What is a Parcel?

A parcel is a product or a grouping of products wrapped in paper and packaged in an envelope or box that can be sent by mail.

What is Parcel Shipping?

Parcel shipping is the shipment of smaller, lightweight goods weighing under 150 pounds or less and can be moved without assistance.

What is A Parcel Locker?

A parcel locker is a lockable storage box where packages can safely be dropped off and later picked up by mail carriers. They are usually used when an item is too big to fit in an individual box (compartment) within Cluster Box Units (CBU).

What is a Parcel Number?

A parcel number, also known as a tracking number, is a number that is assigned by a carrier to each parcel before being sent out so that people can follow the package and identify which carrier is handling the delivery and where that delivery is within its journey. The parcel/tracking number should not be confused with the order number, which is the number a merchant uses to identify a purchase or order made by a buyer.

Parcel Shipping vs. Freight Shipping

Choosing between parcel shipping or freight shipping will heavily depend on the type of goods you’re shipping.

Parcel shipping is ideal for anyone who is shipping products that weigh under 150 pounds and can be easily moved. Parcel shipping is more cost-effective for smaller packages as a higher volume of packages are moving through the carrier’s network easily.

If you’re shipping products that weigh over 150 pounds and in bulk on a pallet, then freight shipping would be your best choice. Freight shipments are much larger and heavier, requiring assistance to be moved and loaded onto a truck, airplane, train, or ship. As a result, the shipping cost is higher as more space must be used to transport the items.

How To Ship Parcels

To ship parcels:

1. You should first choose a big enough box that will fit your items and package them with necessary wraps and cushioning material, then seal the box with a 2-inch wide packing tape.
2. Once your items are properly packaged and sealed, you need to include the addresses of the sender and recipient. The address format for the package will be the same as envelopes, but if you’ll be printing a mailing label, you can use that instead.
3. Next, you’ll choose a mailing service and the appropriate postage. Make sure you’re not underpaying on postage, because a package that was sent without enough postage might be returned to you or the recipient might have to pay the remaining cost.
4. Now you’re ready to ship your parcel! You can potentially request free package pick ups or drop off at your selected mail carrier. If this is not an option, you can deop off your packages yourself at thousands of different retail stores such as your local post office, a UPS® Store or a FedEx store.