Tips
How to Save on International Shipping — 7 Tips for 2026
International shipping is expensive, but there are practical ways to cut costs by 20–50%. Seven concrete tactics: from choosing a broker over a direct carrier to consolidating shipments and optimising parcel dimensions.
International shipping feels like a fixed cost — but it isn’t. The same parcel, sent from the same address, can cost €8 or €35 depending on how you book it. Here are seven concrete ways to reduce that cost without changing what or where you ship.
1. Use a shipping broker, not direct carrier booking
Carriers like DPD and GLS charge retail prices when you book directly on their websites. Shipping brokers like Eurosender buy capacity in bulk and resell at 20–30% below retail. The service is identical — same carrier, same truck, same tracking — but cheaper.
For a 5 kg parcel from Germany to France: DPD retail ≈ €14–18. Eurosender ≈ €10–13. No registration required on Eurosender, and you pay per shipment — no monthly fee.
2. Reduce parcel dimensions
All major carriers bill by volumetric weight when it exceeds the actual weight: formula is L × W × H (cm) ÷ 5000. A laptop in a shoe-box-sized package (30 × 20 × 10 cm) has a volumetric weight of 1.2 kg. Put the same laptop in a 40 × 30 × 20 cm box and volumetric weight jumps to 4.8 kg — potentially doubling or tripling the shipping cost.
Use the smallest box that provides adequate protection. Remove excess packaging from manufacturer boxes when appropriate. If you regularly ship items, invest in a range of box sizes to avoid paying for air.
3. Consolidate multiple shipments
Five 1 kg shipments to the same address cost 5× the per-parcel rate. One 5 kg shipment costs significantly less (per kg). If you have multiple items going to the same destination, consolidate into one shipment whenever possible.
For international routes (EU → USA, EU → Asia), the saving is dramatic: five separate 1 kg parcels to the USA at ~€50 each = €250. One consolidated 5 kg parcel = ~€70. This is the principle behind Shipito’s consolidation service for US shopping.
4. Compare prices before every shipment
Carrier prices for the same route vary by up to 40% depending on the carrier, service level, and booking channel. Eurosender shows multiple options side by side. DHL, FedEx, and UPS also have online rate calculators. The 3 minutes spent comparing is often worth €5–15.
Note: carrier prices change frequently (fuel surcharges, seasonal adjustments). Don’t assume last month’s cheapest option is still cheapest this month.
5. Ship standard, not express, for non-urgent parcels
Express shipping (DHL Express, UPS Express, FedEx Priority) costs 3–5× more than standard EU carrier services like DPD or GLS for equivalent EU routes. The transit time difference within the EU is 1–2 days. For non-urgent shipments, standard is almost always the rational choice.
Exception: intercontinental routes where express carriers dominate (USA, Asia, Africa). Here DHL Express and FedEx often have similar pricing to postal economy services but with incomparably better tracking and reliability.
6. Use Pickup points instead of home delivery
Some carriers charge €1–3 less for drop-off at a Pickup point compared to home collection. At scale, this adds up. GLS ParcelShops and DPD Pickup points are available at petrol stations and supermarkets in most European cities. Eurosender always shows both options with their respective prices.
7. Negotiate a business account at volume
If you send 200+ parcels per year, contact DHL, UPS, DPD, or GLS directly for a volume account. Discounts of 30–50% off retail rates are common at this level. Below 200 parcels/year, a multi-carrier platform like Sendcloud often achieves similar rates through aggregated volume.
What doesn’t save money
- Under-declaring parcel value — customs fines and seized parcels cost more than the VAT saved
- Under-declaring weight/dimensions — carriers weigh on arrival; surcharges are expensive and retroactive
- Skipping insurance on expensive items — the cost of one lost or damaged shipment exceeds years of insurance premiums
Quick facts
How to Save on International Shipping — 7 Tips for 2026
schedule Updated
Summary
Seven practical tactics to reduce international shipping costs by 20–50%: (1) Use a shipping broker (Eurosender) instead of direct carrier booking — typically 20–30% cheaper. (2) Optimise parcel dimensions — volumetric weight billing makes oversized packaging expensive. (3) Consolidate multiple shipments into one. (4) Compare before booking — prices for the same route vary by up to 40% between carriers. (5) Ship standard instead of express for non-urgent parcels. (6) Use Pickup points instead of home delivery. (7) For regular volumes, negotiate a business account.
- Broker saving vs. direct carrier (EU routes)
- 20–30% average
- Volumetric weight formula
- L × W × H (cm) ÷ 5000
- Express vs. standard price difference (EU)
- 3–5× more expensive
- Home delivery vs. Pickup point premium
- €1–3 per parcel (some carriers)
- Consolidation saving (3 × 1 kg vs. 1 × 3 kg)
- Up to 50% on international routes