How much is shipping to Italy from Canada?

If you have not shipped a parcel for a while, you may be very surprised to learn that a small, relatively light package to Italy from Canada could cost several hundred dollars. And if you want it there pronto, then that could command an $800 - $900 fee! But do not despair as there are several ways of significantly lowering those rates, premier of which is to use Secureship as your shipping broker. In addition, this blog discusses insurance and how to pack fragile goods to ensure they arrive safely.

Table of Contents

• How to Lower Your Shipping Rates to Italy
• Sample Savings with Secureship
• Should I Insure the Parcel
• Conclusion

How to Lower Your Shipping Rates to Italy

An easy way to lower shipping rates is to extend the delivery time. Even stretching the service by several business days could knock off several hundred dollars off an overnight or two-day delivery timeline.

Secureship

The next big step Canadian shippers can take to further lower shipping rates is ask Secureship to find you a better rate, and that is well worth the effort as the savings are typically 50%, and often more.

Secureship’s incredible savings is due to this broker’s purchase agreements with Purolator (Canada Post), UPS, and FedEx. But Secureship has also designed an easy-to-use platform that leads you from selecting a shipping option to arranging parcel pick-up in minutes.

Sample Savings with Secureship

The table below shows shipping options for a small (4 kg) parcel sent from Toronto to Rome.

The bold prices are Secureship’s prices, which you may find high. However, compare those to the smaller grey figures, and you will note how much higher shipping is if you took your parcel to a carrier’s outlet - more than 50% higher.

Should I Insure the Parcel?

It is natural to worry about lost parcels; however, the chance of that is very low - 1-2%. But it may ease your worries to insure fragile or particularly valuable goods.

However, if you do purchase insurance, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Uninsurable items

The following goods cannot be insured:

• Artwork and antiques
• Glass and ceramics
• Liquids and hazardous materials
• Luggage and personal items
• Perishables

Packaging guidelines

Whether you buy insurance or not, it is always worth the effort to package goods as per FedEx guidelines.

And they include:

• Use a new, double corrugated cardboard box
• Pack items so as to leave 5 cm between them
• Allow 5 cm between each item and all walls of the box

Conclusion

Even small light parcels shipped to Italy from Canada could set you back hundreds of dollars in shipping fees. And those prices skyrocket if the delivery is needed by the next day or two. However, with Secureship you can slash in half the basic delivery rates of private carriers like UPS, FedEx, and Purolator. Another way to reduce expenses is by considering carefully whether insurance is necessary for your shipment. And if you do buy insurance, be sure to pack the goods as per ISTA 3A criteria.