What are delivery costs?

Delivery costs are the charges associated with sending a parcel or package to a recipient. Delivery costs may include postage, transport costs, handling costs, packaging costs and insurance costs.

How are they defined?

Delivery charges are determined by taking a number of factors into account. These include, for example, the distance separating the sender from the recipient, the weight, the dimensions of the package and the delivery method chosen.

According to its commercial policy, a company can choose to offer all or part of the delivery costs to its customers depending on criteria such as the choice of delivery method, the total amount of the order…

Why do some companies offer them?

Some companies choose to offer free delivery to their customers. In some cases, this helps to increase sales by encouraging customers to buy more, as they are not penalised for buying several items or for making large purchases. It can also attract new customers who are generally reluctant to buy online because of the cost of delivery. Finally, free delivery also leads to customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Are there any partnerships between companies and hauliers?

There are partnerships between certain companies and certain carriers concerning delivery costs. Partnerships can take many forms, but the main aim is to reduce transport costs for both parties.

In other words, a company will commit to send a defined volume of goods with a carrier in exchange for reduced transport rates. Carriers can also offer preferential rates for companies that use their services frequently.

There are also other forms of partnership based on express delivery, certain geographical areas and delivery to relay points.

Why are delivery costs so high?

There are several reasons for this: firstly, carriers set a relatively high cost due to a number of factors such as vehicle maintenance and operation, drivers’ salaries, insurance and tax costs, petrol, etc. In addition, carriers are also obliged to cover the costs of packaging, product handling and the use of technology to track parcels.

Finally, some carriers deliberately increase delivery charges at certain times of the year, such as during the Christmas holidays when demand is very high.