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Shipping parcels to a destination such as Australia can seem like a daunting and complicated process.

The thought of sending a parcel to a destination such as Australia can seem like an all-too-overwhelming process. Here at NI Parcels, we know a thing or two about shipping all kinds of parcels across the globe. Whether you’re a small business in need of an international shipping solution, or whether you’re simply sending a one-off parcel to a loved one on the other side of the world. We’re here to shed a bit of light on shipping to Australia to make the whole process much more digestible.

Although it certainly doesn’t have to be as daunting and as complicated as it appears on the surface, when sending a parcel to Australia there are a number of things worth knowing before you even start comparing international courier quotes.

Here’s the essential things you need to know before shipping to Australia:

Why Ship To Australia?

There are a number of reasons why businesses or individuals may want to ship parcels to Australia. As a small business, you might be aiming to expand your services internationally, and as such, find yourself researching the best shipping solution to fit your needs. On the other hand, you may have a loved one residing in the Land Down Under and perhaps wish to send them a touch of home in a thoughtful care-package. The possibilities are endless – however, regardless of what your reason might be, it’s essential to do your research before going ahead with it.

Australian Customs Information

When importing goods into Australia, you are legally required to complete and attach a customs invoice to your shipment. Whether you’re sending business samples, gifts or personal effects; if your shipment is not accompanied by a customs invoice, it will not make it past your local country border, and you may have to pay hefty return charges to get it back (unless you’re sending only documents).

What is a customs invoice and what is it used for?

A customs invoice is used by the destination country’s Customs authorities to access and inspect the imported goods, and to levy any duties or taxes that they may deem applicable to the goods being imported into their country. It is important to understand that it is not the courier who is applying additional charges, is it the Customs authorities. When shipping to Australia, you must comply with this.

Sending goods temporarily into Australia?

If you know that the goods you are importing into Australia will leave again within 12 months, this is referred to a a ‘Temporary Import’. It is unlikely that you will have to pay any duty and tax on this type of shipment, however, there are strict conditions in place for these shipments. If you do not tell Customs when the goods leave Australia, then you will likely have to pay the duty and tax that would have been payable when you first imported them into Australia. Be sure to research this!

Shipping Gifts To Australia

Thinking of sending a thoughtful gift to a loved one residing in Australia? When shipping to Australia, gifts are their own entity, and are not classed as personal effects. Therefore, any and all gifts imported into Australia go through normal Customs clearance. Unfortunately, there is no duty or tax concession for sending gifts to Australia; this means that, regardless, your recipient will have to pay duties and taxes in order to clear the goods through Customs. This is a regulation imposed by the Australian Customs authorities and is not subject to dispute in any case.

Shipping Personal Effects To Australia

Any and all luggage shipments imported into Australia are considered to be unaccompanied personal effects and, in certain circumstances, may be subject to duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) – however, you may be exempt from duty and tax on your personal effects shipment if you:

• Personally owned and used the goods for at least 12 months before shipping to Australia
• Have arrived or intend to arrive in Australia
• Are a permanent resident (returning to Australia) or are a first time migrant from a place outside Australia taking up permanent residency

Goods that can be declared as personal effects and which can be exempt from duty and tax usually include; personal clothing, furniture, rugs, books and bicycles.

When completing your customs declaration, it is important to do so properly and clearly. In order to demonstrate that your shipment consists of personal effects, you will be required to accurately describe each item included in the package. For example, if it is a shipment consisting of personal clothing, you would declare this as: “5 x t-shirts, 2 x pairs of jeans, 3 x dresses” etc, as opposed to “10 x clothing”.

Personal belongings that do not qualify for exemption:

• Alcohol and tobacco products
• Parts for cars, motorcycles or other vehicles
• Goods you intend to sell (commercial goods)
• Goods you have purchased from overseas while you are in Australia (including internet purchases)
• Goods which were bequeathed to you

Although NI Parcels does not specifically specialise in shipping personal effects, there are many reputable companies offering convenient luggage shipping services to Australia, including My Baggage, who offer door to door luggage shipping.

Prohibited Goods, Restricted Goods and Packaging

For security, quarantine and customs reasons, there are certain items which may be prohibited or restricted from importing into Australia. It is very important to note that some restricted items can still be sent, however, they may require your recipient to obtain a permit or import license in advance for customs clearance. This will require some in-depth research to avoid disappointment further down the line.

It is important to be aware that any shipments containing any restricted items such as foodstuffs or wooden products may result in the shipment having to be cleared by Australian quarantine, which can result in delays and potential additional charges.

