Shipping Basics

What to Have Ready Before You Request a Quote

A quote is only as accurate as the numbers behind it — six things worth having ready before you start, so the price you see is the price you pay.

Why This Matters Before You Even Open the Form

A shipping quote is a calculation built from a handful of real inputs — dimensions, weight, route, and what's inside. Get any of these wrong at the quote stage and the number you see either won't match what you're actually charged, or will need correcting once the parcel is measured for real. None of the items below are unusual requirements specific to Cargosender — they're the genuine inputs any accurate courier quote needs.

This isn't a substitute for the detailed guides linked throughout — it's the checklist for having everything in hand before you start, so you don't have to stop halfway through the form to go measure something.

Six Things to Have Ready

The sealed box's real length, width and height

Measured, not guessed — see the measuring guide for how to do this and why it changes your price if you get it wrong.

How to measure correctly

The actual weight of the packed parcel

Weighed with everything inside, including packaging — not the item alone.

How to weigh correctly

Both the pickup and delivery country (and ideally city)

Price and customs treatment both depend on the specific route, not just a general destination.

Browse destination guides

Whether it's a document, a parcel, or freight

Envelopes, packages and pallets are priced and booked differently — see the dedicated guide if you're not sure which applies.

Envelope, package or pallet?

A genuine value for the contents

Needed for the declared value field and, for non-EU routes, the customs description — not something to leave blank or guess at zero.

Declared value explained

A plain, specific description of what's inside (non-EU routes)

Needed at booking for the customs declaration — vague descriptions cause holds later, not just at the quote stage.

Writing a customs description

If You Don't Have Everything Yet

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It's fine to get a rough quote with estimated dimensions to gauge cost — just re-check it against the real, measured, sealed-box figures before you actually pay and book.

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A quote based on guessed dimensions or weight can change once the courier measures the real parcel — see the guide on unexpected charges after booking for what typically causes this and how to tell if it's a genuine error.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need exact dimensions, or is an estimate fine?

For an initial idea of price, an estimate is fine. But the figure you actually book with should be the real, measured dimensions of the sealed box — a quote based on guessed dimensions can change once the courier measures the real parcel, sometimes resulting in an additional charge.

What if I don't have the item packed yet?

Estimate generously rather than tightly — it's safer to overestimate box size at the quote stage than to under-declare and be re-billed later. Once it's packed, re-check the quote against the real sealed-box measurements before you pay.

Do I need the recipient's exact address to get a quote?

You need at least the destination country and city to get an accurate price, since customs treatment and route pricing depend on it. The exact street address is needed to complete the booking, not necessarily to see an initial quote.

Have What You Need? Get Your Quote

Enter the route and parcel details below for a real quote.

Sending/Pickup From

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