How to Ship to Europe: A Detailed Guide for eCommerce Merchants
From shipping costs to delivery times, our shipping guide to Europe will help your business understand the key elements to consider when shipping to Europe.
How to find fast and cost-effective services when shipping to Europe
The courier services available
The best way to ship packages to Europe
Shipping tips and mistakes to avoid
Why using Easyship for shipping to Europe is the best option
European countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany provide a robust market for eCommerce merchants with a large volume of packages shipped to Europe from the US every day.
The European eCommerce market is projected to generate over $390 million in revenue in 2020, with fashion the leading segment. This provides ample opportunity for eCommerce merchants to expand their customer base, and grow profits. But in order to gain a strong foothold in the European market, business owners need to understand how eCommerce shipping trends have changed.
Today, many customers have come to expect free or cheap shipping.
A smart shipping strategy can make the difference between a successful sale and an abandoned cart. Therefore, it’s crucial to implement shipping strategies that will offer the fastest delivery times and the cheapest shipping options from the US to Europe.
But how can merchants achieve that?
This is where Easyship can help. We have helped many online sellers find the best solution shipping to Europe, and can help you too. Our shipping rates calculator simplifies the process of determining the most cost-effective and efficient options for shipping packages to Europe, assuring customers remain satisfied and improving the bottom line.
What to Know About Shipping to Europe
Europe is a large and sprawling zone. Shipping times and costs will depend on the specific country you are shipping to within the Eurozone.
Three main factors will determine the cost of shipping to Europe:
Although Europe has excellent transport links, the shipping time will largely depend on the destination country. With expedited courier services, a package can arrive in 1-3 business days from the USA. It may take anywhere between 10-16 business days when send parcels with economy delivery services.
Shipping to Europe with UPS, USPS, and FedEx
UPS, USPS, and FedEx offer various international services shipping to Europe from the USA. Whether seeking the cheapest shipping options or expedited shipping, discover service and budget with these major couriers to suit your business objectives.
Here are the services offered by each of these couriers for shipping to Europe.
FedEx Parcel Delivery Services to Europe
FedEx offers the following services:
FedEx International Priority: Packages delivered within 2 business days upon booking of the shipment.
FedEx International First: Parcels arrive within 2 business days upon booking of the shipment
FedEx International Economy: packages take up to 4 days upon booking of the shipment
UPS Parcel Delivery Services to Europe
UPS provides these three services:
UPS Expedited: your customers will receive the goods within 3 days upon booking of the shipment
UPS Saver: Packages will arrive within 24 hours upon booking of the shipment
UPS Express: just in a day, your shoppers will receive their items
USPS Parcel Delivery Services to Europe
USPS provides the following services:
USPS Priority Mail International: packages are delivered within 8 days upon booking of the shipment
USPS Priority Mail Express International: it takes up to 4 days upon booking the shipment for your customers to receive their packages
DHL Parcel Delivery Services to Europe
DHL Express Worldwide: packages are delivered within 2 days upon booking of the shipment
What’s the Cheapest Way to Ship from the USA?
An eCommerce merchant in the USA shipping packages to customers in Europe needs to ensure they offer the most affordable options to remain competitive.
Using a shipping rate calculator provides an efficient overview of the rates charged by different couriers and third-party agents, assisting in finding the cheapest way to ship from the USA.
Make sure to take time comparing different services offered by the various shipping companies, as well as the shipping times attached to each service.
Also, don't forget to compare other value-added services like free weekend deliveries, free packing, free drop-off, package tracking, and any other essential options offered that will streamline your experience.
Here is an estimated cost for shipping a 10in x 5in x 5in 5lb package from Brooklyn, New York, to Berlin, Germany with DHL, UPS, USPS, and FedEx.
USPS Shipping Cost to Europe
USPS Priority Mail International $63.25 in 8 days
USPS Priority Mail Express International: $81.95 in 4 days
UPS Shipping Cost to Europe
UPS Expedited: $184.15 in 3 days
UPS Saver: $196.84 in 1 day
UPS Express: $199.99 in 1 day
UPS Worldwide Express Plus: $204.89 in 1 day
FedEx Shipping Cost to Europe
FedEx International Priority: $201.00 in 2 days
FedEx International First: $249.64 in 2 days
FedEx International Economy: $184.59 in 4 days
DHL Shipping Cost to Europe
DHL Express Worldwide: $59.59 in 2 days
5 Tips and Mistakes to Consider When Shipping to Europe From the USA
Liaising with the best couriers and landing the best shipping deals is a must-do to ensure successful shipping to Europe.
But that is not all that is there to do. To gain a foothold into the European marketplace, there are specific shipping tips you need to implement and a few key mistakes to avoid.
They include:
Understand customs, taxes, and duties: Make sure to research and understand the customs requirements and regulations for each country. Duties and taxes may also apply when importing certain products to Europe. So make sure to decide who should pay for these – you or your customer.
Beware of differences between certain EU countries: In most instances, additional documentation is not required when shipping to Europe. But a few locations such as The Channel Islands, Andorra, San Marino, the Vatican, Gibraltar, and The Canary Islands are technically within the EU that require extra documentation.
Address packages correctly: Address packages by selecting the name of the specific country you are shipping to, for example, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, England. Check the recipient's address to avoid errors and delays in package delivery.
