When you start your e-commerce business, your first target group is the population in Germany. However, if they are largely developed and your growth allows you to expand, you will probably be attracted to countries near us. One possibility is of course Italy. What you have to consider when shipping to Italy and which shipping service provider suits you best is explained in the following article.
Antonia Klatt
Last Updated on 22 October 2021
Shipping of Mail and Parcels to Italy
Fortunately for you, Italy is a member of the European Union. Why happiness? In the end, membership makes many things easier for you. If you send your products to Italy, you don’t have to pay any import taxes on them because the goods don’t leave the EU – only the well-known value added tax. Also, the customs authorities have a low profile and you usually don’t have to make customs declarations.
Of course, you should still keep one or two points in mind when you send goods to Italy. This way you can make sure that the products arrive at the customer’s door on time and in good condition.
Addressing mail and parcels to Italy correctly
Of course the first step is the right addressing of your goods. This is the only way to make sure that your goods arrive at the right destination on time.
The address for shipping to Italy is the same as the address you give when you ship goods in Germany. There are a few points you should consider anyway. The destination must be indicated in capital letters and ideally in Italian: FIRENZE instead of Florence. Below the destination, add the country of destination in capital letters – this again in German.
When shipping products abroad, there is usually only one delivery attempt – unless you request another one. In case the first delivery attempt fails, it is always a good idea to leave the recipient’s phone number with the shipping service provider. This allows the shipping service provider to contact the recipient to make a possible second delivery attempt.
Insured shipping to Italy
Many dispatch service providers automatically insure packages up to a value of 500, – EUR. If it does not do so or if the goods are more valuable than 500,- EUR, it is useful to insure the shipment. This way you will get back the value of the goods in case the products are damaged or disappear. The price for the insurance depends on the value of the goods and can be added individually at any shipping service provider.
Customs declaration and import bans for shipment to Italy
As a rule, mail and parcels sent from Germany to Italy are not interesting for customs. However, there are two exceptions: If the goods exceed a certain value, a customs declaration is certainly necessary and must be enclosed. This also applies to certain types of goods. The shipping instructions of your service provider will tell you what these are and what value your shipment may have.
In addition, there are goods that are generally not allowed to be imported or only in a certain quantity. You can find out more about the customs regulations for the import of goods into Italy >here<.
Please note when shipping to Italy: Size, Weight and Packaging
If you want to send your goods to Italy, make sure that they reach your customers in perfect condition. Please note the following instructions for a good protection against damage.
Please note the following points when shipping to Italy:
- Do you ship goods that can easily break or be deformed? If this is the case, place them in the middle of the package and wrap them with padding material. Bubble wrap, newspapers or polystyrene are particularly suitable here because they are light and offer protection on the one hand, and on the other hand they hardly affect the weight of the entire package and thus the price of the shipment. As a rough rule you can remember here: There should be a distance of about 5 cm between the products and the packaging itself.
- Use new cardboard boxes. Damaged or used, but optically as good as new, cardboard boxes can give way more easily and thus pose a risk to the condition of your goods.
- Make sure that the package ideally does not exceed the dimensions of 120 x 60 x 60. Most shipping companies charge high surcharges if the package gets bigger. The strap size should not exceed 300 cm for most.
- Protect the package additionally with a reinforced packing tape of about 5 cm width.
We strongly recommend that you follow these instructions to ensure that the goods enjoy the best possible protection and arrive at your customers in ideal condition, so that they are satisfied with the products and keep shopping with you. It would be fatal if the goods arrived damaged and the buyer had to send them back and thus had a negative experience with your store.
Shipping to Italy: Duration, Costs and different Shipping Service Providers
If you have followed the instructions and packed your products accordingly, you can now dedicate yourself to their shipping. This presents you with the challenge of choosing the right shipping service provider. You can choose from a variety of options, all of which have their advantages, so you should always find the right partner for your project.
We cannot give a general answer to the costs of shipping to Italy. That depends on many different factors. How big or heavy is the package? How quickly must it reach the customer? How much does the package have to be insured? Most shipping service providers offer a cost calculator for the question of price. However, standard delivery usually takes three to five working days.
Shipping to Italy with DHL
The first shipping service provider that comes to mind in Germany is probably DHL. However, they do not only ship in Germany, but also enable shipping to Italy.
The general conditions for sending parcels to Italy with DHL:
- Max. weight is 31.5 kg; prices are graded in seven categories according to weight
- Online the lightest package costs 4.99 EUR, the heaviest package 44.99 EUR
- Dimensions for packages: min. 15 x 11 x 1 cm, max. 120 x 60 x 60 cm
- Incl. shipment tracking and insurance up to 500,- EUR value of goods
- Insurance up to 5.000,- EUR value possible (costs from 14,- EUR to 70,- EUR)
- Receipt of the packages usually within three working days
Shipping to Italy with DHL Express
In addition to the classic DHL delivery, there is another service provider, DHL Express, for when things have to move fast. As a retailer, you have many options for express deliveries to choose from. For example, you can have your deliveries delivered until the next working day at 9 a.m. The packages are even picked up from you personally.
Options for sending packages to Italy with DHL Express:
- Packages can be delivered with DHL Express Domestic until the next working day; depending on the tariff, e.g. at 9, 10 or 12 o’clock
- Package may have max. 30 kg total weight and dimensions of 120 x 60 x 60 cm
- Shipments up to 70 kg total weight can be delivered by 12 noon at the earliest
Shipping to Italy with UPS
As an alternative to DHL, there is the UPS delivery service, which is mainly known from the USA. It usually delivers within one to five working days. For faster shipping, UPS offers various options.
A selection of possibilities with UPS when sending packages to Italy:
- UPS Express Plus provides delivery by 9 a.m. on the morning of the next business day
- UPS Express NA1 allows delivery until the next day between 10:30 and 12 am
- UPS Worldwide Express Freight enables delivery by the end of the next day
- Notifications about the progress of the different stations on the way from the sender to the receiver are possible
- When sending a package, it is possible to arrange an exact time for pickup with UPS
- UPS can pick up goods from the recipient and bring them back to the sender
Shipping to Italy with GLS
If you ship your goods to Italy with GLS, they are usually delivered within two to three working days. Unlike DHL, up to 40 kg total weight can be shipped here.
Information about shipping parcels with GLS to Italy:
- Smallest parcel (max. 35 cm side length) for 4.20 EUR, largest parcel (max. 300 cm side length) for 18.70 EUR when shipped to the recipient; prices for delivery in the ParcelShop somewhat more favorable
- Max. total weight of 40 kg allowed
- Liability up to goods value of 750,- EUR inclusive
Shipping to Italy with DPD
Standard shipping with DPD takes 1-4 business days, plus express options.
Information about parcel shipping to Italy with DPD:
- Total weight may not exceed 30 kg
- Edge length must not exceed 175 cm, belt dimension max. 300 cm
- Surcharges possible for special features such as oversizes or the second delivery attempt
- Standard insurance value is 520,- EUR
Shipping to Italy with Hermes
As one of the few shipping service providers, Hermes automatically offers two delivery attempts included. However, a maximum total weight of 25 kg is permitted. Insurance up to 500,- EUR value of goods and tracking are included.
Information about shipping to Italy with Hermes:
- A maximum total weight of 25 kg is permissible
- Incl. tracking and insurance up to 500,- EUR value of goods
- Package prices depending on size between 9.65 EUR and 28.15 EUR
- Receipt of the packages within five to six working days
- Two delivery attempts included