As a general rule, you can be sure that the following items are prohibited:

• Aerosols
• Animal Products
• Cash, Credit Cards, Debit Cards
• Dangerous Goods
• Hazardous Goods
• Liquids
• Medicines
• Passports and other confidential personal documentation
• Perishable Foods
• Plants

It is also worth noting that import allowances, security and customs processes differ all over the world. As such, it is strongly recommended that you do your own personal research into what may be prohibited in your destination country before getting ready to send your parcel. Australia goes to great lengths to protect its stunning natural environment and habitats from harmful diseases; this means that many products, goods and even some packaging materials are prohibited.

To avoid any major issues, avoid the following packaging materials:

• Egg cartons
• Wooden boxes*
• Cardboard boxes that have been used to hold fruit, vegetables or meat
• Straw material
• Dried plant material

*It is important to note that all wooden boxes, crates or pallets must be fumigated and also be accompanied by a fumigation certificate for entry into Australia.

What type of packaging can be used?

As is standard with all parcels, it is advised to invest in new, sturdy, double-walled (or even triple-walled) cardboard boxes as they are most durable and suitable for transporting all different types of items. If you are sending any fragile or delicate items, it is recommended to use internal packaging to protect them during transit. You can use a range of materials such as bubble wrap, foam or newspapers.

Hopefully our handy guide gives you some further insight into shipping parcels to Australia. If you have any questions about the process or wish to enquire about shipping parcels to Australia with NI Parcels, give us a shout or find out more below!

Need to send a parcel? Learn more about NI Parcels.

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International Parcel Delivery

Need to send a parcel?

If you don’t send parcels regularly, needing to send one might seem like a bit of a head-scratch. Where do you even start? Especially if you’re sending it halfway across the world; the whole thing can really seem like a rather complicated process.

Don’t panic. At NI Parcels, we happen to be rather experienced in shipping parcels (the hint is in the name). As such, we’re here to share our expert advice about sending a parcel via a courier service. We will take you through every step so that you know exactly what you have to do to send a parcel anywhere in the world!

Step 1: Package it up!

First thing’s first; you’re going to need to package up whatever it is you’re planning to send. No reputable courier service will take items without packaging – it poses too great of a risk to not only your item, but to every other item being transported.

When we send a parcel with a courier, we all like to imagine that our item is very carefully carried by one person from A-B. The truth is that your item will be transported through a courier network; it will first be sorted by a machine and then placed into a van with tens (or even hundreds) of other heavy and large parcels and driven to its destination. Of course, if you’re sending your parcel with a reputable courier (like our providers) any damage to your item in transit is very unlikely.

However, it can happen on very rare occasions and for that reason, you’ll want to ensure you’ve done everything humanly possible to protect your item.

The way you package your item will, of course, depend on the item itself. For example, if you’re planning to send documents, paintings, or bigger items such as electricals; you will need to package all of these in different ways.

That said, a general rule of thumb is to make sure your item is packaged properly and as securely as possible. Use sturdy materials; a double-walled cardboard box is less likely to collapse or tear. You might also want to add some internal packaging, such as bubble wrap or packing peanuts to give your items some extra cushioning.

You’re also going to want to have a read over your courier service’s prohibited and non-compensation items list to ensure what you are sending can be carried and whether it can be covered in the rare event of loss or damage.

Step 2: Measure your parcel!

Many, if not all, courier services will require you to provide the details of your parcel, such as the weight and dimensions, at the point of booking. These details are required as it is how the price of your shipment is actually determined.

You’re going to want to ensure that these details are as accurate as possible, as you don’t want to end up paying more for the shipment that what you actually need to. Similarly, you don’t want to pay too little, then receive a hefty oversized charge later down the line. It will also help to prevent any delays or complications.

Step 3: Book your shipment!

Now that you have your parcel ready, it’s time to book your shipment. You can either go directly to a courier company to avail of their courier services, or you can save yourself a pretty penny by booking through a third party such as NI Parcels.

When you book with NI Parcels instead of going directly to the courier company, you can save yourself up to 80% on the cost of your courier service. That’s because we’ve negotiated fantastic low rates with our network of reputable couriers; which means you still receive the same high-quality service, but for a fraction of the price.

What’s more, booking with NI Parcels is easy peasy. There’s no complicated sign up process, all you need to get started is a valid email address. Our online booking system is straightforward and only takes a few short moments to complete.

Step 4: Print and attach your shipping labels!

When you book a courier service, you’ll be sent some shipping labels that you’ll need to print and attach to your item. At NI Parcels, we email these labels through to you.

If you’re sending parcels internationally…

Bear in mind that if you are sending parcels internationally, such as to the USA, Australia or otherwise, there may be additional forms that you’ll need to fill out to send with your item. That’s because, with international shipping, you are technically exporting goods, which means it can be a more complex process and requires careful thought and, most importantly of all, some research on your part.

When you’re sending a parcel outside of the EU, you’ll need to fill out a customs invoice. This is a document that travels with your parcel and contains information about the items inside your parcel. The invoice is required for customs clearance – to put it bluntly, your shipment cannot and will not leave the country without one.

