International Shipping
At World Options, we offer international shipping services from some of the world’s biggest and most reliable carriers, for everything from documents to shipping containers.
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International Courier Services With World Options
Our international parcel delivery services are a great way for UK businesses to extend their reach abroad and with over 300 destinations available, there’s no limit to the scale of your international shipping possibilities.
With our unique online shipping portal, you can book exactly the service you need and compare rates on international shipping from many of the best couriers to ensure your business requirements are met.
Unlike with domestic shipping, there are extra considerations to make when choosing worldwide parcel delivery services, and rules to be aware of that may apply differently to different countries, or to different shipments. A step-by-step guide is available below to help you ensure that your international shipments meet the relevant regulations and requirements.
How can World Options Help?
The World Options portal is a great option for ad-hoc parcel services, both domestic and international, and enables you to book, manage and track multiple orders with different carriers all in one place, giving you more control and more flexibility to suit your needs.
However, if your UK business has decided to begin exporting products regularly, World Options can also help to give insight into the best carriers for your exact requirements and enable you to compare prices on the services you need to find the best available rate.
Where Can I Send A Parcel To?
World Options provides international parcel delivery services to over 300 locations worldwide. Below, we’ve listed some of the most popular destinations to help you to learn more about the requirements and regulations that apply to each when exporting goods.
The most popular international destinations for UK businesses include:
● Australia ● Belgium ● China ● France ● Germany ● India ● Ireland ● Italy ● Netherlands ● Singapore ● Spain ● USA
The information provided is intended as a guide and is subject to change. If you have questions about a particular shipment or service to another country, please call World Options’ customer support on 0330 335 8100 for bespoke advice tailored to your circumstances, or fill in our customer contact form.
General Advice For Shipping Around The World
When shipping overseas, examining the specific rules regarding the item(s) you are sending is important.
These will differ from country to country, as will the documentation you’ll need to provide alongside your shipment. The pages listed above will provide more information about each country's specifics. With the World Options online portal, you can automate many of these steps or receive prompts to provide the information required for customs and border control authorities worldwide to process your shipments.
Below, we have provided some general advice for ensuring that your exported goods fulfil all the requirements. If you have questions about a specific item you wish to ship or the regulations for a particular country, you can fill in the form at the bottom of this page to arrange a call back with one of World Options’ international shipping experts.
Consult The Carriers
As well as the import/export regulations imposed by countries, every shipping carrier has its own rules around what can and cannot be shipped to each destination. As these rules vary between each provider and are frequently updated, it is important to check with the particular carrier you are using at that point in time to ensure you do not break any rules.
Failure to comply with guidance or legislation on restricted or prohibited items could result in delays to your shipment, fines or the shipment being destroyed, so it is a costly error that you must aim to avoid. The World Options platform gives you access to multiple carriers and an Account Manager who will stay up to date with each company’s rules. This means that you’ll always be able to find a carrier that can fulfil your needs.
It’s also important to ensure that you choose the carrier with the right service for your needs. World Options provides access to international services from UPS, DHL, TNT and FedEx, many of which deliver both express and economy services to enable you to choose a faster or more cost-effective option.
Our Carrier Services
Each carrier has advantages and disadvantages. For example, UPS handles more packages than any other carrier, but also has more extra charges for additional handling for large or heavy packages, and even charges for delivering to residential properties - so getting the best price will depend on the specifics of your parcel.
DHL offers timed services and has better prices for lighter-weight packages, but for consignments over 60 kg the company needs 24-hour notice to make a booking, so it’s perfect for smaller goods. TNT is ideal for services into Europe and domestic UK deliveries, but has different size limits for different countries and has limited coverage to the USA. FedEx provides the fastest service to the USA from the UK but has a zone-specific pricing structure that can make things complicated.
For more details about any of these services, become a World Options customer and speak to your dedicated account manager to get detailed advice tailored to your business needs.
Pick The Right Packaging
Regardless of where you are shipping to, you want your item(s) to arrive in perfect condition, just as the recipient expects. The nature of the packaging will depend on the contents, but it may also need to be adapted according to which country you are shipping to and which carrier you’re using.
Check the rules set out by the carrier you are using for that particular destination to ensure your choice of packaging is compliant. Some considerations to bear in mind when choosing your packaging include:
Checking the weight, size, value, fragility and shape of the goods; these elements will dictate the type of packaging the parcel requires
What is the final use of the shipment? If you are shipping directly to customers, your inner packaging must be in excellent condition. If the item is being shipped to a retailer, it has to be retail-ready and free from markings
Applying the six-centimetre rule: ensure that there is a minimum of 6 cm distance between the walls and the contents of the box
Avoiding empty space within the box and filling this with appropriate internal packaging, such as bubble wrap, foam, crumpled paper, corrugated cardboard or airbags
Calculate the volumetric weight of your parcel
The volumetric weight of a parcel is a calculation that carriers use to determine its overall size for the purposes of pricing. Each carrier will have slightly different prices relating to volumetric weight, but these are generally standardised to remain competitive.
To calculate the volumetric weight of a parcel for the purposes of shipping with UPS, DHL, FedEx or TNT express services, you can measure the height, length and width of the box in centimetres, times these three numbers together and divide the total by 5,000.
You can avoid paying extra-dimensional weight charges for a parcel by ensuring that the packaging of your goods is only as large as it needs to be - oversized but lightweight boxes are typically penalised when paying by volumetric weight.
Check The Documentation
A common cause of delays with international shipments occurs at customs, as a result of the wrong - or no - documentation being attached to the products. The nature of this paperwork varies according to the destination, carrier and contents, so it is crucial to check the individual rules around this that apply to every shipment you send. Typically, you will be required to provide paperwork that demonstrates you have paid the relevant taxes, customs fees and tariffs.
Paperwork requirements will also vary from country to country. To find out more about each country, click the links above, or speak to your World Options account manager.
International Shipping With World Options
At World Options, our online portal makes it easy to fill in the necessary paperwork and can provide much of the documentation you need automatically. By comparing services from many of the world’s leading carriers, you can ensure that you get exactly the service you need at the most competitive rate available.
To get started or to receive a quote for a specific delivery, please contact us using the form below to arrange a call back from a World Options international shipping expert.
Register For A free Account
Registering for an account and using our shipping portal is completely free.
Submit your details, and we’ll have a representative contact you, to get you shipping immediately.
Once your set-up you’ll be able to access the portal and book shipments for same day collection. It really is as simple as that.