8 min. read
How to Ship Oversized Items from UK?
UK’s online marketplaces offer the largest selection of quality products that you’d rarely find in other countries. From top range electronics, furniture, cookware, to bicycles, and kitchen appliances. Oh, you’ve noticed that these items fall under the category of bulky goods. So, how to ship oversized items from UK is what your next question is going to be.
Can you buy a fancy but oversized item like this wooden gazebo from Costco and have it delivered to your doorstep in your home country? Yes, it’s possible, and we’ll show you how. Whether you’re a business owner or an individual moving furniture or other bulky items, it’s important to understand how to ship heavy items overseas from the UK. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through the step-by-step process to ensure your valuable cargo arrives safely at its intended destination.
First, What’s Considered an Oversized Cargo?
First things first, let’s understand what we’re dealing with here. In the context of shipping, an oversized cargo is any package that is beyond the standard shipping dimensions or the weight limits as determined by carriers. Most couriers will regard anything heavier than 30kg (66.14 lbs.) or that is longer than 120cm, wider than 80cm, and taller than 80cm as oversized.
In that case, the items we mentioned earlier and others such as large appliances, TVs, bikes, and machinery fall into this category. Here’s how the big shipping couriers treat oversized items:
Shipping large items with FedEx
Generally, FedEx treats anything with a dimensional weight of more than 40.82kg (90 lbs.) as oversize. If the weight is below this, but the combined length and width is over 130 inches (330.2 cm) and more than 90 inches (228.6 cm) high, it is still oversize.
Shipping large items with DHL
DHL’s limits are a bit lower than those of FedEx. For instance, DHL will treat any cargo weighing more than 155 lbs. (roughly 70kg) as oversize. If you are to consider dimensional length, then anything beyond 47 inches by 31 inches by 31 inches (120 cm by 80cm by 80cm) is regarded as oversize.
Shipping large items with UPS
What if you want to ship household items overseas using UPS? With UPS, oversized cargos are those weighing more than 150 lbs. (about 68 kg). When it comes to dimensions, UPS uses two categories to classify bulky items. The first category is for those items with a length of more than 96 inches (about 243cm) or a combined length, width, and height of 130 inches (about 330cm).
Shipping large items with New Zealand Post
According to New Zealand Post, oversized items weigh above 66 lbs. (about 30 kg) or those with a combined length and width of 118 inches (about 300 cm) or one side longer than 60 inches (about 150cm).
Understanding the Cost of Shipping Oversized Items
When it comes to the cost to ship items overseas from the UK with any of these couriers, you’ll have to pay based on the actual weight or volume of the cargo and the destination. Each courier has its own rates, but generally the bulkier or heavier the item is, the more you’ll pay.
Besides that, there’s also the logistic aspect of taking your UK-bought item to the carrier’s warehouse to be prepared for shipping. If you don’t have a UK address, then your process becomes even more challenging and costlier than you can imagine.
That’s because when you shop from UK online stores such as Costco, Argos, or Tesco, you’d have to provide a delivery address. Unfortunately, most of these stores don’t ship to countries outside specific zones, which often is Europe. That simply means, without a UK delivery address, you won’t find the cheapest way to ship large packages.
Even if you find a way around this, there’s the factor of insurance. For your peace of mind, we strongly advise insuring your bulky cargo. While most carriers offer insurance as an option, it can be quite expensive. In your bid to cut this cost, you may think about taking third-party insurance, which means you’ll need some expertise to know the right option to go for and the appropriate pricing. This can further push the cost of shipping your bulky cargo to your home country even higher.
How To Ship Oversized Items From UK: The Cheapest and Fastest Way
If you live in the USA and want to purchase items from the UK, Jetkrate makes the UK to USA parcel forwarding process seamless, so you never have to worry about shipping oversized items to your home country.
Why go through the tedious and costly process of shipping your bulky goods from the UK when there’s a faster, cheaper, and hassle-free way?
What makes Jetkrate a preferred shipper is that we offer you a local UK address which you can use as your delivery address. Plus, you don’t need to shop in a hurry; with the consolidation service, you can shop as many items as you like. For instance, if you’re a business owner buying oversized items to restock your store in your home country, Jetkrate’s package forwarding cuts costs significantly on shipping. The same goes if you’re buying household items for your own use.
Here’s how you can efficiently ship your bulky items from the UK to your home country with Jetkrate:
Step 1: Sign Up and Get a Local UK Address
To get started, simply sign up at Jetkrate for a free account, and you will receive a unique UK address. This will be your local receiving point for every purchase you make from a UK store. A local address solves 50% of your shipping challenges after making your purchase.
Step 2: Shop From Your Favorite UK Store
Now that you have your UK local address, the stress of the cost to ship items overseas after shopping from UK stores is out the window. Whether purchasing large appliances, high-end furniture, bike, or any other bulky item, use the local address given to you as your delivery address during checkout.
During the checkout process, make sure you’ve noted the dimensions of your package properly. Like we mentioned earlier, the dimensions matter a lot when you ship heavy items overseas as they determine the shipping rates. Ensure you know the length, width, height, and weight of your package to get more accurate rates.
