Shipping Advice

DPD Local is committed to delivering its customers' goods in a careful and timely manner.

As parcels are handled several times during the delivery process so all items carried need to be packed to a high standard to ensure that they arrive in pristine condition.

View our useful guide on the best way to package your parcel for shipment. Also, before you ship your parcels, check our size and weight restrictions and the 'goods we do not carry' list.

DPD Local

Packaging tips

General

  • Always use a strong, rigid carton
  • Use a carton made of high quality corrugated cardboard preferably double walled to ensure strength, durability and protection
  • Avoid using a carton more than once as it's strength and therefore the protection it offers is reduced the more times it is handled
  • Choose the correct size of carton to match the contents - under-filled boxes are likely to collapse, and over-filled to burst open
  • If the carton is under-filled, use padding materials such as polystyrene chips and shredded paper to fill it out
  • Wrap all items separately within the carton with protective cushioning such as bubble wrap
  • If possible ensure no items are touching the walls of the carton
  • Seal the carton with strong tape designed for shipping - everyday sticky sellotape is not sufficient
  • Ensure all of the carton is sealed securely, with the flaps taped down along the middle and on both ends over the corners
  • When putting the carton together, use strong staples or tape to ensure the base is secure and will not come open in transit
  • Many goods are shipped in the manufacturer's original packaging, which is not always suitable for an overnight parcel system
  • Items such as boxes of CDs, DVDs and video tapes need to be packed with cushioning material around each item
  • Goods being sent in an Expresspak also need to be protected, just as much as those in a carton: Expresspaks are designed as means of carriage not protection
  • 'Fragile' and 'Handle with Care' labels are no substitute for good packaging - they are for information only
  • If you can hear or feel the contents of the carton moving inside, then they are not packed properly

Packing recommendations

To reduce the risk of shock damage and movement inside the package, we recommend you use a combination of one of the following types of packing material:

  • Loosefill packing, e.g., polystyrene chips
  • Expanded polystyrene foam
  • Polystyrene sheets or blocks
  • Bubble wrap
  • Foam rubber Geber
  • Screwed-up newspaper or any other similar item
Restricted items

Size and weight restrictions per item

All parcels will be subject to volumetric conversion and the shipment charge will be based on either the volumetric or actual weight, whichever is greater. The volumetric weight of your parcel should be calculated as follows:

By road

(maximum weight 31kgs)

Length (cm) x width (cm) x height (cm)

/ 4000

By air

(maximum weight 31kgs)

Length (cm) x width (cm) x height (cm)

/ 5000

Heavyweight

(shipments heavier than 31kgs, but below 300kgs)

Length (cm) x width (cm) x height (cm)

/ 3000

Girth calculation

Length (cm) + 2 x height (cm) + 2 x width (cm)

 

For a list of goods not accepted for carriage or storage, please read Condition 4 in our Standard Terms and Conditions.