Key Points:

  • Australia Post remains a popular shipping solution for many Australian SMBs, as they maintain a large retail network that includes rural and remote areas
  • If you’re shipping cross-country, you can expect the average time frame to be around 5 days, with the shortest being from 1–3 days and some being as long as 10–11 days
  • Australia Post estimates that Australian online shoppers spent over AUS $50 Billion in 2020 alone

eCommerce growth in Australia remains strong, with the market growing over 19% in 2022 alone. Additionally, the Australia Post estimates that Australian online shoppers spent AUS $50.46 Billion in 2020. With four in five households, approximately 9 million, making online purchases at some point over that year.

With more Australians ordering online and receiving parcels, it’s crucial for Australian SMBs to provide the best shipping for eCommerce. Delivery is one of the last customer touchpoints, and expectations remain high: consumers have been conditioned to prefer fast, flexible, and affordable options when receiving their parcels.

In this post, we aim to demystify domestic shipping in Australia by sharing a list of courier companies you can consider, in addition to how they compare with Australia Post's domestic shipping rates.

Table of Contents

01 Domestic Shipping Options in Australia
02 How Long Does Domestic Shipping Take in Australia?
03 What's the Cheapest Way to Ship a Package Domestically in Australia?
04 Find the Best Shipping for eCommerce with Easyship

Domestic Shipping Options in Australia

Here are some domestic couriers you can work within Australia:

How Long Does Domestic Shipping Take in Australia?

Domestic delivery time frames vary, and depend on the distance your parcel is traveling and the speed your chosen service offers.

Some couriers provide same-day local delivery, while delivery within the same city or state can average between 1-2 business days. If you’re shipping cross-country, you can expect the average time frame to be around 5 days, with the shortest being from 1-3 days and some being as long as 10-11 days.

What's the Cheapest Way to Ship a Package Domestically in Australia?

eCommerce shipping costs depend on the following factors:

  • Weight of your parcel
  • Dimensions of your parcel’s packaging
  • The distance your parcel will travel

Australia Post remains a popular shipping solution for many Australian SMBs, as they maintain a large retail network that includes rural and remote areas. How does Australia Post’s domestic shipping compare to other couriers?

To find out, you can use Easyship’s Get A Quote feature to compare domestic shipping prices in Australia, all in one place.

Consider the following examples rates:

Rates for a 1 kg parcel, 22 cm x 16 cm x 7.7 cm, within the Sydney metro

Courier
Service
Delivery Time Frame
Cost
Australia Post
Courier Post
Same day
$34.95*
Australia Post
Express Post
1 day
$15.30*
Australia Post
Parcel Post
2 days
$10.85*
Sendle
Premium Domestic
0-2 days
$7.90**
Fastway
Domestic
2-4 days
$7.46**

*Retail Rates
**Easyship Rates

Australia Post provides a lot of flexibility if you’re shipping within city limits, as there are 3 different solutions to choose from. However, courier services such as Sendle and Fastway provide more cost-effective options, with rates under $8.

Example rates for a 1 kg parcel, 22 cm x 16 cm x 7.7 cm, from Melbourne to Adelaide

Courier
Service
Delivery Time Frame
Cost
Australia Post
Express Post
1 day
$20.80*
Australia Post
Parcel Post
2-3 days
$15.05*
Sendle
Premium Domestic
1-2 days
$9.45**
Fastway
Domestic
2-4 days
$7.46**

*Retail Rates
**Easyship Rates

If you’re shipping across states, Australia Post’s shipping quotes are starting to look less competitive. While the Express Post option provides quick delivery with a 1-day time frame, Sendle’s Premium Domestic solution positions itself as the best value, with a slightly longer time frame but at more than half the cost.

Example rates for a 1 kg parcel, 22 cm x 16 cm x 7.7 cm, from Brisbane to Perth

Courier
Service
Delivery Time Frame
Cost
Australia Post
Express Post
1 day
$30.30*
Australia Post
Parcel Post
5-6 days
$17.00*
Omni Parcel
Domestic
1-3 days
$10.63**
Sendle
Premium Domestic
10-11 days
$9.45**

*Retail Rates
**Easyship Rates

Shipping cross-country with Australia Post shows that pricing is affordable, relative to the shorter distance rates that we saw in the last two examples. Still, it’s possible to find other domestic shipping companies that can provide cheaper rates - though you may have to deal with longer delivery time frames.

Find the Best Shipping for eCommerce with Easyship

Since Easyship has joined the Australian eCommerce community in 2018, it’s been exciting to see our Aussie merchants grow their business by being smart with their shipping!

With Easyship, one account allows you to compare over 550+ different courier solutions with pre-negotiated rates, helping you find the best domestic and international shipping solutions in Australia at scale.

You also have the opportunity to link your own courier accounts from Australia Post, UPS, FedEx, and DHL Express.

Sign up for an Easyship account today to make shipping within Australia and across borders much simpler and more transparent!