Beware of shipping restriction: Europe has a list of restricted items that can’t be shipped in the zone. Be aware of the rules regulating what can and can't be shipped to Europe. Though this will vary from country to country, take time to ensure that all shipments comply with the destination country's laws.
Covid-19: Countries in the Eurozone have implemented various regulations and restrictions in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. This has affected international shipping, forcing some couriers to suspend certain shipping routes and services. Be aware of the COVID-19 restrictions in different countries to avoid unnecessary delays when shipping to Europe.
Shipping a Package to Europe with Easyship
To help manage the costs and hassles of international shipping to Europe, a well-established and well-connected shipping partner like Easyship can streamline the shipping experience and lower shipping costs.
There are several advantages of using Easyship.
Using Easyship to ship parcels to Europe connects eCommerce merchants to the best-discounted shipping rates, helping to cut costs and widen profit margins.
The Easyship platform eliminates all the headaches by generating automatically filled customs forms. In addition, the shipping rates calculator in our platform makes it simple to compare our discounted rates with over 250+ couriers to see how much is saved when accessing the major courier services.
Here is pricing estimated from different couriers when sending a 10in x 5in x 5in 5lb package from Brooklyn, New York, to Berlin, Germany through Easyship.
DHL Time and Cost of Delivery Estimate to Europe
DHL Express Worldwide: $57.06 in 1-2 working days
USPS Time and Cost of Delivery Estimate to Europe
USPS Priority Mail Express International: $80.26 in 3-5 working days
APC Time and Cost of Delivery Estimate to Europe
ParcelConnect Expedited: $54.87 in 10-15 working days
ParcelConnect ePMEI: 58.53 in 10-15 working days
How Easyship Can Help
The way shipping is handled can make or break an eCommerce business. Finding the best way to ship packages to Europe will help you stay ahead of the competition, attract more potential customers, and widen profit margins.
Easyship is committed to simplifying international shipping to Europe with over 550+ fast and cost-effective courier services.
Sign up for a free Easyship account now and take advantage of our shipping tools to turbocharge shipping to Europe.
Shipping to Europe FAQ
How long is standard shipping from the US to Europe?
Shipping may take anywhere from 10 to 16 business days for standard shipping.
Why is shipping to Europe so expensive?
Your shipping cost may be impacted by fuel surcharges, duties and taxes, and other factors like such.
Looking for more shipping tips and guides? Here are some other blog posts you may enjoy:
Find the guaranteed cheapest rates for any courier in seconds with Easyship’s free shipping rate calculator. Compare discount rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and 250+ couriers at a glance.
Find the guaranteed cheapest rates for any courier in seconds with Easyship’s free shipping rate calculator. Compare discount rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and 250+ couriers at a glance.
Receive a personal cost estimate for your crowdfunding campaign from our trusted global fulfillment partners. Easyship is a certified Indiegogo partner.
Get instant access with volume-discounted shipping rates. Save up to 89% off on USPS, UPS, FedEx, and more. Easyship is free for 50 shipments each month.
Find your perfect fulfillment partner with expert help
Let Easyship connect you to the largest shipping and fulfillment network on Earth. You’ll find trusted partners for all things logistics. Guidance is free from our global shipping experts.
Explore the powerful features that 100K+ merchants use to ship smarter, not harder. Shipping automation, live rates at checkout, live duty and tax – all free to try with Easyship.
With 550+ pre-negotiated shipping services available with discounts of up to 91%, you can save time & money today when you integrate your Shopify store with Easyship
Easyship is free to use for 50 shipments every month. You’ll save big on our discounted shipping rates up to 91% off, and save time with smart automation. Signup is fast and free.
Follow the easy path to fulfillment success. Easyship’s free fulfillment checklist provides a proven step-by-step so you can ship at scale without the guesswork.
Save up to 89% off all shipping rates. Easyship offers the guaranteed cheapest volume-discounted rates on the market from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and 250+ global couriers.
Don’t miss all our money and time-saving features!
Explore the innovative features that 100K+ merchants use to ship smarter, not harder. Shipping automation, live rates at checkout, live duty and tax – all free to try with Easyship.
What exactly does it cost to ship cross-border? Use the free duty and tax calculator from Easyship to view accurate import costs for any shipment to anywhere.
Prices are rising, deliveries are slowing. Get up to speed on the state of crowdfunding shipping with expert Easyship analysis and keep your campaign on budget.
Discover the Cheapest Shipping from USPS, UPS & FedEx
Find the guaranteed cheapest rates for any courier in seconds with Easyship’s free shipping rate calculator. Compare discount rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and 550+ courier services at a glance.
Find the guaranteed cheapest shipping in seconds with Easyship’s free shipping rate calculator. Compare discounted rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and 250+ global couriers at a glance.
Save up to 91% off shipping with Easyship’s discount courier rates. Create your free account to save instantly on 550+ courier services, including USPS.
Discover the Cheapest Shipping from USPS, UPS® & FedEx
Find the guaranteed cheapest rates for any courier in seconds with Easyship’s free shipping rate calculator. Compare discount rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and 250+ couriers at a glance.
Use Easyship’s free shipping policy generator to formulate your perfect holiday shipping policy for returns, tracking, and more. Just follow the prompts and you’re done!
Learn how to ship internationally without missing a step. Our case studies show you proven tactics for shipping worldwide from Easyship users who did it right.