Which is the cheapest courier from Canada to New Zealand?

Which is the cheapest courier from Canada to New Zealand?

It depends on when the parcel needs to arrive, its size, and any other miscellaneous fees that you as the shipper selects, time of year...

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by Paul Bourque

July 16, 2024

Key Points

  • Shipping costs depend on journey time, parcel size, and miscellaneous fees.
  • Secureship offers significant savings by leveraging bulk buying power.
  • Proper packaging and timing can help reduce shipping costs and fees.
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Which is the cheapest courier from Canada to New Zealand?

The answer to that question starts with, ‘It depends on …’. Many variables contribute to a shipment’s cost – journey time, parcel size, and miscellaneous fees (Saturday services, insurance, and peak season surcharges).

And given New Zealand’s very long distance from Canada, shipping even a modest package there will be surprisingly expensive. However, help is at hand with Secureship, a Canadian-based broker whose bulk buying power with reliable and noted couriers can save you heaps of money. As well, they guide you through the steps of readying a parcel for shipment, and offer a very wide range of shipping-related information through a Guru bot, articles, guides, and blogs.

Table of Contents

  • Journey Time and Shipping Costs
  • Parcel Size
  • Miscellaneous Fees
  • Conclusion

Journey Time and Shipping Costs

A parcel’s journey time can have a big impact on its shipping costs. And the sooner you want it to arrive, the more you will pay. So, one way of saving money is to ship by sea freight, but that could entail a voyage of two to three months.

People, therefore, often opt for air freight services. The table below provides comparative data from Secureship’s estimator calculator for a small-sized parcel of 5 kg from Toronto Pearson Airport to Auckland International Airport.

Carrier Service Journey Time (business days) Regular Price (CAD) Secureship’s Price (CAD)
Purolator Express 5 $559 $475
UPS Express Saver 5 $501 $184
UPS Expedited 6 $472 $174
FedEx International Priority 6 $536 $241
FedEx International Economy 8 $483 $183
Canada Post Xpresspost 11 $240 n/a

So, while an air service parcel shipment to New Zealand can indeed be pricey, the journey time is considerably shorter than by sea freight. And it should also be very clear that Secureship can save you a lot of money on your shipping costs.

Parcel Size

Heavier parcels will cost more to ship – nothing new in that statement; however, two parcels with the same weight but packed in different sized boxes may ship at different prices. That’s because of dimensional (also known as billable) weight – a calculation carriers use to determine shipping costs, which is shown below.

dimensional weight

For the diagram above, the calculation’s result would be compared to the actual weight of the parcel. Whichever number is larger, that dictates the shipping price.

So, to put it into other terms, shipping a one-pound gold bar in a shoe box would cost less than sending only the shoes in the same box.

Miscellaneous Fees

Your shipment may incur extra miscellaneous fees depending on the needs of your business or the demands of the recipient. Some are avoidable and for others there is no evading them.

Saturday services

A Saturday parcel pick-up or delivery may be very convenient for the parties involved, but if it is not truly necessary, this is one fee that is easy to dodge.

Insurance

Insurance is not obligatory, but it certainly brings peace of mind when important or valuable goods are being sent on a faraway journey.

However, proper packaging of the goods becomes ever more important so that insurance is valid. A few key points to follow include:

  1. Utilise a new unused box.
  2. Pack all items in at least 5 cm of bubble wrap.
  3. Seal the box with official packing tape.

A comprehensive list of packing advice is available at Secureship’s Learning Centre.

Peak season surcharge

The peak shipping season starts in early November and ends in January of the new year, and as a result, the increased traffic creates higher shipping prices. One way to save on shipping costs is to simply ship outside of that time frame, but if that is not possible, we advise that you plan ahead to ship your goods sooner to ensure they arrive on time. And you must remember that in the Northern Hemisphere, that time of year experiences difficult, changeable weather, which often wreaks havoc on transportation networks.

Conclusion

Which is the cheapest courier from Canada to New Zealand? A simple question with a complicated answer: It depends on when the parcel needs to arrive, its size, and any other miscellaneous fees that you as the shipper selects, time of year, or the goods incur – Saturday services, insurance, and peak season surcharges. And though shipping from Canada to New Zealand can be very expensive, even for small parcels, using Secureship to help you find a courier could save you up to 50% on your shipping. And in addition, the company’s website also provides country specific information concerning importation regulations for 140-plus territories and nations, a Guru bot with answers to over 5,000 questions, how-to articles, and dozens of blogs that address a wide range of topics and questions.

About Secureship

About Secureship

Secureship® offers an online service that helps businesses and organizations ship more efficiently and affordably.

Providing instant price shopping across multiple carriers, Secureship is the best choice for reduced rate shipping. In addition, Secureship offers benefits such as a consolidated shipping system regardless of the carrier you choose, built-in address book, convenient invoicing and shipment management.

Visit our shipping estimate tool to see how much you can reduce your shipping expenses.