Shipping with DPD or DPD Local could bring many advantages to your business. But here at Sendcloud, we know it’s tough choosing the right shipping provider for your e-commerce business as there’s a lot of information to research and consider. This handy guide will give you a comprehensive overview of the shipping services on offer from DPD UK and DPD Local. This includes detailed information about the companies’ range of UK shipping services and international shipping services. Hopefully, this will make the decision process easier for you. If not, at the bottom of the page you can find links to other guides and evaluate more couriers.
The guide covers pricing structures, additional shipping and tracking services – and which services will suit different types of online merchants. Everything you need to find the right DPD shipping service for you.
- Shipping with DPD – Company profile
- Can shipping with DPD help my e-commerce business?
- What’s the difference between DPD and DPD Local?
- Shipping with DPD: A guide to additional services
- What’s the best service for shipping with DPD for online retailers?
- Shipping with DPD – Customer service
- Self-serving with MyDPD
But before we start, if you’d like to take a look at more couriers than just DPD, feel free to download our complete Courier Comparison Guide 2021. Compare shipping services, costs, pros, cons, and more for; Royal Mail, Hermes, FedEx, DPD, DHL Parcel, DHL Express, UPS, and Pacelforce.
There are many things to consider when choosing among UK couriers. As you may know, high shipping costs are one of the most common reasons for abandoning carts. So, you’ll want to make sure the costs are competitive. You and your customers need to have confidence in the accuracy, speed and care of the service. Providing a great service builds trust with your customer base. Deliveries that arrive late or aren’t in perfect condition can damage this. And have a detrimental effect on customer retention and brand reputation.
Shipping is one of the first points of contact you’re likely to have with your customer, so it’s vital to get it right.
Here are some of the top things to consider when choosing a shipping courier.
- Where you are shipping to.
- The kinds of products you need shipping.
- The average size and weight of your order.
- The speeds you require.
- How the shipping will be tracked.
- Additional services such as real-time courier rates.
- Environmental impact.
Shipping with DPD – Company profile
DPD is one of the largest couriers in the U.K. It is a member of the DPDgroup, one of Europe’s top parcel groups. DPD is wholly owned by LaPoste, the second largest postal group in Europe. DPD started life as Courier Express in 1970. The company changed name to Parcel Line, following an acquisition by Mayne Nickless of Australia in 1984. Eight years after La Poste purchased Mayne Nickless it became known as DPD.
DPD employs over 11,000 staff operating in 56 locations across the UK. This includes a £100m Superhub in Hinckley, southwest Leicestershire. The Superhub is a 33 acres site. It is the largest of its kind in Europe and can process 72,000 parcels every hour. DPD’s fleet of 8,000+ vehicles delivers an impressive 230 million parcels a year.
DPD and its sister company, DPD Local, service 6,500 customers a year. They have won a number of high profile industry awards. These include the Customer Experience and Loyalty Award at the 2019 National Business Awards and the Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice. The company also topped Money Saving Expert’s customer satisfaction poll for six years running. DPD Local took second place. In fact, in Sendcloud’s own consumer research, DPD was the 2nd favourite courier of choice for consumers, behind the national post service Royal Mail.
DPD works hard to minimise their impact on the environment. The company makes up nearly 5% of the European voluntary carbon offset market. DPD has also reduced its CO2 emissions by 10.1% per parcel since 2013.
DPD is a member of the British Quality Foundation (BQF). The BQF is an independent organisation which helps businesses learn from best practice and improve their performance. The BQF kitemark demonstrates the DPD’s commitment to best practice.
Can shipping with DPD help my e-commerce business?
DPD has numerous customers nationwide across a variety of markets. These include some of the top brands in e-commerce, entertainment, telecommunications, retail and publishing.
Here are some of the main reasons to choose DPD as your shipping provider.
- They are experts in both B2B and B2C markets.
- DPD and their partners cover 230 countries worldwide.
- They offer an award-winning one-hour notification service.
- They offer excellent coverage from 58 well-positioned depots.
- Consumers will enjoy the convenience of 2500 collection points.
- 200 customer service reps are available to help via phone, email or app. They are based in the UK and offer 24/7 support through the app.
What’s the difference between DPD and DPD Local?
