Postal shipping - How to get your goods to their destination safely and cost-effectively

Do you often use the postal service for letters, parcels, bulky goods or hazardous goods? Are you perhaps paying too much postage? Are your goods optimally packaged? Here you will find valuable know-how on parcel costs and postal standards.

Off to the post office: How postal delivery works in Germany

With our tips, you can save a lot of money on postal shipping in Germany. We have compared the letter and parcel standards of various shipping services for you and always have the optimal packaging ready. At what point does your parcel qualify as bulky or dangerous goods? Are there differences between online and branch prices? What details do you absolutely have to pay attention to when comparing? We have the answers to these and many other questions.

Content

How can I save on postage?
What are standard parcels, bulky goods and dangerous goods?
What letter formats does Deutsche Post offer?
What providers are there for parcel shipping?
What else should I consider?
Everything you need to know about mailing at a glance

How can I save on postage?

Use optimised formats

With the optimal packaging, you get the most out of your shipping costs. Lightweight material helps to save weight and ideal dimensions help to comply with the specified package sizes. In our online shop you will find a wide range of packaging in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Send as letter post

It doesn't always have to be a parcel. If you are sending flat products, a large letter format may be suitable. Items under 5 cm (including packaging) and up to 1,000 g can be sent as letter post with Deutsche Post.

Become a business customer

Do you send a lot of letters or parcels on business? If so, most delivery services offer discounted rates for business customers. The discounts are often linked to very high monthly or annual volumes. It is worth comparing the conditions of participation.

Compare providers

Take advantage of the variety of shipping providers in Germany since the abolition of the postal monopoly. Both regional, nationwide and international shipping companies offer attractive conditions for their private and business clientele. With a little thought, you can find the service that best meets your needs and save money in the process.

Online vs. branch prices

Online prices are often cheaper and some offers are even only available online. For example, DHL offers the low-priced 2 kg parcel exclusively online. Hermes also only offers the significantly cheaper parcel shop delivery for online customers. Often a QR code is sufficient when dropping off the parcel - saving you the trouble of printing it out.

Use pick-up stations

Particularly interesting for private individuals: Many delivery services offer delivery to pick-up stations or parcel shops. This saves the parcel carrier the trip from the collection point to your home - and you save cash. But be careful: this option does not always mean discounts.

What are standard parcels, bulky goods and dangerous goods?

What is a standard package?

If your parcel is cuboid-shaped, the various shipping providers can usually process it mechanically and you save additional costs. If you are sending special shapes, sizes or materials, your parcel must be processed manually or is considered bulky goods. This costs extra. You can find inexpensive standard packages here in our online shop.

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What is considered bulky goods?

Shipments larger than the maximum permitted dimensions for parcels (varies from provider to provider), shipments with protruding parts and unpackaged shipments are considered bulky goods. Good to know: Shipping tubes are treated as bulky goods when transported by post. We recommend our trapezoidal shipping and tarpaulin boxes for the safe postal dispatch of elongated bulky goods.

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What is considered dangerous goods?

Is the product you want to ship a dangerous good? The category of dangerous goods includes all goods that are potentially dangerous to humans, animals or the environment during transport. You must ship and label dangerous goods in special UN dangerous goods packaging.

What letter formats does Deutsche Post offer?

In Germany, there are other providers of postal services besides Deutsche Post. Especially regional providers such as Südwest Mail and Mannheimer Morgenpost score with attractive discounts for business customers. Most providers base the size of their letters on Deutsche Post standards.

Standard letter

L: 14 - 23,5 cm
W: 9 - 12,5 cm
H: up to 0,5 cm
Weight: up to 20 g

Compact letter

L: 10 - 23,5 cm
W: 7 - 12,5 cm
H: up to 1 cm
Weight: up to 50 g

Large letter

L: 10 - 35,3 cm
W: 7 - 25 cm
H: bis 2 cm
Wieght: up to 500 g

Maxi letter

L: 10 - 35,3 cm
W: 7 - 25 cm
H: up to 5 cm
Weight: Up to 1.000 g

What providers are there for parcel shipping?

Alongside DHL, Hermes and UPS in particular are known for their nationwide and international parcel delivery services. There are also a number of other providers, such as DPD. The comparison holds an enormous amount of savings potential for you. However, a look at the portfolio of different parcel delivery services quickly shows that the comparison is not so easy because there are no standardised parcel sizes.

We have summarised the most important parcel standards for you:

DHL	Hermes	UPS
Package 2 kg 35 x 25 x 20 cm	Hermes parcel Longest & shortest side together max. 37 cm max. 25 kg	Extra small L x W x H = max. 10.000 cm³
Parcel 2kg 60 x 30 x 15 cm	S parcel Longest & shortest side together max. 50 cm max. 25 kg	Small L x W x H = max. 25.000 cm³
DHL parcel 10 kg 120 x 60 x 60 cm	M parcel Longest & shortest side together max. 80 cm max. 31,5 kg	Middle L x W x H = max. 50.000 cm³
DHL parcel 31.5 kg up to 120 x 60 x 60 cm	L parcel Longest & shortest side together max. 120 cm max. 31,5 kg	Large L x W x H = max. 75.000 cm³
	XL parcel Longest & shortest side together max. 150 cm max. 31,5 kg	Extra large L x W x H = max. 100.000 cm³

Stand: 12.07.2023

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What else should I consider?

Insurance cover

DHL automatically includes insurance cover for a goods value of up to 500 euros in the parcel prices. Many providers use this as a guideline. Optionally, you can add higher insurance cover for an additional charge. If you are sending expensive products, you should definitely include insurance cover in your comparison.

Delivery speed

A delivery time of one to two days is not a matter of course for postal delivery. Do you need your goods to reach their destination quickly? Ask your delivery service what delivery times are usual. You can usually book express delivery for an additional fee. If you're not in a hurry, you can also save money by using slower delivery speeds - like Deutsche Post's book and merchandise delivery service.

Postal shipping abroad

Sending parcels abroad is no problem with most delivery services. When sending goods abroad, make sure that your contents are not on a list of prohibited or restricted items in the recipient country. To do this, get in touch with the customs of the country in question (the website is usually sufficient). There you will also receive information about which customs documents may be necessary.

Everything you need to know about mailing at a glance

Find out about options for business customers, compare prices online and then optimise your packaging - it's so easy to save on mailing.
Attractive delivery conditions are also available for formats beyond standard packages.
In Germany, there are many providers for sending letters and parcels. While letter sizes are usually standardised, the permissible parcel sizes of the respective delivery companies vary greatly. It pays to compare!
Insurance cover, delivery speed and the conditions for sending mail abroad are also important criteria for determining the right delivery service.

Choose optimal packaging

When sending by post, the dimensions and weight of the packaging are the most important factors. Tip: Send a sturdy shipping box as a letter and save on parcel costs.

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Pack safely

Because you never know what will happen to your package on its way, carefully cushion the contents. Tip: Use high-quality adhesive tape to seal it to prevent it from bursting open during transport.

Know-how Guides

Packaging for e-commerce

Learn how to best pack your products for shipping in a parcel. Tip: When addressing, ensure legibility and correct labels to avoid returns.

Know-how Norms

Costs for mailing

Use consultation, reduce costs

Do you regularly send parcels and would like to reduce your shipping costs? Then you should ask your shipping provider for good conditions for business customers. In addition, you can reduce costs with efficient packaging - packaging with the right dimensions, low tare weight and maximum security. We will be happy to advise you on the safest and most efficient packaging for your postal shipment.

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