When you book an international shipment with NI Parcels, we provide these customs documents to you, along with some advice on how to fill them out. However, again, it is entirely your responsibility to do some research on this and to fill out these forms correctly as no courier is directly associated with customs.

Step 5: Sit back and relax!

That’s it – the courier takes care of everything from here! You can simply sit back and relax whilst your shipment is collected and delivered to its destination.

When you book a handy courier service with NI Parcels, there’s no need to leave your items off at a drop-off point, and no need to venture out to collect them when they arrive. We offer a fully door-to-door service for your convenience.

As well, we provide full online parcel tracking so that you can monitor the progress of your shipment every single step of the way. You’ll be notified when your shipment is out for delivery, so you’ll know exactly when to expect it.

If you happen to have any questions or concerns along the way, NI Parcels dedicated customer support team will be happy to help with any query you might have.

New to NI Parcels? Learn more about us…

Learn more:

Parcel Delivery Northern Ireland

International Parcel Delivery

Small Business Shipping

Need to send a parcel this Christmas?

In this post, you can find everything you need to know about sending a parcel with NI Parcels this Christmas. Including information on our Christmas send by dates, as well as our office Christmas closing dates and contact details for our couriers, should you need them.

How To Book A Courier Service With NI Parcels

Whether you run a small business and are in need of a reliable shipping solution, or you’re an individual sending a package to a loved one – anyone can send a parcel with NI Parcels this Christmas.

Booking your courier service with us is easy. Simply start by getting a quote on our homepage. We’ll compare quotes from leading courier companies to give you the lowest prices and fastest delivery times for your shipment. All you have to do is select the option that best suits your needs.

After that, we’ll collect your parcel and deliver it straight to where it needs to go. We provide a convenient door to door parcel delivery service, as well as full online parcel tracking.

International Parcel Delivery This Christmas

Need to send a parcel abroad this Christmas? With NI Parcels, you have the option to send parcels within Northern Ireland, to ROI, mainland UK and worldwide! If you’d like to send a parcel abroad this December, you can read our information on international Christmas deliveries.

NI Parcels Christmas Send By Dates

Below you can find our recommended send by dates for this holiday period. If you would like your parcel to arrive in time for Christmas, we recommend sending on or before the following dates listed. You may still place a booking after these dates, however, we cannot guarantee that it will arrive before the big day.

Next day services – 19th December

48 hr/2 day services – 16th December

2-3 day services – 15th December

International – 12th December

Express 12.00 service – 22nd December

Each of our couriers has their own individual cut-off dates. You can find more information on their respective websites. Parcelforce.com, DPD.co.uk, Captaincourier.co.uk, Cityairexpress.com.

Please note that we recommend allowing 1 extra day than normal during December due to high volumes of shipments, and also to consider any adverse weather conditions. Deliveries will take place until 23rd December.

NI Parcels Christmas Closing Dates

Below you will find all of the information regarding our opening hours during the holiday period. You can also see on which days collections and deliveries will be taking place.

PLEASE NOTE: You can still place a booking on our website on ANY of these dates. Our online booking system is available 24/7.

NI Parcels Contact Information

You can contact our office directly from 9am-6pm on any of the days we are open, as listed above. However, if you need to get in touch when our offices are closed over the holiday period, please find direct contact details for our couriers below:

NI Parcels Express/Economy: Please call 0844 248 0844 and have your Collection Request number ready. You can find this number by logging into ‘My Orders’ and selecting ‘track’.

Parcelforce: Click this link and use your postcode to find the number for your local depot. You’ll need to have your tracking number ready. This can be found in your emails from NI Parcels, and also by logging into ‘My Orders’. It begins with two letters, followed by seven numbers.

DPD: Click here to find the number for your local depot. You’ll need your CR 101 reference number ready. This can be found by logging into your account and clicking ‘track’.

City Air Express: Please call 028 9078 1878 and provide your reference number, which begins with NIP and can be found in your emails or by logging into your account.

Captain Courier: Please call 028 9043 9333 and provide your address details.

Low Cost Parcel Delivery This Christmas

NI Parcels can help you save both time and money this Christmas.

NI Parcels is a pay-as-you-go service, and all shipments are priced individually based on their weights and dimensions, which means that you’ll always receive the very best value for your money.

Booking your parcel delivery with NI Parcels is up to 80% cheaper than booking with the courier directly. Get a quote today to see how much you could save.

We hope you’ve had a great 2016. Thank you so much for using NI Parcels, and we hope we can help you with your parcel deliveries again in 2017. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us at NI Parcels!

Learn more about NI Parcels:

Parcel Delivery Northern Ireland

Cheap Shipping To Northern Ireland

International Parcel Delivery

Small Business Shipping