DPD Local is DPD’s sister company. DPD Local was formerly known as Interlink Express, which was founded in 1979. DPD Local uses the same technology as DPD. As the name suggests, it focuses on providing a local service. But also ships globally. DPD Local is a great fit for businesses with lower shipping volumes. DPD is suited to businesses who have more substantial shipping needs.
Shipping with DPD: A guide to additional services
DPD is proud of its innovative approach to shipping. DPD offers a variety of services to suit businesses of all sizes. Here is a guide to DPD’s shipping services in the UK.
Standard shipping for packages under 31kg
DPD 10:30 This is a premium parcel delivery service. It’s designed for shipping that is time-critical. DPD 10:30 makes sure that urgent parcels arrive at their destination at the start of the working day.
DPD 12:00 This delivery service is perfect for urgent consignments. DPD 12:00 ensures packages will reach your customers before midday on the following working day.
DPD NEXT DAY If you need parcel delivery across the UK before the close of business on the following working day, this is the service for you.
Shipping with DPD – Weekend Services
Businesses often need parcels delivered at the weekends. To support their customers DPD offers the following weekend services.
SATURDAY 10:30 For parcels that need to arrive by Saturday 10.30 am.
SATURDAY 12:00 For parcels that need to arrive by Saturday 12 pm.
SATURDAY NEXT DAY SUNDAY SERVICE This service offers UK-wide coverage, 7 days a week:
SUNDAY 12:00 For parcels that need to arrive by Saturday 10.30 am.
SUNDAY NEXT DAY For parcels that need to arrive by the end of the day on Sunday. DPD offers deliveries nationwide between 9 am and 5 pm on Sunday.
Additional services for shipping with DPD
DPD understands the requirements and challenges of the e-commerce sector. They have used their expertise and experience to establish a number of extra shipping services to support their customers. These include:
Swap It: This service allows consumers to exchange and accept replacement components at the same time as returning equipment for repair, return or maintenance. The DPD driver supplies the label for the return box. The customer only needs to package the product in the padded packaging and outer box.
Reverse It: This is a useful service for companies that need to move goods between premises on a regular basis. In a nutshell, Reverse It allows for delivery and collection in one action. This saves both the retailer and the customer time and hassle.
ContrackPak: ContrackPak is a great service for companies that need to manage the secure delivery and processing of contracts. After delivery, the DPD driver will also make sure they get a signature. The driver will check the ID and give access to funds within the same transaction.
Offshore: Offshore is DPD’s service to the Channel Islands, Isle of Mann, Northern Ireland, Scottish Islands, Scottish Highlands and the Scilly Isles. Offshore deliveries are two days as standard. There are options for next day delivery and before midday deliveries. This is only available in some locations.
Additional shipping services in Scotland: DPD offers a variety of shipping services in Scotland.
Tracking deliveries with DPD
Effective tracking of shipping and deliveries is vital. DPD has a number of excellent delivery tracking options. This includes an award-winning one-hour notification service, Predict.
Predict: Consumers that use Predict get a one-hour window for delivery or collection. This is arranged via SMS or email. Consumers benefit from not having to wait at home all day. DPD benefits from increased customer loyalty, and better service provision. Consumers can track their package on a real-time map using the Follow My Parcel tool. Right down to the final 15 minutes before it arrives. If the consumer needs to reschedule delivery they can choose from the following options:
- Opt for an alternative delivery date.
- Arrange for the delivery to go to a neighbour.
- Have the parcel left in a safe place of their choosing.
- Collect the parcel from a specified DPD Pickup Shop
- Opt to upgrade the delivery to before 10:30 am, before 12 pm, an afternoon or a Saturday or Sunday.
Precise: Precise is one of the newest innovations from DPD. It allows consumers to nominate a one hour delivery time of their choice. The customer gets all the benefits of tracking the delivery that we mentioned above. They also get the option to book up to 7 days in advance between 11 am and 5 pm. Plus there’s no extra charge for weekend deliveries. This service is offered to consumers via Follow My Parcel.
Track It: This delivery tracking service from DPD allows consumers to track up to 30 packages at once. Enter the parcel numbers into the search function to track their progress.
DPD Local Online Tracking Tool: This tracking service is for customers of DPD Local, DPD’s sister company. DPD Local is also based in the UK. It focuses on shipping express parcels for SMEs. Type in the reference into the tracking tool to check on progress.
