How much does it cost to send a package to Spain?

How much it costs to send a package to Spain has no easy answer as many details determine the final fee. Do you need the goods there tomorrow or in a fortnight? Is the box big or small? Are you buying insurance? These plus other elements affect every shipment whether to Spain or elsewhere. So, this blog outlines some of the basic cost inputs to shipping in general, and explains how they can be reduced, particularly when you employ Secureship as your shipping broker. This proud Canadian-bred company has bulk buying agreements with Purolator, UPS, and FedEx, which could save you up to 50% from a carrier’s retail price; and its system has been designed to save you a heap of time, and at the end of the day, that is also a money-saver.

Table of Contents

• Delivery Times and Cost
• Other Cost Factors
• Secureship’s Bulk Buying Agreement with Carriers
• Conclusion

Delivery Times and Cost

We understand intuitively that slower shipments will cost us less than faster ones; and one slower way to send goods is by sea freight, which to Spain may be a month’s transit time.

But when time is more important than money, air freight is the option. And as you can see below, air freight costs substantially more¹ than surface transport, and carriers can vary widely in their prices².

• Canada Post International Parcel – Surface ($150 CAD)
• Canada Post Xpresspost ($250 CAD)
• FedEx International Economy ($423 CAD)
• FedEx International Priority ($468 CAD)
• FedEx International First ($623 CAD)
• UPS Expedited ($409)
• UPS Express Saver ($435)
• UPS Express ($458)

Other Cost Factors

There are other various cost factors that will increase the price of shipping. Two are explained below.

Box size

If you are using a larger box because the goods are larger and thereby weigh more, you understandably will pay more to ship them. However, goods of the same weight packed in a smaller box will cost you less! And that’s due to carriers’ determining the shipping cost based on dimensional weight.

Dimensional weight is calculated as shown in the diagram below. Dimensional weight then is compared to the actual weight of the parcel, and whichever is larger, that dictates the shipment fee.

Think about shipping a pillow vs. its equivalent weight in jewellery, and that is how dimensional weight works.

Insurance

Given the rigours a parcel endures its voyage, insurance may be considered in the event of damage and or loss.

However, be advised that you cannot insure the following items:

• Jewellery and artwork
• Luggage and personal effects
• Fragile goods
• Currency
• Liquids and hazardous materials

And for insurance to be valid, the box and its contents must be sealed and packed to ensure safe arrival as outlined by ISTA 3A standards.

Secureship’s Bulk Buying Agreements with Three Carriers

If you have shipped anything recently, you no doubt were shocked by its cost. And if you haven’t, then please review the data above in ‘Delivery Times and Cost’.

Those numbers are the carriers’ retail prices, what you would pay if you walk in off the street. But when you have Secureship find you a carrier, its bulk buying agreements with FedEx, Purolator, and UPS could save you up to 50% when you send a package to Spain.

The other advantage of using Secureship is the time savings you enjoy. Our platform is intuitive and quick. Within minutes of inputting your data, you will have a number of shipping options, and then only several minutes more, the system has guided you through the paperwork and the parcel’s pick-up time and place. No need to visit a carrier’s office with a parcel in tow. And as we know time = money!

Conclusion

Many elements combine to determine the cost of sending a package to Spain from Canada – delivery time, size of the box, insurance, to name a few. And though shipping rates have shot through the roof of late, by extending delivery times, packing items in a smaller box, and taking a chance without insurance, you could save some money. But the easiest strategy with the biggest return is to have Secureship find a carrier for you; and because of its long-standing purchase arrangements with Purolator, UPS, and FedEx, it can pass on savings that reach 50% off the price you can get on your own. And due to Secureship’s efficient platform, you will also save loads of time, and that can be as important as saving dollars.