Where you send a package is just as important as how heavy it is–at least in terms of cost. Businesses can negotiate for high volume discounts, get into negotiations with carriers or regularly pack many items in one package to get a better price. However, for everyone else, they’re at the mercy of the carrier. Pack as lightly as possible (remove excessive packaging), shop around for different carriers and always negotiate if it’s shipping for an e-commerce business. Otherwise, here are the 4 most expensive place to send a package.
1. Europe It doesn’t matter if it’s the UK or Italy, pretty much everywhere in Europe costs the same to send a package–and it’s not cheap. The USPS offers a flat rate of about $60 to ship a medium-sized boxed to most countries in Europe, and the term “medium” certainly isn’t generous. For shipping larger packages, the prices inflate quickly.
2. SE Asia
This is a massive geographic area, but in general carriers don’t really care if the package is going to Hong Kong or Korea. It’s also the same standard rate as shipping to Europe. Before shipping a package to SE Asia or anywhere internationally, carefully consider if it’s worth it. For businesses, this might mean not offering international shipping or at least making sure the customer foots the bill for it. This is why many businesses don’t ship overseas until they qualify for a high volume discount.
3. India or South Asia Once again, the rate is the same (and it’s the highest that USPS charges). Even though the actual flight time is longer and it obviously uses more gas and resources, that doesn’t matter to carriers. It costs the same to ship something to SE Asia as it does India, which is something that businesses need to bear in mind. Few small businesses can afford to start out offering international shipping for a very good reason.
4. The Middle East Just like India, shipping to the Middle East will cost a pretty penny. It’s a very long flight, the resources necessary to get packages there are expensive, and companies had better be certain that they want to undertake these costs, risks and the time spent prepping customs slips.
Nobody ever said logistics and planning were easy–that’s why there are degrees in the field. However, don’t be afraid to simply ask for a discount, especially for small businesses. The worst they can say is no.
