier agencies to deliver your package.
In this method, the package is handled by a courier service that has a presence in that particular country and as soon as it crosses the border, it's picked up by another agency. This might be risky, but you can surely save some bucks if you are a regular customer.