DPD pick up service
DPD Pickup: To deliver a flexible and efficient customer service, shipping providers need to provide convenient pickup points. DPD Pickup is the company’s collection service. DPD has over 400 local Pickup sites across the UK. This includes Doddle sites at some of the major railway stations, nationwide. DPD has also established 2,500 shops across the UK. The company boasts a pickup point within ten minutes drive of over 95% of the UK population. And only ten minutes walk from anywhere in central London.
DPD’s Pickup service extends to 26,000 sites across Europe. We will cover DPD’s international shipping later.
To enhance their service further, DPD has partnered with Currys and PC World stores, nationwide. They also partner with Rowlands and Numark pharmacies.
DPD Pickup integrates with the checkout function. After checkout, consumers can change to DPD Pickup if they choose.
DPD Pickup points can also be used for customer returns. They add a returns label and bring it to their most convenient pickup point. The customer receives a notification when the parcel is returned.
What’s the best service for shipping with DPD for online retailers?
DPD offers a wide variety of services for online, or e-commerce, retailers. Generally, DPD is a better fit for larger consignments or higher value items. They aren’t the cheapest on the market but the range of delivery options and additional services make it a good choice for many online retailers.
This section offers guidance on:
- Who each DPD service will suit and why.
- The main things to consider.
- Pros and cons to both supplier and customer.
DPD Local
The service offers the same great technology as DPD, but focused on local services.
Which online retailer would suit DPD Local?
- Companies with smaller shipping volumes.
- Businesses who ship a lot of parcels up to 10kg and 0.6m in length, width and height.
- Businesses that would benefit from expert local knowledge.
Important considerations to ship with DPD Local
The main thing to consider with DPD Local is whether you’ll require local drop off services. DPD Local has 2,500 well-placed depots nationwide. Providing there is a convenient one for you, you can take advantage of prices starting from £5.99 (ex. VAT) for items up to 5kg in weight. This price applies for all parcels up to 10kg and 0.6m in length, width and height. If you need door-to-door next day delivery, prices start at £7.49 (ex. VAT).
DPD Local – Benefits
- Consumers can receive next day deliveries.
- Consumers benefit from a reliable – and award-winning – one hour nominated delivery service.
- Businesses can organise drop-offs at strategically-placed depots.
- Companies can ship nationwide. They can also ship globally.
- Businesses and consumers can track packages for up to 15 minutes prior to delivery.
Shipping with DPD – UK Delivery Services
DPD UK is the main UK arm of the DPD network. It operates UK-wide including the Isles of Scilly, Channel Islands, Northern Ireland, the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
Which online retailers would suit DPD – UK Delivery Services?
- Companies that ship mostly in the UK.
- Businesses that require next day deliveries. Or specific time slots.
- Businesses that need to exchange goods for return or replacement in one transaction.
- Companies that need to manage delivery and signing of documents.
- Customers who offer products from Rowlands Pharmacy, Numark Pharmacy, Currys or PC World. (DPD partners with these organisations).
Important considerations to ship with DPD – UK Delivery Services
As the name suggests, the DPD UK delivery service primarily suits companies that operate in the UK zone. If you need to ship to Europe, or globally, on a regular basis, other DPD services may be more suitable.
DPD – UK Delivery Services – Benefits
- Consumers can choose delivery and pickup times to suit them.
- Consumers are able to choose a one-hour time slot.
- Consumers can organise returns and replacements in one transaction.
- Consumers can pick up from 400 local Pickup sites across the UK. Including Doddle sites at some of the major railway stations, nationwide.
- Businesses and consumers can track up to 30 packages at once.
Shipping with DPD Classic
DPD Classic is one of the fastest, most reliable delivery services in Europe. DPD Classic specialises in shipping to Europe and globally. It is the most economical option for shipping parcels.
Which online retailers would suit DPD Classic?
- UK businesses that ship mostly to Europe and globally.
- Online retailers who need to ship parcels up to 31.5kg with maximum dimensions of 175cm length and 300cm girth.
- Businesses that need to have multilingual customer service.
Important considerations to ship with DPD Classic
DPD Classic is a great option for online retailers who ship mainly to Europe and worldwide. For companies who ship mostly to the UK, the DPD UK service may be more suitable.
