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Understanding the Surcharges for Courier Services.

Have you ever shipped parcels and got caught off guard when the logistics provider asked you to cover surcharges for the courier services? In this article, we break down the possible surcharges for courier services. You will know what to expect and how to avoid additional costs when shipping.

Changing the order details.

Let’s suppose you placed an order for domestic or international shipping services. Later on, you will want to change the pick-up date or the pick-up or delivery address. Most of the logistics companies and parcel brokers will make this change but some will apply additional costs. Extra fees are mostly applied if the label with the delivery address was already issued before you requested the change.

Package re-routing.

Shipment rerouting means that the parcel was already picked up and while it in transit, you requested to change the delivery address. If you request a rerouting to a different location, most certainly, additional surcharges for courier services will apply. The same might happen even if the new address is in the same zone of destination.

Package re-routing.

If you have made mistakes in writing the correct addresses, the logistics provider may correct it or add the missing details and charge an additional fee for the corrections. Shippers usually make mistakes in inserting the correct postal code or location which leads to unsuccessful pick-ups or deliveries. Naturally, these are additional costs for the courier company.

Additional handling.

If your parcel is bigger or heavier than the weight and dimensions you actually paid for, extra charges will definitely apply.

Note that some courier companies have certain limitations on the weight and dimensions of the parcels because they cannot transport anything that goes beyond those limits. So, you will want to check this before even sending the parcel.

There is also a difference between the shipments which qualify for a standard shipping and those which require the transport with a logistics provider for freight services. Not everything you want to ship can be sent through standard courier services.

Pick-up or delivery reattempt.

Some logistics providers might charge extra whenever they repeat a pick-up and delivery because the consignor or consignee was not at the address at the moment they tried the first time.

Extended and remote areas.

Collections and deliveries in such areas are charged differently. The surcharges for courier services are implied because the logistics provider does not have a depot nearby. Thus, the costs of transport are higher.

Residential areas.

The access to such locations is sometimes restricted or the area is not near the pre-set transportation route. Sometimes, this means that the courier has to drive more in order to reach the location.

Custom clearance surcharges.

There are items which impose customs duties. In some situations, in order to speed up the delivery process, the logistics provider might carry out the custom clearance procedures. This will translate into an additional fee that the customer will have to pay.

In order to avoid the situations, sometimes it might be possible for the shipper/receiver to self-clear the shipment by dealing directly with the agency in charge.

Dangerous or delicate goods.

Dangerous items require special transportation. The costs of transporting such items are calculated differently than the price for a standard shipping service.Thus, you cannot ship items dangerous in nature through standard shipping services.

Undeliverable shipments.

When the shipment cannot be delivered, the logistics provider will store it in the local depot for a limited number of days. If neither the consignee nor the consignor claims the parcel, the logistics provider will return it to the shipper. In this case, return transportation charges may apply.

Storage in the warehouse.

This type of courier surcharge is applied when the shipment is stored in the warehouse for more days than the limit. Some logistics provider might apply a progressive surcharge. This means that for every day that the shipment is held in the depot, a higher fee will apply.

Optional services.

The basic price is paid only for the courier service and it includes, sometimes, local taxes. Any other upgrades to the service will add up to the final costs. For instance, Signature required – the assurance that the package or shipment won’t be released without signature – and shipment consolidation are types of surcharge for courier services.

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Being family owned means we are driven by core values that most businesses lack or simply neglect i.e unity, integrity, drive, awesome corporate culture and loyalty.

David Ndossi PR & Marketing Manager, Princbert Express Ltd.

Having a team with over 6years experience in logistics management we gurantee efficiency, speed, security, specialization and individualization of courier services.

Adeline Kigala Client Service, Princbert Express Ltd.