International postage options/questions

Hey guys, old subject but new questions, I have just tried to get a quote on both the Royal mail & the Parcel force website & TBH am totally shocked :shock:

So questions -

On the RM site it only gives me the option of small parcels for international postage, is that right ?? :? & by small parcel I am assuming they mean the not above 8cm in height like with the domestic option?, no option for medium or large parcel, not even an option for large envelope :?

My parcel is quite modest at 21 x 20 x 14cm & weighing just 375 grams (one graded figure double boxed).

Parcel force options were also IMO stupid at -


Service Delivery Compensation Tracking Price

globalexpress Guaranteed from 1 day Up to £200 Tracked £59.39

globalpriority From 3 days Up to £100 Tracked £54.99

globalvalue Delivery Aim 5-9 days Up to £100 Not Tracked £32.30

globaleconomy Delivery Aim 28-30 days None Not Tracked £30.60

So cheapest option for a (in real terms) pretty small & very light parcel is £30.60 :? as its judged on The volumetric weight of 1.176 kg :x

So -

1. am I reading this right?
2. if so what are my other options as they can shove it where the sun don't shine at that price

Our Royal Mail is history

I am not sure if the domestic sizes apply to international post

I sent off two packages today - both about the same size - the one to Ramsgate cost £5.65 and the one to Belgium £4.95

Yeah this was my thought Iain as I am not sure the same size restrictions apply to the criteria of "small parcel" for international as it does for domestic & I sent a larger & heavier item to Europe just prior to the price hikes for less than £7 but when you check the RM site & press the info on small parcel for domestic it gives you the size & weight restrictions which it does not on international :? why oh why can they not just make it make sense :?:

itfciain said:

I am not sure if the domestic sizes apply to international post

I sent off two packages today - both about the same size - the one to Ramsgate cost £5.65 and the one to Belgium £4.95

Click to expand...

What a bloody joke. Tho as said, we've been over all this.

Frank have you tried getting a quote from parcel2go.com (i think Plantman told me about it). For medium sized boxes Royal Mail are just not a feasible option anymore. One of the products i sell has been absolutely killed stone dead by the Royal Mail price hikes. I used to sell these items every week sometimes 2 or 3 a week and postage was £3. Now postage is £6 and i haven't sold a single unit in over a month. No one will pay that ridiculously high shipping for a £7, lightweight item so now the product is dead in the water. Cheers.
I'm having to look into other options. parcel2go gives you best quotes from various courior companies.

Hi mate.

You are bet to go to the Post Office mate. I got a quote to send a box to Canada (it only had £50 insurance) but it was a massive box and was only £23... From what I can see using the website is a complete joke and the prices are astronomical!!

Even with insurance for a box that size I would assume you would be looking at under £20.

Get off ya lazy arse and get down the Post Office!! :lol:

Got off my lazy ass & went to the post office, on line from what I could see it was going to be £30+, checked & the size limitations to an international parcel are totally different to the domestic ones WTF how god dam stupid it that eh?.

Found out that I can sent the parcel from as little as £7.20, yet it would cost me more or at least the same to send within the UK due to the new pricing structure :? I managed to send it air sure fully insured (£250) for only £15 & that was (wait for it) 10p more than air mail small parcels with the same cover :? :? :? & without insurance it was £12 something, its so god dam confusing now that I try to use a courier of anything larger than an envelope if in the UK, sadly parcel to go international was saying my parcel was to big for any of there standard services.

Boy oh boy why can't they put it back to the way it was as they are killing themselves with this hash of a price change.

I also hear you loud & clear with the item you are no longer selling, I had one the same, sell between 3 & 8 a month of them & had not sold a single unit as the postage went from £5.20 to £9.10 so no one would buy, so checked with parcel2go & now have it back at the same postage cost as before, just now the RM are not making a penny out of me & I have to fanny about booking a courier which can be a PITA

Frunkstar said:

I also hear you loud & clear with the item you are no longer selling, I had one the same, sell between 3 & 8 a month of them & had not sold a single unit as the postage went from £520 to £9.10 so no one would buy, so checked with parcel2go & now have it back at the same postage cost as before, just now the RM are not making a penny out of me & I have to fanny about booking a courier which can be a PITA

Click to expand...

Yeah i'm gonna do the same. Just need so weigh the box up (weighs almost nothing :roll: ) and get the postage back down. I'm losing about £100 a month now that this item is no longer selling. **** you very much Royal Mail. God i hope everyone catches on and they lose millions over this. Saldy tho, i think they know too well that most poor folk won't.

The big pain with the courier is you have to weigh & size everything so make sure you always have a tape measure & some digital kitchen scales to hand, its also worth buying a cheap fishing scale for larger items like these one -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-01Gx40KG-DIGITAL-HANGING-FISHING-SCALES-LUGGAGE-BALANCE-/280831248568?pt=UK_SportingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item4162d8c8b8

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Hand-Luggage-Suitcase-Air-Travel-Weighing-Scales-/190814558589?pt=UK_Tickets_Travel_Luggage_CA&hash=item2c6d6f197d

A little bonus is that you can link up your parcel2go account with your paypal so all your sold show up in your courier account making for a little less legwork.

I can see the new RM prices lasting no more than 12 months TBH, soon as they see they are loosing dosh they will change there tac (I hope)

Frunkstar said:

The big pain with the courier is you have to weigh & size everything so make sure you always have a tape measure & some digital kitchen scales to hand, its also worth buying a cheap fishing scale for larger items like these one -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-01Gx40KG-DIGITAL-HANGING-FISHING-SCALES-LUGGAGE-BALANCE-/280831248568?pt=UK_SportingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item4162d8c8b8

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Hand-Luggage-Suitcase-Air-Travel-Weighing-Scales-/190814558589?pt=UK_Tickets_Travel_Luggage_CA&hash=item2c6d6f197d

A little bonus is that you can link up your parcel2go account with your paypal so all your sold show up in your courier account making for a little less legwork.

I can see the new RM prices lasting no more than 12 months TBH, soon as they see they are loosing dosh they will change there tac (I hope)

Click to expand...

Oh, i see why we need the kitchen scales to hand now