Step 3: Notify Jetkrate of the Incoming Package
Once you’ve completed the purchase and your package is set for delivery, sign in to your Jetkrate account and create an incoming package ticket. Here, you’ll be requested to specify details such as the store name, tracking number, package description, and dimensions. These details are important as they help Jetkrate prepare in advance for your package’s arrival and ensure it’s processed efficiently.
Jetkrate will track the delivery status and keep you updated at all times. As soon as your package is received at your local UK address, Jetkrate will notify you. This transparency ensures that you’re always in the know about your oversized shipment.
Step 4: Package Consolidation
What sets Jetkrate apart is their package consolidation feature. Unlike other carriers who deliver the package singly, Jetkrate will consolidate all your items and compile them into a single cargo. This service is particularly beneficial in the case of oversized goods, as it significantly lowers the cost of shipping.
Consolidation also means that all your purchased items will be repacked into larger boxes to ensure they’re secure and ready for international shipping. This offers the cheapest way to ship large boxes from the UK to your destination country.
Step 5: Choose Your Preferred Shipping Method
Jetkrate has multiple shipping options to meet your specific needs and budgets. Choose from the three worldwide shippers – DHL, FedEx, and New Zealand Post. You can also customize your options further by specifying the timeline and your preferred cost options.
The advantage is that Jetkrate’s cost calculator offers you an easier way to know the estimated cost to ship items overseas. Here, you choose your destination country, specify the weight of the package in kilograms or pounds, and then the dimensions (length, width, and height) in centimeters or inches.
The Jetkrate’s cost calculator allows you to add as many packages you need and determine the estimate cost upfront. You’ll also get an estimate delivery time for each of the options to help you make an informed decision.
Step 6: Pay for Your Shipping
After selecting your shipping method, Jetkrate will send you an invoice with the total cost of shipping the oversized item from the UK to your destination. You also get to choose from different payment methods, including VISA, Mastercard, PayPal, and Bitcoin.
Other services that may be included in your invoice include the insurance cost. This is particularly important for high-value items to protect them against damage or loss during transit. You can also let Jetkrate handle the customs clearance documentation for you to ensure your cargo is compliant with regulations. This also allows you to simply sit back, relax, and wait for your package to be delivered at your doorstep.
Step 7: Track Your Shipment
Thanks to Jetkrate’s efficient online tracking system, you can track the consolidated package in real-time once it leaves the UK warehouse. Every time the status of the shipment changes (e.g. Shipped or Out for Delivery), you’ll receive a notification until it’s ready for delivery to your door. With this efficient tracking method, how to ship oversized items from UK becomes less stressful for you.
Step 8: Receive Your Oversized Package At Your Doorstep
On reaching your country, your package will go through the customs clearance process and be ready for delivery at your doorstep. Jetkrate has a thorough documentation process that complies with international shipping standards, making the process seamless and shorter.
After clearance, your package will be delivered to your specified address. Once you receive it, inspect it and confirm that it’s in order. The interesting bit is that it can take as little as two days for your package to arrive in your home country from the UK. How convenient can this be?
Conclusion: Ship Oversized Items from UK With Jetkrate
Buying oversized items from UK stores and shipping internationally is challenging because of the logistical challenge of lack of a delivery address. This makes it almost impossible to shop from UK online stores, since majority don’t ship internationally or charge hefty fees for it.
You don’t have to worry about how to ship oversized items from UK; Jetkrate makes the process a breeze. When you sign up for a free account, you will receive a local UK address as your delivery address. Jetkrate will then consolidate the package and deliver it to your country in as little as two days, saving you money, time, and the hassle of international shipping. Go ahead and shop to your heart’s satisfaction, knowing that Jetkrate has your back for all your oversized items shipping requirements!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to ship large boxes from the UK?
Most UK stores don’t ship internationally, and those that do have exorbitant charges. The cheapest way to ship large boxes from the UK is to use Jetkrate’s package forwarding service. This allows you to consolidate your goods at the provided local UK address and ship them to your destination as a single package. This significantly cuts down the shipping costs, insurance, and customs clearance charges.
What type of oversized items does Jetkrate ship?
The range of oversized items varies from furniture, large appliances, machinery, TVs, bikes, and other commonly bulky items.
My purchased items are not boxed. How can Jetkrate help?
Jetkrate has a consolidation service that also includes repacking of the oversized items in secure packaging. This allows your oversized items to be shipped safely from the UK to your destination.
What’s the cost of shipping a large, oversized package?
Jetkrate offers a simple way to predetermine the estimate cost of shipping an oversized package, using the cost calculator, enter the dimensions, weight, and destination of your package to get an estimate cost.
Does Jetkrate do customs clearance for oversized packages?
Absolutely! Jetkrate has a standard customs documentation and procedure that meets the international requirements. This makes the custom clearance process easier, eliminating the unnecessary delays and costs associated with clearing cargo. Jetkrate can handle the customs clearance process so you can sit back, relax, and wait for your oversized shipment to arrive at your doorstep.