It can be a head-scratcher whenever you want to move with your things or just have valuable personal belongings to ship. How do you ensure that you’re getting the best shipping rates and aren’t being ripped off? How to be confident that the carrier has sufficient experience and responsibility to handle your belongings with care? Will your parcels or luggage travel to their intended destination in time? These are all important questions that need answers.
Luckily, there are simple solutions to meet your demands for shipping luggage and parcels to and from the UK.
How to find the best rates for international luggage shipment?
If you are immigrating or temporarily relocating to the United Kingdom, it’s time to think about shipping parcels internationally. There are definitely at least a handful of items that you will need once you settle into your new environment. However, fitting everything into your travel suitcases is usually not an option. This is why people turn to courier services that offer the option for shipping parcels internationally. You can also read our blog on the best luggage shipping services.
It’s a service in high demand. The United Kingdom has many domestic and foreign-based courier services that can deliver items, ranging from small parcels with documents all the way to furniture or excess baggage to anywhere within the United Kingdom.
You should ask for a quote from Parcel ABC to get the best rates for these services. It’s a dedicated one-stop–shop for all of the student's shipping needs to and from the UK. You can simply enter the dimensions of your parcels, origin and destination locations and instantly get prices for such a service. Choose the lowest rate or go with the shortest delivery times - it’s all up to you. Since ParcelABC partners with all major courier services, they get the best rates from all companies.
Packing your parcel and preparing for the shipment
Once you decide to ship your parcels and select a service provider, you need to think about packing. It’s better to think about this in advance, especially if the item in question is very valuable, very large, very fragile, or all of the above. Explore the best tips to pack when moving abroad to avoid unnecessary expenses.
Buy properly sized envelopes or cardboard boxes to fit your belongings. For items like computers, monitors, technology, and small appliances, you can also use the boxes in which they came to ensure proper packing. If the item is fragile, use bubble wrap or soft polystyrene foam to protect it during the shipment. If you pack items into travel suitcases, you can place soft fabric clothing around these devices to do the same. You can get packaging materials at almost any office or home improvement store.
There are at least a few best ways to pack a parcel, but it all depends on what’s inside and how you pack it. Remember that you (the sender) are responsible for proper packaging so it’s always better to be safer than sorry. Once satisfied with the packaging, print the postage slip, stick it on your parcel in a visible spot and wait for the pick-up.
Insurance for smoother shipment
Whenever shipping parcels internationally to or from the United Kingdom, you should sign up for insurance options. It only costs a fraction of the service price but can cover the entire value of the luggage that you’re shipping. Luckily, ParcelABC offers automatic insurance for all parcels that you’re sending with them, so you needn’t worry any more. In case your shipping company doesn't provide insurance for your parcels, explore in detail about about shipping insurance and other insurance plans you must opt for.
Amber Student also encourages choosing reputable and well-established postage companies. They can offer more professional and insightful customer service in case of any issues. Besides, they are likely to have local representatives that you can get in touch and communicate directly with. You can also read our blog on the do's and don'ts of luggage shipping.
Express shipping and tracking of parcels
When talking about parcel transportation services to and from the UK, we have to address two, very important aspects for students.
- Quick, express shipment of their luggage
- Tracking your shipment
Express shipment
In most cases, sending parcels abroad can take anywhere between 3 business days to 2 weeks. It depends on how far the package needs to travel from or to the UK, whether customs need to be cleared and so on.
However, a lot of courier services offer the possibility for express parcel transportation services. They can help your packages cross countries or entire oceans or continents as quickly as in 1-2 days. Such services do cost extra, but if you need to send something fast, know that there is an option available at ParcelABC.
Tracking
If you want to be ready to pick-up your items or inform the intended recipient about the status of their travel luggage, tracking is vital. Luckily, nowadays almost all courier services automate shipping updates and you have information available to you in real-time. You can know when your item has: been picked-up, cleared customs, crossed borders, arrived at sorting stations, etc.
Summary
So, for students that are packing for long-term travel with a list or are moving and want to send their belongings to the UK, ParcelABC is very helpful. Within a few minutes you can get detailed quotes from all major courier companies that can take on the job.
Choose the best option and be confident throughout the entire process. You will be able to track your parcel(s), they will be insured and the packaging slip will be available to print right away.
Get shipping to and from the UK easy! You can also read our blog on the do's and don'ts of luggage shipping and tips and tricks for shipping luggage.