Shipping costs for popular ecommerce products
When you’re selling online your products can be all shapes, sizes, and value and it’s often hard to work out what your cheapest shipping method will be. We’ve taken a look at some of the biggest eBay categories and chosen a couple of popular products for each one to ship.
For each product we’ve looked at your overall cheapest shipping option, the cheapest next day shipping, the cheapest insured shipping and the cheapest tracked shipping option.
Clothing & Accessories
Shirt: 0.25kg, 25cm x 25cm x 25cm, £10.
- Cheapest shipping option: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Cheapest next day shipping: £3.30 - Royal Mail 1st Class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Cheapest insured shipping: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked no signature.
- Cheapest tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Shoes: 0.63kg, 36cm x 10cm x 14cm, £50.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £6.75 - Royal Mail Signed For 1st Class, £50 cover, next working day.
- Insured: £4.90 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Tracked: £4.90 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Computers
Wireless mouse: 0.3kg, 10cm x 10cm x 6cm, £5.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £3.30 - Royal Mail 1st Class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Laptop: 4.5kg, 48cm x 38cm x 15cm, £220
- Cheapest: £5.79 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £7.49 - Yodel XpressPack 24, £20 cover, 1 working day, collection, tracked.
- Insured: £11.59 - MyHermes drop off, up to £250 cover, 2 working days, tracked, signed for.
- Tracked: £5.79 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Insured, tracked and signed for: £11.59 MyHermes drop off, up to £250 cover, 2 working days, tracked, signed for.
Phones & Accessories
Smart phone: 0.4kg, 20cm x 8cm x 7cm, £300.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £7.25 - Royal Mail Special Delivery by 1pm, £500 cover, 1pm next day, tracked, signed for.
- Insured: £7.25 - Royal Mail Special Delivery by 1pm, £500 cover, 1pm next day, tracked, signed for.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Insured, tracked and signed for: £7.25 - Royal Mail Special Delivery by 1pm, £500 cover, 1pm next day, tracked, signed for.
- Cheapest: 0.74p - Royal Mail 2nd Class, £20 cover, 3 working days.
- Next Day: 0.95p - Royal Mail 1st Class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: 0.74p - Royal Mail 2nd Class, £20 cover, 3 working days.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Jewellery & Watches
Watch: 0.3kg, 10cm x 5cm x 5cm, £250.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £7.25 - Royal Mail Special Delivery by 1pm, £500 cover, 1pm next day, signed for.
- Insured: £7.25 - Royal Mail Special Delivery by 1pm, £500 cover, 1pm next day, signed for.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Insured, tracked and signed for: Royal Mail Special Delivery by 1pm, £500 cover, 1pm next day, signed for.
Earrings: 0.2kg, 4cm x 0.5cm x 4cm, £5.
- Cheapest: 0.74p - Royal Mail 2nd Class, £20 cover, 3 working days.
- Next day: £7.25 - Royal Mail 1st Class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: 0.74p - Royal Mail 2nd Class, £20 cover, 3 working days.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Vehicle Parts and Accessories
Car mats: 4kg, 10cm x 5cm x 5cm, £11.
- Cheapest: £5.79 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next Day: £7.49 - Yodel XpressPack 24, £20 cover, 1 working day, collection, tracked.
- Insured: £5.79 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Tracked: £5.79 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Windscreen wipers: 0.3kg, 5cm x 52.5cm x 5cm, £20.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £5.65 - Royal Mail 1st Class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Home, Furniture & DIY
Wardrobe: 30kg, 2m x 1m x 60cm, £100.
For an item this big the only courier that will deliver it is Parcelforce using their Express 48 Large service, which would cost £61.78. If you're looking for a cheaper shipping option for a large, heavy item then take a look at eBay's Shiply - you can enter where your item is going, and you'll receive quotes of reduced rates from couriers that are already making similar trips.
Drill: 1.9kg, 24cm x 27cm x 11cm, £60.
- Cheapest: £3.78 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £7.49 - Yodel XpressPack 24, £20 cover, 1 working day, collection, tracked.
- Insured: £5.98 - MyHermes drop off, £100 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Tracked: £3.78 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Business & Industrial
Bubblewrap: 0.9kg, 45cm x 30cm x 46cm, £10.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £5.65 - Royal Mail 1st Class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Office chair: 11kg, 60cm x 58cm x 92cm, £65.
- Cheapest: £7.19 - Yodel XpressPack 48, £20 cover, 2 working days, collection, tracked.
- Next day: £7.49 - Yodel XpressPack 24, £20, 1 working day, collection, tracked.
- Insured: £9.89 - Yodel XpressPack 48, £65 cover, 2 working days, collection, tracked.
- Tracked: £7.19 - Yodel XpressPack 48, £20 cover, 2 working days, collection, tracked.
Books
Textbook: 1kg, 24cm x 4cm x 17cm, £30.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £3.30 - Royal Mail 1st Class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: £3.90 - Royal Mail Signed for 2nd Class, £50 cover, 3 day delivery, proof of delivery.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Collectable: 0.9kg, 24cm x 16cm x 5cm, £150.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £3.30 - Royal Mail 1st class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: £6.45 - Royal Mail Special Delivery by 1pm, £500 cover, 1pm next day, tracked, signed for.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Toys & Games
Remote car: 0.85kg, 44cm x 33cm x 11cm, £70.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £3.30 - Royal Mail 1st class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: £4.90 - MyHermes drop off, £100 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Board game: 0.9kg, 41cm x 27cm x 6cm, £20.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £3.30 - Royal Mail 1st class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Crafts
Sewing machine: 7,5kgm 44cm x 31cm x 20cm, £110.
- Cheapest: £7.19 - Yodel XpressPack 48, £20 cover, 2 working days, collection, tracked. (Yodel is cheaper than MyHermes because of the weight)
- Next day: £7.49 - Yodel XpressPack 24, £20 cover, 1 working days, collection, tracked.
- Insured: £12.59 - Yodel XpressPack 48, £110 cover, 2 working days, collection, tracked.
- Tracked: £7.19 - Yodel XpressPack 48, £20 cover, 2 working days. collection, tracked.
Wool: 0.3kg, 56cm x 13cm x 9cm, £18.
- Cheapest: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Next day: £5.65 - Royal Mail 1st Class, £20 cover, next working day.
- Insured: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
- Tracked: £2.70 - MyHermes, drop off, £25 cover, 2 working days, tracked, no signature.
Overall, Royal Mail came out the cheapest option for shipping smaller items, while MyHermes drop off service is the cheapest option for anything bigger than Royal Mail’s large letter size. MyHermes collection is also often cheaper than any other courier collection options. If you’re shipping bigger or heavier items, then Yodel often comes out cheaper than any other courier.
All prices calculated in March 2016 from the following links:
