How to send a parcel abroad: compare offers from carriers
Why prices for international parcels differ so much
You can send a box to Germany or the UK in different ways: through a postal operator, a courier company, a freight forwarder or a private traveller. Prices and times differ, and there is also a difference in what is included in the sum: pickup from home, insurance, paperwork, delivery to the door.
With BlaBlaPrice you do not have to compare rates on ten websites. It is enough to describe once what you are sending, and carriers reply with offers in the chat: price, time, format. They see where their offer ranks, so they improve their terms. It is free for the sender.
What to know before sending
The most important thing is the contents. Personal belongings, documents, food, electronics and auto parts all go through differently. Some goods are restricted by the destination country or need separate documents, and food and liquids are often under restrictions altogether. So first ask the carrier whether you can send exactly this.
Second is weight and size. Carriers charge by actual weight or by volumetric weight, whichever is greater. A big light box can sometimes cost as much as a heavy one. Measure and weigh the box before you make a request.
What to put in your request
- From where to where — cities and countries and, if needed, the address.
- What to send — documents, personal belongings, electronics and so on; this affects customs clearance.
- Weight and size — for example 15 kg, 60×40×40 cm.
- Number of pieces — how many boxes or bags.
- When — the date by which the parcel must arrive.
- Delivery format — door to door, to a collection point or a locker, pickup from your address.
- Declared value — insurance depends on it.
- Budget — if you want to state one.
Example: “I need to send 2 boxes of clothes and books from Karachi to London, 12 kg each, 60×40×40 cm. Pickup from my address, door-to-door delivery by 20 October. Declared value Rs 170,000 budget up to Rs 39,000.”
What to look at in the offers
One figure is not enough to compare. Ask whether the price includes pickup and delivery to the door, or whether you must take it to a branch yourself. Find out who prepares the documents and what happens if the parcel is held up at customs. Learn whether there is tracking so you can see where it is now, and what the liability is for loss or damage.
Reviews of the carrier are shown beside every offer. For valuable things they matter more than a small difference in price.
Common mistakes
Understating the value to make it cheaper: if the parcel is lost, compensation is often counted from the declared sum. Packing fragile things badly. Not checking which goods are prohibited and then having trouble at customs. Not giving the recipient’s exact address with the postcode and phone number.
If you need to move a large consignment, see freight transport, and for sending within a city there is courier delivery. All the options are collected in the “Transport and delivery” section, and the principle of how it works is on the “How it works” page.
