Are there cheaper alternatives to Royal Mail for UK shipping?

[LA_GENT1]

Hi UK merchants, 

Does anyone have any alternatives to Royal Mail click and drop ? I am reasonably happy with them however due to cost of business pressures just want to research and see if there are any alternatives such as DPD, DHL for a lower price. At the moment we are paying 4.10 for 48 hour and 4.90 for 24 hour tracked service for domestic service for approx 5-6k parcels a year. Plus all the usual fuel surcharges and VAT. 

Also for European ioss services, are there any cheaper options to a fixed rate of 125 euros/month. Our provider charges us a fixed rate and looking to see if there are any ways to lower this. 

Thanks in advance for any help on the above two questions. 

[Victor]

Hi @LA_GENT1,

There are a variety of apps on the Shopify App Store that allow you to buy shipping labels and better manage your fulfillment through Shopify. Some of the apps that can be used by UK-based merchants include:

• DPD Integration
• ShipStation (includes integrations with DHL, DPD, Royal Mail, and others)
• Zenstores (includes integrations with DHL, DPD, Royal Mail, and others)

I'd recommend viewing the respective App Store pages for each app, reviewing their features and prices, and deciding which one is best for you and your business. Many apps such as these offer a variety of different features and functionalities so it's worth spending the time making a decision as they'll likely play a big role in how you manage your orders, fulfillment, and shipping.

I'd also like to point out that we offer Shopify Shipping services with DPD for merchants based in the UK, meaning you can purchase DPD shipping labels directly within the Shopify admin. The rates you'll pay are the ones negotiated by Shopify with DPD and if you're interested in using them as a courier for your shipments, it's worth checking out the price of buying labels to see if this is financially feasible for you.

In terms of IOSS services I am not sure if there is a service that offers a rate cheaper than €125 EUR  a month, but there are apps on the App Store that can help merchants with their IOSS registration. I'd recommend checking out the Crossborder IOSS and DDP and Zonos Duty and Tax apps to see if they are of any use to you. You can contact the app developers directly if you have questions about their services; contact information can be found on each app's App Store page.

[Anindita]

Hi @LA_GENT1 

In addition to the apps mentioned by @Victor, you can also take a look at PH MultiCarrier Shipping Label App. The app integrates with top shipping carriers in UK: Parcelfore Worldwide, EasyPost, UPS.

Since you are looking for an economical option, UPS’s competitive shipping rates with discounts of up to 75% will be an ideal option. This offer is specially available for the European merchants. You can check out the details here!

Let me know if you have any queries. I will be happy to help!

[LA_GENT1]

Thanks for providing this. Can you give me a quote for a 9 by 6 by 6 parcel - 1.25kg to Germany from UK through UPS ?

[LA_GENT1]

Thanks for your response. Do you know for DPD  Shopify Integration how much the rates are or would you know where to look ?

[Anindita]

Hi @LA_GENT1 

Yes! you can integrate DPD easily with PH MultiCarrier Shipping Label. To know the accurate rates for multiple carriers or any further queries, feel free reach out to our team of experts. We will be happy to help!

[Victor]

Hi @LA_GENT1,

I took a closer look at the DPD Integration app and it seems that it requires a DPD account in order to use the app. You can sign up for one on the DPD website and they have a page that outlines shipping costs in more detail.

In terms of buying DPD labels directly through Shopify, I do not have any example rates I can share. You can take a look at the estimated cost of a label when viewing an unfulfilled order and choosing DPD as your fulfilment option.

Looking at the other apps I recommended (ShipStation and Zenstores), it appears that both services offer carrier discounts when you opt to use them to ship your products. This means you might be able to get cheaper shipping rates when using these services rather than simply using your own DPD account. I'd suggest speaking with the developers of the apps to learn more; Shipstation have an email address (support@shipstation.com) and a phone number (1 (512) 485-4282) you can use to get in touch, as do Zenstores (support@zenstores.com / +44 (0)117 205 0604).

[LA_GENT1]

Thanks

[TeemuEAS]

Hello LA_GENT1! 

We are familiar with your case already, just making sure everything is going ok! When did you need to begin with the new IOSS solutions again? 

There are easier, more cost-efficient and more comprehensive solutions for the EU VAT compliance: https://apps.shopify.com/eas-eu-compliance

Not just IOSS but also OSS, non-Union, domestic and B2B. 

Exactly as LA_GENT1 has discovered.