Save Money Shipping Goods from UK to Spain

Here’s a great new offer from Parcel Hero along with some really useful tips about sending parcels.

Shipping internationally can be an incredibly intimidating and, if you don’t know what you’re doing, expensive experience. There’s no need to worry though, as sending parcels around the world isn’t as scary as it first appears – or as pricey. To help you make the most of your money, International Shipping Experts ParcelHero have put together this guide to saving money when shipping to Spain.

Customs Duties (And What You’re Not Paying)

First, there’s some good news. Because the UK and Spain are part of the European Union, shipments between the two countries are not subject to duties and taxes as part of the EU’s commitment to free movement of goods and services. That means that there’s nothing extra to pay when you send between these countries, unlike when you’re shipping between the EU and America for example.

What’s Volumetric Weight And How Can I Avoid Paying Extra For It?

When you’re booking your shipping option of choice, you have to let your carrier exactly how big the package you’re shipping is and how much it weighs. This is the information they will use to give you a quote, but what you might not know is that when you give them that information, you’re actually giving them two separate weights.

The first is the one that you weight out for yourself, but the other is something else entirely – the volumetric weight. This is calculated by working out the volume of your parcel, and what they would expect a parcel of that volume to weigh. Your quote is then based on which of the two is higher – normal or volumetric weight.

To avoid being charged extra for your volumetric weight, make sure that your box isn’t completely oversized. We suggest that your box leaves two and half inches of space around the contents for packaging materials – we don’t suggest having huge parcels for small contents though, as that will just cost you more, which is why good, tight packaging is preferable to the sort of extravagant boxing that you see some online retailors opt for.

You Break It, You Pay For It

One great way to save money is to make sure that whatever you’re sending makes it to its destination in one piece. The best way to make sure this happens is by properly packaging your goods. We have a few rules of thumb to help make sure that the contents of your package are snug and safe:

Buy a new, double corrugated box – older boxes, even if they look in good condition, can conceal weaknesses that could damage the contents
Wrap your contents up well in bubble wrap or a similar protective material
Suspend your items in about two and half inches of packaging material – no part of the goods should be touching the walls of your box
Tape up the box! Make sure that you reinforce the corners of your box – the weakest points – and seal the top by taping all of seams in a Union Flag shape

Right Here, Right Now

Sometimes it’s worth waiting a few more days to make sure that the price is right. Shipping within the EU is typically a quick process, so if your parcel doesn’t need to be there by tomorrow, the economy option will likely be much cheaper and only take two or three extra days to arrive. It might sound like a no brainer, but it’s definitely an option worth considering.

Get the Cheapest Quote

ParcelHero ships to 220 countries including Spain, and offers a high quality, reliable service at a fraction of the cost of booking couriers directly. We only use the world’s leading couriers, including UPS, DHL and Fed Ex, ensuring our delivery services are of the highest quality, but our prices are up to 70% cheaper than booking with them directly.

As well as a £5 discount when you refer a friend (who uses the service), ParcelHero are offering a 5% exclusive discount to MoneySaverSpain.com’s readers, so you can make the most savings when shipping your goods to Spain.