DPD Classic provides a swift service to international depots. Packages usually reach their European destination in one to four days. But there are no guaranteed overnight services. If online retailers need to arrange guaranteed delivery times, other services may be more appropriate.
DPD Classic – Benefits
- DPD Classic splits continental Europe into delivery zones so businesses and consumers can get accurate quotes and billing.
- Consumers can receive Predict notifications.
- Both consumers and businesses benefit from swift overnight shipping to DPD’s international hubs.
- Consumers can track packages individually and get proof of delivery.
Shipping with DPD – European and International Delivery Services
Many UK e-commerce retailers need accurate, cost-effective and efficient shipping services to Europe and globally. DPD offers a range of international services to support online businesses of all shapes and sizes. Here is a brief overview of the international shipping services on offer from DPD.
Shipping with DPD Air Classic
DPD Air Classic delivers the same great service as DPD Classic but extended to Europe and across the globe. It is highly reliable though as there are no guaranteed delivery times, it is only suitable for non-time sensitive shipments. The DPD Air Classic shipping service includes:
- Reliable shipping to 230 countries worldwide.
- Delivery of parcels up to 31.5kg. Value Added Services are available for items that exceed 31.5kg.
- Complete online tracking.
- An experienced team with good local and global knowledge.
- A variety of flexible payment options. This includes duty payment options.
Shipping with DPD (UK) Air Express
DPD Air Express is DPD’s express service. It integrates seamlessly with the DPD and DPD Local services. The DPD Air Express shipping service includes:
- Reliable international shipping to more than 200 countries worldwide
- Delivery of parcels up to 31.5kg. Value Added Services are available for items that exceed 31.5kg.
- Comprehensive tracking, throughout transit.
- Next day delivery options. Details in the next paragraph.
- Goods In Transit liability cover.
DPD offers two international shipping schedules. Customers can choose from:
- DPD Guarantee – Guaranteed delivery on a specific day. Notify the DPD depot before 12 pm to ensure shipment that day.
- Time Definite – Guaranteed delivery by a specific time. Next day delivery guaranteed if the parcel is with DPD by the following times:
- 8.30 to Germany
- 10:00 within the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg.
- 12:00 within the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
- 18:00 within the Netherlands.
Shipping with DPD – Customer Service
DPD UK and DPD Local take pride in its customer service. Their UK-based call centre has 200 customer service reps available to help via phone, email or app. Phone and email customer service is available on weekdays from 8.00 to 18.00 hrs and Saturdays from 8.00 to 13.00 hrs. There is 24/7 support through the app.
For problems with deliveries or complaints, DPD has set up a ‘Make It Right’ section on their website. Consumers and business customers can expect a response within 90 minutes.
There is also a dedicated ‘How Can We Help?’ section on the website with a comprehensive list of FAQs and resources for query resolution.
Self-serving with MyDPD
My DPD is a free online service for DPD account holders. My DPD acts as a dashboard to manage shipments. This includes:
- Creating shipments.
- Arranging collections.
- Rearranging deliveries.
- Tracking consignments.
- Printing labels.
- Checking service history.
- Managing address book, shipping preferences and more.
Shipping information on My DPD is refreshed every five minutes. This means customers can see which parcels require action and respond quickly to any changes in service instructions. DPD also uses this portal to notify customers of changes to the service.
Summary
Choosing the right shipping provider is incredibly important. Your customers’ opinion and impression of your company will likely be formed based on their delivery experience. The speed it arrives. The condition their parcel arrives in. The options they have and the convenience of the service. And, of course, the cost.
As you can see from this guide, DPD and DPD Local offer an impressive range of shipping services for modern e-commerce businesses. They’re reliable, good value, professional, flexible and – importantly – very well connected.
As with any business decision, it’s wise to take your time when deciding on the right provider for you. We hope this guide has been useful and informative, and that it has helped you find the best shipping company for your e-commerce business.
If you want to compare DPD prices, services, pros and cons to other couriers, here we have the guides you need:
DPD is one of the worst courier company. I have booked with first week of February for Spain they still didn’t deliver to me any single parcel in 3. They don’t inform customers and dont update data like a DHL or FedEx or UPS. So be aware before work with DPD.