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In the Netherlands, as in many other markets, e-commerce thrives on speed and efficiency. The right parcel delivery company plays a crucial role in meeting these demands by offering a variety of delivery options, including express shipping, tracking services, and convenient pickup and drop-off locations. E-commerce businesses that choose the right parcel delivery company with fast and efficient shipping services can effectively meet customer expectations for timely delivery.
In 2021, over half of Dutch respondents favored a maximum delivery time of three to five days, with around 30 percent expecting their packages to arrive within two days.
To help you meet these delivery standards for both domestic and cross-border shipping, we've compiled a comprehensive overview of the top 5 shipping companies in the Netherlands, tailored to your e-commerce requirements.
How to choose the best delivery company for shipping to the Netherlands
As is often the case, there is no one-fits-all solution, so when choosing the delivery service provider, e-commerce companies should consider details. As all delivery companies have different strengths and weaknesses, finding the best fitting partner for your webshop might result in immediate or long-term positive effects. Which option fits your business model the best is for you to decide. On the basis thereof, we are emphasizing the most important questions webshop entrepreneurs should take into consideration- How many parcels are being shipped per month/week/day
- What is the size of the parcels your online shop ships
- How much is the parcels' weight
- Are the parcels shipped internationally or domestically
- In case they are shipped internationally; are they “only” shipped to neighboring countries like Germany, are they shipped across Europe, or are they shipped globally, for example to the USA or alike
- Does it make sense to use the services of more than one delivery company
- What are your priorities, what do your customers expect
Top 5 parcel delivery companies for shipping to and from the Netherlands
In this part of the blog, we are listing the top 5 parcel delivery companies that might be suitable for shipping your webshop’s parcels in the Netherlands and across Europe. In this overview part, we are listing some of the most important facts and figures about these companies, as well as their advantages and disadvantages
Shipping in the Netherlands with PostNL
PostNL, formerly known as TNT NV until TNT Express was separated from it in May 2011, and the remainder of the company was renamed PostNL, has been assigned by the Dutch government to carry out the universal postal service. Most notably, PostNL handled approximately two-thirds of the domestic parcel deliveries in the B2C market in the Netherlands in 2018. Other interesting facts and figures about this shipping provider include:
- In 2023, the average daily parcel deliveries totaled 1.1 million.
- PostNL employs 33,488 individuals and it offers 903 parcel lockers throughout the Netherlands.
- Operations are conducted in Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
Advantages
- Fast domestic parcel delivery
- 98% are delivered to customers within 24 hours
- Experts in the Netherlands
- market share for domestic parcel deliveries is 67%
- Dutch company
Disadvantages
- Not as big as main international competitors
- especially regarding cross-border shipping across Europe or to the US, other parcel delivery providers have more expertise
Other types of parcel delivery services
- PostNL Standard
- PostNL Service Point
- PostNL Mailbox Parcel
- PostNL Abroad (across Europe)
- PostNL Globalpack (worldwide)
Shipping in the Netherlands with DHL
The German parcel delivery company DHL was founded in 1969 and is a division of the world’s biggest logistics company Deutsche Post DHL. Some impressive facts and figures about this shipping company are:- DHL recorded a revenue of 81.8 billion euros revenue of €4.05 billion for e-commerce solutions in 2023.
- The company employs 594,000 people worldwide
- DHL delivers across the whole world including countries like North Korea
- Environmentally friendly shipping options are offered
- The delivery service operates logistical hubs in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Venlo (near the German border).
- It maintains 4,000 DHL ServicePoints across the Netherlands.
Advantages
- Strong international focus
- Flexible offers (ground, express, sustainable, international)
Disadvantages
- Not the best option for domestic shipping
Various services offered include
- DHL International Express
- DHL Euro Plus
- DHL Sameday Jetline
- DHL Sameday Sprintline
- DHL Express 9:00/10:30/12:00
- DHL Express Worldwide
- DHL Express Easy
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Shipping in the Netherlands with UPS
USP was founded in 1907 in the USA and has a lot of industry-specific experience that they acquired throughout the last century. Take a look at the company’s exciting facts and figures:- In 2023, UPS delivered 22.3 million packages daily, culminating in a total of 5.7 billion packages over the course of the year.
