In all cases I don't mind shipping via your own courier if you have an account with Fedex, UPS or DHL, though an additional packaging materials cost still applies for larger parcels, unless I can employ used packaging which is sometimes possible. I don't normally have to add on a packaging cost for small parcels as I've accumulated a decent supply of boxes, bubblewrap, foam pieces, etc. over the years via items I've bought from elsewhere, though for sending IRIX CD packs I always use new boxes.
Sometimes the volumetric weight of a parcel is more than the real item weight, in which case the pricing is based on the volumetric weight. Whatever the case, I always do a precise calculation for each shipment to make sure it's correct. A parcel's volumetric weight is length x width x height (in cm), divided by 5000. Since I know the courier services have cutoff weights of 30kg, I have designed the custom shipping boxes I use to have volumetric weights less than this where possible.
NB: for delivery within the UK, I never use Royal Mail 2nd Class or Standard Parcels; these services are too slow and unreliable, though this now usually applies to economy courier services aswell.
SD, which is next working day guaranteed, is between 8 and 13 UKP depending on the weight. This includes insurance up to 500 UKP, with signature on delivery (extra insurance up to 2500 available). Note that I don't use economy courier services for very valuable or fragile items (not worth the risk).
If a faster delivery is required, I can use Interparcel or parcel2go, with the shipping usually done by UPS, though sometimes Fedex is cheaper.
Note that Royal Mail pricing has reached the point where items close to 2kg are often cheaper and faster to send by courier, eg. a 2kg parcel to France worth 50 UKP costs 20 UKP by RM/ISF, but only 19 UKP by Interparcel/UPS. Hence, I use Interparcel or parcel2go instead when it makes to do so.
For items with low replacement value, I can use normal small packet airmail, which is between 4 and 29 UKP, though again a courier service might be cheaper (depends on the precise destination, parcel weight and size).
If an item is worth more than 500 UKP then I have to use a courier service.
The typical rate per parcel is between 10 and 15 UKP depending on the weight (max weight is 50kg per box), which includes 50 UKP insurance cover (somewhat more to Highlands/Islands, Isle of Man, etc.) The price is somewhat more for a Tezro as it's a much heavier system. If an item is of low value and non-urgent, I can use Interparcel's Hermes option which is approx. 7 UKP. Extra insurance is available up to 1000 UKP, charged as follows:
250 UKP cover: +5 500 UKP cover: +10 750 UKP cover: +15 1000 UKP cover: +20
These costs apply to small/medium sized parcels for which I can usually employ used/recycled packaging materials to minimise costs.
For O2, IRIS Indigo, Indigo2, Octane/Octane2 and Fuel systems, I use custom-made new boxes in order to make more efficient use of packaging materials, ensure maximum box strength, etc. The typical cost is the above normal rate plus an extra amount to cover the cost of the box and additional packaging materials, as follows:
O2, Indigo and Indigo2: +5 Octane, Octane2 and Fuel: +10
Thus, for example, the shipping cost for an Octane with 250 insurance cover is 28 UKP, while for an O2 it's 23 UKP, etc. It will be less if by chance I have a used box and packaging I can employ.
Tezro is an exception as it's a much heavier system. Again I use custom-made boxes, but the weight means a more expensive courier service has to be used. Typically the shipping cost will be about 75 UKP.
If necessary I can split items into multiple boxes if that means a lower total shipping cost. It depends on the box weight/size, destination, etc. Either way, I always find out which is the best option.
For consignments worth more than 1000 UKP, I normally use parcel2go as they have a higher insurance limit of 2500 UKP.
The typical rate per parcel is between 25 and 45 UKP depending on the weight (max is 50kg per box), box size and destination; this includes 50 UKP insurance cover. Extra insurance is available up to 1000 UKP, charged as follows:
250 UKP cover: +5 500 UKP cover: +10 750 UKP cover: +15 1000 UKP cover: +20
These costs apply to small/medium sized parcels for which I can usually employ used/recycled packaging materials to minimise costs.
