Key takeaways
- Cheaper shipping is possible with the right carrier, sizes and volume discount.
- Letterbox packages and smart packaging make a big difference.
- Compare PostNL, DHL and others on your package profile.
- Bundle where possible and automate your shipping labels.
Shipping is the largest variable cost item for most web shops after purchasing. The difference between expensive and competitive shipping is rarely about luck — it's about three choices: the size of your shipment, the carrier, and the way you bundle your volume. If you master those three, you will send the same order structurally cheaper, without your customer noticing anything except a lower rate.
This guide goes through them in concrete terms, with the Dutch carriers and package types, a calculation example, and the mistakes that cost starters money.
First understand: what are you actually paying for?
A carrier does not count on one number, but on a combination:
- Size (dimensions) — does it fit through the letterbox or is it a package?
- Weight — above certain limits you jump to a more expensive class.
- Volume weight — a large, light box can be judged by its volume, not its actual weight.
- Destination — domestic, Belgium/Germany, or further.
- Extras — track & trace, insured, signature upon receipt.
The biggest leverage is almost always size. Those who keep their packaging flat and small pay a fraction.
Step 1: choose the cheapest package type
In the Netherlands, the distinction between letterbox parcel and parcel is the most important.
| Type | Dimension/weight indication | When | Costs (indication) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letterbox package | flat, up to ± 38 × 26.5 × 3.2 cm, up to 2 kg | jewelry, accessories, flat packed clothing, books | low |
| Standard package | up to several kilos, normal box | most products | medium |
| Large/heavy package | bulky or > 10 kg | furniture, bulk | high |
A letterbox package is often half to a third of a regular package. Consciously design your packaging for this: a foldable box, a sturdy envelope with padding, a product that can lie flat. For a jewelry maker or a clothing brand that flat-packs T-shirts, this quickly saves a few euros per shipment — times hundreds of orders per month.
Step 2: compare carriers for your average package
PostNL, DHL, DPD and GLS each charge their own rates per weight class and destination. The cheapest for a light letterbox package is not automatically the cheapest for a heavy package or for shipping to Germany.
Do this right once: grab your three most common shipments (for example a letterbox package, a 1 kg package and a 3 kg package) and compare per carrier. Do not choose “the cheapest carrier”, but the cheapest per type that you send a lot.
Step 3: bundle your volume via a shipping platform
As an individual sender you pay the counter price. A shipping platform (such as Sendcloud or MyParcel) or the built-in shipping tools of your webshop bundle the volume of thousands of webshops and therefore give you lower rates — even as a starter, without having to negotiate a contract yourself.
The advantage is not just in the price: you print labels in bulk, you receive automatic track & trace emails, and you can arrange return labels in one click. This not only saves money but also time. With an all-in-one platform, this link is often already in your dashboard — see simply send from your webshop.
Step 4: pack smart (and pay attention to volume weight)
- Use packaging that matches the rate — no larger than necessary. A box that is too large can push you into a more expensive volume class.
- Light but sturdy: less weight and less chance of damage (and therefore fewer returns).
- Standardize two or three packaging formats. This makes your purchasing of packaging cheaper and your shipping process faster and more predictable.
Calculation example
Suppose you send 200 orders per month. If you package it as a regular package for 4.95 euros, you will spend 990 euros. If you manage to send half as a letterbox package (at 1.95 euros), you pay 100 × 4.95 + 100 × 1.95 = 690 euros. That's 300 euros saved per month, purely because of size — without switching carriers.
Common mistakes
- Sending everything as a package while many products can go through the letterbox.
- Pay the counter price instead of via a platform with volume rates.
- Using boxes that are too large, so you are charged by volume weight.
- Do not charge shipping costs in your margin — see what a webshop costs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to send a package?
As a letterbox package, where possible. For larger shipments: compare carriers based on your weight class and destination, and send via a platform with volume rates instead of the counter price.
As a small webshop, do I also receive competitive rates?
Yes. Shipping platforms and the shipping tools of modern web shops bundle volume, so that starters can also get below the counter price without their own contract.
What is volumetric weight and why is it important?
With a large but light box, the carrier counts on the volume instead of the actual weight. A box that is too large can therefore be placed in a more expensive class — pack compactly.
Which carrier is the cheapest in the Netherlands?
That depends on weight and destination; there is no universal winner. Compare PostNL, DHL, DPD and GLS for the shipments you send most often.
How do I keep damage and returns low?
Pack light but sturdy and appropriate for the product. Damaged shipments will cost you a return, a replacement product and a dissatisfied customer.
Get started
Pick your three most common shipments today, see which ones can be sent as a letterbox package, and compare two carriers on those formats via a shipping platform. If you want to reduce your costs more broadly, read reduce shipping costs; to charge your customer, see calculate shipping costs.
