Have you ever just been sat at work or at home, and ever thought, ‘I wonder how international shipping works.’
The answer to this is probably no, because, let’s face it, unless you work in a job that has to send items across various continents, or you have family and friends on the other side of the world, the most you’ll use the postal service is to send your parents a birthday and Christmas card.
However, you have to admit that there’s something quite magical about sending a parcel all the way to the other side of the globe – often travelling places you’ve never even been yourself.
With lots of couriers out there to help you send your items, it’s never been easier to send your items wherever they need to go. Or in fact, order something from another country that you need.
You can even do it online. But how does it work? Let’s take a look at each step to sending an international parcel.
Step one: Measure your package
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First, you’ll need to measure your parcel in order to gain an accurate price from the courier. You’ll probably need to do this in centimetres unless told otherwise. If you’re sending more than one parcel, each one will need to be measured individually.
Step Two : Weight matters
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You’ll then need to weigh your parcel after it has been packaged for transport, as this is how most couriers will determine the cost. You’ll also need to weigh the parcel or parcels in kilos, and do them separately.
Step Three: Location Co-ordinates
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Before you go to book your parcel for delivery online, make sure you have the collection and delivery address noted down.
Step Four: Online Services
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Following this, go to the website and find the quote/function page and enter all the details as required – such as address and country.
Step Five: Package Description
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Once this has been done you’ll need to enter the information about the parcel, or parcels that you’ll be sending. This will include the weight and size that you obtained earlier on.
Step Six: Double Check information
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Also, if there are any other fields that need filling in, fill them in as best as possible. It always helps to have as much information down as possible.
Step Seven: Select Mode of Delivery
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Once this has been done, you should be presented with the various delivery options. All you need to do is select the one that suits both your needs and budget, before proceeding to book the collection.
Step Eight: Print Labels
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You’ll then need to print your labels, stick them on the boxes and wait for them to be collected by the courier.
What Next: Sorting and Sending
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Following this, your parcel will be taken to a depot and then a sorting hub, where it’ll be sorted into piles depending on its next stop. This is the same for domestic post too, with EU and international post going to specific sorting hubs.
The process from here on is pretty straightforward, where they’ll continue to go through this pattern of various hubs across the globe until they arrive at their final destination.