For O2, IRIS Indigo, Indigo2, Octane/Octane2 and Fuel systems, I use custom-made new boxes in order to make more efficient use of packaging materials, ensure maximum box strength, etc. This is especially important for shipping O2 systems (most sellers use boxes that are not high enough, making transit damage more likely; the boxes I use are 52x52x53cm). The typical cost is the above normal rate plus an extra amount to cover the cost of the box and additional packaging materials, as follows:
O2, Indigo and Indigo2: +5 Octane, Octane2 and Fuel: +10
Thus, for example, the shipping cost for an Octane with 250 insurance cover to France is 47 UKP, while for an O2 it would be 41 UKP, etc. It will be less if by chance I have a used box and packaging I can employ.
Tezro is an exception as it's a much heavier system. Again I use custom-made boxes, but the weight means a more expensive courier service has to be used. Typically the shipping cost will be about 200 UKP.
If necessary I can split items into multiple boxes if that means a lower total shipping cost. It depends on the box weight/size, destination, etc. Either way, I always find out which is the best option.
If insurance above 1000 UKP is required, I use parcel2go instead (their limit is 2500), though the base shipping charge is usually a little higher. Ironically this means the best option may end up being ParcelForce's GlobalPriority service.
The most common heavy items I send outside Europe are Indy, O2, Fuel and Octane systems (collections if item parts tend to have a similar total weight to an Indy, ie. around 10kg or less). Thus, here is the typical cost of sending these systems to some example locations, in this case I've listed the USA, Canada, Australia, India and Argentina (you can estimate the cost to other destinations based on these prices, or just check yourself on interparcel.com). All prices in this table are in UKP. I'll add other example destinations later.
Indy O2 Fuel Octane USA: 60 105 107 120 Canada: 60 107 107 117 Japan: 86 170 173 182 Australia: 86 159 178 207 India: 100 202 215 221 Argentina: 130 263 276 290
The above prices include insurance cover of 250 UKP. If additional cover
is required, the extra cost is as follows:
500 UKP cover: +5 750 UKP cover: +10 1000 UKP cover: +15
If an item needs more than 1000 UKP cover then I use parcel2go instead,
which will add another 20 or so. Hence, shipping costs for a Tezro worth
2000 UKP are typically as follows:
Tezro USA: 350 Canada: 350 Japan: 390 Australia: 440 India: 450 Argentina: 500
Sea-shipping is usually more appropriate for more remote destinations such as South America or Africa, for which the courier charges can be extremely high. Thus, for example, in late 2004 I sent an Indigo2 and two 17" SGI monitors to the University of Urugay, for which the shipping cost by WTA was 435 UKP with full insurance. By comparison, shipping the same consignment by ParcelForce at the time would have cost 912 UKP (TNT would have charged 1500 UKP!). With import taxes taken into account, the University of Uruguay probably saved about 300 UKP by opting for shipping by sea.
However, note that shipping by sea is only door-to-port, ie. the items are delivered as far as the nearest sea port to the recipient. It is then the responsibility of the recipient to arrange for the items to be cleared through their local port customs, including any relevant taxes and duties.
Sometimes though, shipping by sea is not cheaper even though one might think it would be. For example, shipping something like an Indigo2 to Australia is cheaper by Interparcel. This is because the routes taken by ships at sea are more complex or just much longer for some countries. Using the WTA is more appropriate for really heavy consignments such as multiple boxes or high-end SGIs like Crimson, Onyx, Onyx2, Challenge and non-blade Origin.
Note that within the UK I can use freight services such as M & G Logistics Ltd., though usually Interparcel or parcel2go have good enough rates for shipping very heavy items.
Alternatively, if you're in the UK, I can deliver in person if the destination is reachable in reasonable time by train/bus; the buyer merely covers my travel costs and any other expenses for the journey (food, etc.) I've done this several times in the past, the main advantage of course being the prevention of transit damage that might occur when items are shipped by RM, courier, etc. For example, I have a padded carry bag for transporting O2s.