- The total revenue worldwide in 2023 was $91.0 billion.
- In 2021, UPS reported a workforce of approximately 2,700 employees.
- There are approximately 1,450 points of access across the country.
Advantages
- Known for its speedy delivery
- Large fleet on the ground
- Environmentally friendly options
Disadvantages
- More costly than competitors
- Added area surcharges
- Saturday delivery is a value-added service
Various shipping service options
- UPS Express Critical – International
- UPS Worldwide Express Plus
- UPS Worldwide Express Shipping
- UPS Worldwide Saver, UPS Next Day Air
- UPS Worldwide Expedited
- UPS 2nd Day Air
- UPS Standard
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Shipping in the Netherlands with DPD
The DPDgroup based in France is a parcel delivery service, founded in 1999, that has its main expertise in shipping within Europe. Below, you can have a look at some relevant facts and figures regarding this parcel delivery service provider:- In 2020, DPD Netherlands recorded a turnover of 509.4 million euros.
- In the Netherlands, DPD currently operates more than 1,850 service points and lockers, with plans to expand to 2,500 by the year 2024.
- The company boasts around 800 depots spread across over 40 countries.
- It utilizes a workforce of 24,000 employees and 18,000 vehicles to serve its customers' needs.
- DPD sets off 100% of its carbon emissions by purchasing carbon credits.
Advantages
- Flexible offers
- Big amount of parcel shops across Europe
Disadvantages
- No expertise in the US
Other services include
- DPD Air Classic
- DPD Air Express
- DPD PickUp 24
- DPD PickUp Express
- DPD PickUp Classic
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Shipping in the Netherlands with FedEx
The American company, operating in the whole world, is most well known for pioneering the way for all other parcel delivery service companies by making. real-time tracking of packages possible. FedEx has some interesting facts and figures in its portfolio:- In 2023, FedEx reported a global annual revenue of $90.155 billion.
- In 2023, FedEx Express delivered globally approximately 5.58 million packages per day.
- FedEx operates approximately 507 locations in the Netherlands for both drop-off and pickup services.
- The company employs over 50,000 individuals and operates 28 European centers.
Advantages
- Saturday delivery
- Large fleet of airplanes
Disadvantages
- Focus on the US instead of Europe
- No big focus on the Netherlands
- Smaller fleet on the ground
Various delivery service options offered by FedEx
- FedEx International Next Flight
- FedEx International First
- FedEx International Priority
- FedEx International Economy
- FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution
- FedEx International Economy DirectDistribution
- FedEx International Ground
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Other parcel shipping providers to look for in the Netherlands
Of course, there are many other, mostly smaller companies, but also established ones, that did not make it to our top 5, but still might fit your needs best. Below, we are honorably mentioning the following:Order Fulfillment and 3PL services as a convenient alternative solution
In case you are shipping a higher number of parcels to your customers each month and you don’t want to use your time and resources on tedious logistics, outsourcing and automating your order fulfillment might be the best option for you. 3PL (third-party logistics) companies like byrd can integrate your shop system within literal minutes and your Dutch orders will be fulfilled automatically and in real time. In addition, you also benefit by having access to a multitude of shipping service providers, rendering your logistics to be as personalized and optimized for your needs as possible.
Conclusion
Choosing the right logistics partner is one of the most important factors that determine the success or the downfall of the majority of e-commerce companies. Adding to that trope, research also shows that for many online shoppers, it is important to know which parcel delivery companies are available for shipping their intended purchases and they will often terminate the checkout if they are not content with the options provided by the particular webshop. Last but not least, the importance of sustainable e-commerce is also generating some serious waves in the e-commerce industry as more and more customers are becoming environmentally cautious and are demanding the same from their favorite webshops.
In conclusion, opting for one or even multiple logistics partners that fit your needs should be the top priority for your Dutch-based webshop. As argued above, having the right parcel shipping service partner will optimize your logistics and make your customers happy; and the combination of happy customers and optimized logistics is, in our humble opinion, a great fail-proof strategy to have.