For interior designers, hotel developers, and corporate relocation managers, figuring out how to ship furniture internationally is a critical part of business operations. Whether you are exporting designer chairs from Europe to the US or importing office desks, international furniture logistics requires precision, proper packaging, and an understanding of freight costs. In this guide, we break down everything you need to know about B2B furniture logistics, from calculating costs to choosing between international movers and express freight networks.
Chantal has been writing about logistics topics for almost two decades and has worked for major international carriers.
When businesses need to move bulky items, they often debate between hiring traditional international movers or utilizing a specialized courier network for freight furniture.
While international moving companies are excellent for entire residential household moves, they are often too slow and inflexible for time-sensitive B2B shipments. If you are a business needing to send specific pieces—like a prototype desk or a boutique lounge chair—using an express freight service is highly advantageous:
Speed: Express networks can deliver large items across the globe in days, not weeks or months.
Tracking: You get real-time, door-to-door tracking for your high-value assets.
Flexibility: You can ship a single pallet rather than booking half a shipping container (LCL).
To safely transport these large items, we highly recommend utilizing professional pallet shipping services to ensure stability and protection during transit.
The move furniture abroad cost depends heavily on three main factors: volumetric weight, destination, and the level of service required. Because furniture is often bulky but relatively light for its size, carriers charge based on the space it occupies in the aircraft or truck, rather than just its actual weight.
To keep costs manageable:
Dismantle When Possible: Flat-packing furniture significantly reduces the volumetric weight, slashing shipping costs.
Measure Accurately: Always measure the exact length, width, and height of the packed item.
Compare Rates: Use a multi-carrier platform to instantly calculate shipping costs and find the best B2B rates from carriers like FedEx, TNT, and DHL.
Shipping a sofa overseas or moving large, fragile pieces requires rigorous packaging. Unlike standard boxes, furniture is highly susceptible to impact and compression damage.
Follow these steps for optimal protection:
Wrap: Use heavy-duty bubble wrap and moving blankets to protect the fabric or leather.
Edge Protection: Apply rigid cardboard corner protectors to all edges and legs.
Crating and Palletizing: For maximum security, place the wrapped sofa onto a sturdy wooden pallet and strap it down securely. Alternatively, build a custom wooden crate around the item.
Important Customs Note: If you are using wooden pallets or crates to ship outside the European Union, the wood must comply with ISPM 15 standards to prevent the spread of pests. Always ensure your wooden packaging is officially heat-treated and stamped. You can read more about these global requirements via the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
Whether you are exporting to the US or shipping furniture to the Netherlands, a detailed commercial invoice declaring the materials (e.g., "Oak wood table" or "Cotton upholstered sofa") is mandatory for smooth customs clearance.
To ship furniture internationally, disassemble the items if possible, wrap them securely in moving blankets and bubble wrap, and secure them to a heat-treated wooden pallet. Then, use an international freight courier to transport the pallet door-to-door.
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The cost is primarily determined by the volumetric weight (dimensions) of the shipment, the actual weight, the origin and destination addresses, and the speed of the service (express air freight vs. standard road freight).
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For businesses shipping a few specific items or requiring fast, trackable delivery, utilizing a freight furniture courier is much more efficient than hiring traditional international movers, who often require longer lead times and consolidate shipments into large sea containers.
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Yes, you can ship a sofa overseas via air freight, provided it is properly palletized or crated. Keep in mind that air freight charges are based on volume, so shipping large, non-dismantlable items like sofas will incur higher costs due to the space they occupy.
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When exporting furniture outside the EU, you need a commercial invoice detailing the exact description of the goods, their value, the HS code, and the country of origin. If using wooden packaging, it must bear an ISPM 15 compliance stamp.
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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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