International shipping from Canada does not have to be a complex process, but the pricing logic varies from one company to another. Understanding international package delivery costs will help you save money while ensuring smooth shipments, no matter if you ship as an individual or a company. Below, we’ll guide you through choosing the best company for shipping overseas and calculating delivery costs like a pro.
Key Factors That Affect International Shipping Costs
Before choosing a cross border courier service, it’s important to understand the main factors that form the end price of your delivery.
- Package weight and size: most companies calculate fees based on dimensional weight, which implies both the physical weight and the space the package occupies. The more compact and lightweight the packaging is, the lower the cost.
- Destination and distance: the farther the packages have to travel, the higher the rates. But there is a catch. Major destinations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia have lower costs due to frequent shipments and optimized logistics. So, choosing popular destinations also saves you money.
- Shipping speed: if you need urgent delivery, express shipment by air can achieve that, but the cost will be more expensive. Slower methods, such as economy shipping by sea, offer the cheapest international shipping rates. The in-between option that combines air and sea travel is usually the most balanced choice in terms of speed and cost.
- Customs, duties, and taxes: every country has different import rules, which affect the final charges. Often, courier companies calculate and include the customs clearance services in their final delivery fees. But sometimes, senders are expected to handle it by themselves. To do this, you can use online customs duty calculators to estimate the final costs before shipping.
- Additional services (tracking, insurance, signature confirmation): most reliable couriers like Meest offer free order tracking through a dedicated app, but some providers may charge extra for such seemingly universal features. The same is true for insurance to protect packages against lost or damaged goods and signature confirmation to ensure secure delivery and prevent misplacing packages.
Cheapest Way to Ship Internationally from Canada
Often, a proven route is not the best one. While Canada Post remains a favourite for budget-friendly shipping in the US and Europe, it is not the best choice for Asia since its tracking does not have global coverage and only works in some destinations. Also, the affordable pricing only concerns lightweight packages, but with every extra kilo, the price goes up exponentially.
Choosing private providers makes more sense for far-way international shipments. Meest, for example, has 35 years of experience in safe and affordable package delivery. More notable benefits of using Meest for international shipping from Canada include:
- Proven provider for Eastern Europe & Asia
- Competitive pricing for cross-border shipments.
- Offers guided customs clearance assistance.
- Great for cheap e-commerce shipment.
To see the financial benefits of using Meest, compare a few rate calculators on different sites and see for yourself!
How to Estimate Your International Shipping Costs
To get accurate pricing for your shipment, follow these simple steps:
- Measure and weigh your package using a scale and measuring tape to get precise dimensions;
- Check destination and available delivery options;
- Factor in customs duties and taxes using a duty calculator or check the destination country’s import rules.
That’s it, you’re ready to ship! The only thing left if you decide to go with Meest is to download the app to enjoy free order tracking.
