If you’re comparing pick up points vs door pickup, here’s something that may save you time: ParcelParcel offers both options, but we recommend door pickup for business shipping outside the EU. For SMEs that export internationally, door pickup removes extra steps, speeds up handover, and keeps you in control of customs and paperwork. ParcelParcel simplifies international shipping by automating customs documents, comparing top couriers, and helping you ship faster and smarter.
Chantal has been writing about logistics topics for almost two decades and has worked for major international carriers.
How much time do you spend comparing shipping options or planning a detour to a shop? Many teams still do this manually, without realising it can be faster and smarter.
ParcelParcel automatically compares the best couriers: DHL, FedEx, UPS, DPD, DSV and Skynet, with no contracts or subscriptions. Book directly online, and save both time and money.
Pick up points can be useful for individuals or small packages, but for business shipping outside the EU, door pickup is more efficient:
Zero detours: Hand over parcels directly from your office or warehouse.
Faster to network: When the driver scans your label, it immediately enters the courier system.
Predictable operations: Plan collections around your workflow, avoiding store cut-offs.
Safe for bulk or fragile goods: Couriers handle multiple boxes securely in one stop.
Still prefer a pickup point? You can select it in checkout—but our experience shows door pickup saves time and improves reliability.
ParcelParcel brings all major couriers into one simple booking flow—ideal for cross-border shipments.
Compare live rates: Use our Shipping Calculator to view prices, transit times, and service levels from DHL, UPS, FedEx, and more.
Select pickup option: Choose door pickup (recommended) or, if available, a pick up point near you.
Book and pay online: No contracts, no hidden feel, just clear pricing and instant confirmation.
Automatic paperwork: We generate your labels and customs documents (HS codes, invoices, Incoterms) for you.
Handover: The driver collects your parcel, or drop it off if you selected a pick up point.
Track & support: Follow your shipment via Track & Trace, and get customs support whenever you need it.
Time-critical exports: Save the drive, same-day pickup and faster handover.
Multiple or heavy parcels: One driver, one stop, safer handling.
Smooth workflow: Schedule pickups alongside packing or quality checks.
Customs confidence: Our guided customs flow ensures compliance before pickup.
Shipping outside the EU often means extra paperwork—but not with ParcelParcel.
Our Customs Guide helps you provide accurate product data, HS codes and values.
We validate and attach documents automatically, ensuring your parcel clears customs fast.
If customs authorities need clarification, our support team helps you resolve it quickly—keeping your shipment on track.
ParcelParcel connects you with trusted carriers like:
Each excels in different lanes, ParcelParcel shows the best match for your route and budget, always with door pickup as default for speed and convenience.
Measure precisely: Avoid recharges by using the correct dimensions.
Pack smart: Follow our Packaging Guidelines per Courier to prevent damage.
Group parcels: Combine multiple shipments in one scheduled pickup to save time.
Compare rates often: Our calculator ensures you always get the best available deal.
Ready to simplify your export process? Start today with ParcelParcel.
Book your door pickup in minutes, get customs sorted automatically, and keep your team focused on work that matters.
Compare shipping options now
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Yes, ParcelParcel lets you choose between pick up points and door pickup. For most business shipments, door pickup is faster, simpler, and easier to coordinate.
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You can usually book same-day or next-day pickup during checkout, depending on courier and route. Our shipping calculator shows all options.
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ParcelParcel generates your commercial invoice, including HS codes and values, to ensure customs compliance and avoid delays.
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You print the labels and customs documents yourself after booking, this speeds up the handover and avoids mix-ups.
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Not necessarily. Thanks to aggregated courier rates, ParcelParcel offers competitive prices for both options. Door pickup often saves more time and effort overall.
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You can instantly check the shipping costs through our rate calculator. Enter the weight, dimensions, and destination country of your shipment, and you will see all available shipping options along with their respective delivery times. The calculator can be used to compare shipping rates for both export and import shipments.
If you need help calculating a shipping rate, watch the video below. Click on the 
button to play the video and the 
icon to view the video in fullscreen.
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Shipping costs are calculated based on dimensions (LxWxH in cm), weight (in kg), and the destination country. Both the actual weight (as shown on the scale) and the volumetric weight are considered.
The volumetric weight is the weight calculated based on the space your shipment occupies in the plane. The higher of the two weights (volumetric or actual weight) is used to calculate the shipping rate. You don't need to calculate this yourself; our calculator does it for you.
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You can use the discount code PP10 for 10% discount on the transportation costs of your first shipment. You can apply the discount code during the checkout process (instructions).
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Whether additional costs apply depends on whether your shipment stays within the European Union or is sent to/from a country outside the European Union. Below, you can see the additional costs for each situation.
Within the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to Italy (within the EU), there will be an additional 21% VAT on the shipping costs.
Furthermore, if your shipment stays within the European Union, you won't have to deal with any import duties or customs clearance fees because your shipment doesn't go through customs. Please note that the European Union is not the same as Europe.
View here all the countries that are part of the European Union. For example, Switzerland is part of Europe but not part of the European Union.
Outside the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to the United States, there will be no VAT (0%) applied to the displayed shipping rates.
However, there might be import duties levied by customs in the destination country if you send a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union. Typically, customs costs are charged to the recipient. This is known as Delivered At Place (DAP) in logistics terminology.
Customs is a government agency that levies import duties in certain cases to protect the local market. As a company, you can also ship using Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), which means any customs costs will be charged to you as the sender.
If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact us. Additionally, you can read everything about import duties, VAT, and the customs clearance process in this blog.
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A customs invoice is a form where all the goods you want to ship are specified. This invoice includes an English description of the goods, along with their corresponding value and weight.
The contents of your shipment must be specified per type of product you're sending to avoid delays at customs. A customs invoice is always prepared in quadruplicate in accordance with customs guidelines.
When is a customs invoice required?
A customs invoice is only required for shipments to/from countries outside the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - United States). If your shipment stays within the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - Italy), your shipment will not go through customs, and therefore, a customs invoice is not required.
Additionally, document shipments are not subject to customs, so if you're sending a document to a country within/outside the European Union, no customs invoice is needed.
Please note that not all goods can be shipped to every country. You can find a list of goods that cannot be sent via ParcelParcel on this page.
Do I need to create a customs invoice myself?
If you're sending a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union, it's mandatory to include a customs invoice with the shipment. We provide free support in creating a customs invoice.
You can easily generate a customs invoice through our shipping platform. The customs invoice will be automatically generated based on the content you specified during your booking.
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You can import just as easily as export via ParcelParcel.
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You can find a list of goods that cannot be shipped via ParcelParcel on this page.
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