At a time when almost every product imaginable is available online, delivery can sometimes entail a lot more than shipping a small cardboard box. For companies selling products such as furniture, appliances, or anything else that’s big and bulky, selling those products online requires figuring out a safe, efficient, and affordable way to get them to customers.
Known as large parcel delivery, this type of delivery often presents a lot of new challenges. To help you master large parcel delivery and avoid potential pitfalls, let’s take a deep dive into what large parcel delivery is, the challenges it presents, and the proven strategies for overcoming them.
What is large parcel delivery?
Large parcels (also called oversized or heavy parcels) are usually defined as packages that weigh more than 70 pounds or exceed certain dimensions like 108 inches in length or 165 inches in combined length and girth. The exact definition of what constitutes a large parcel varies a little from carrier to carrier. However, the overall point is that large parcels are big, heavy, and difficult to transport.
It’s a category that includes a wide range of products, from bulk shipments to individual products like furniture, machinery, and fitness equipment. While it used to be less common for large products like this to be sold online, that isn’t the case anymore. If the products your company sells fall under the category of large parcels, figuring out how to address the challenges of large parcel delivery is key.
The importance of large item delivery
Offering reliable delivery options for large items can drive sales, boost customer satisfaction, and ensure that your company is positioned to scale easily. Here are the top reasons why large item delivery matters:
- Business growth: With more people buying big-ticket items online, the demand for large parcel delivery continues to grow.
- Customer satisfaction: Poor handling or delayed deliveries of large items can quickly lead to negative reviews and a loss of customer trust.
- Efficiency and scalability: Efficient shipping processes for large parcels reduce warehouse costs and enable scalable growth.
For retailers and distributors selling bulky products, large parcel delivery isn’t just an operational concern but also a core element of customer satisfaction. It matters at every level of the business.
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Challenges in large parcel delivery
It’s easy to understand why delivering something like a refrigerator is inherently a lot more challenging than delivering small items, but here’s a full breakdown of the specific challenges large parcel delivery presents:
- Handling and transportation: Bulky items require special handling and may also require things like special equipment or additional labor during loading and unloading.
- Higher shipping costs: Larger packages cost more to ship and can often trigger additional surcharges beyond dimensional weight pricing.
- Delivery time and scheduling constraints: Large parcel delivery typically requires the customer to be present to accept the delivery, adding a layer of complexity to one of the most challenging aspects of logistics.
- Risk of damage and insurance considerations: Larger items are more susceptible to damage during transit. They also tend to be more valuable, and this combination can drive up the cost of insurance on large parcels.
In addition to these challenges, it’s important to understand the common fees associated with large parcels.
Cost factors in large parcel delivery
There are several factors that determine how much it costs to ship a large parcel. Size and weight are the first two factors, and dimensional weight pricing means even lightweight yet bulky items can be costly. Distance traveled is the next factor influencing price. Large parcel deliveries can also incur additional surcharges depending on the delivery requirements, including surcharges such as:
- Fuel surcharge
- Residential delivery fee
- Oversize fee
- Liftgate fee
- Appointment delivery
With these factors in mind, compare your options across both traditional parcel carriers and on-demand delivery platforms. Be sure to also consider the quality of customer service that a carrier offers and what their claims process looks like. When shipping products that tend to be both more valuable and more prone to damage, how a carrier handles claims and customer service is especially important.
How to choose the right large item delivery service
For the majority of businesses, partnering with a carrier that specializes in large item delivery is the most effective way to overcome the challenges these deliveries create…but only if you choose the right carrier. When choosing a large item delivery service, it’s important to consider key factors like:
- Transparent pricing
- Reliability
- Coverage area
- Tracking capabilities
Thankfully, there are a few strategies that companies can use to lower delivery costs. Consolidating shipments into group deliveries can help reduce the per-unit price, and high-volume shippers are often able to negotiate with carriers to receive discounted rates. How you package your shipment is important as well when it comes to reducing unnecessary bulk.
Tips for efficient large item delivery
Efficiency doesn’t just save money, it improves the customer experience. If you want to create a process for delivering large parcels that is as efficient as possible, here are a few effective practices to consider:
1. Batch deliveries
If multiple deliveries are going to the same region, scheduling them as a batch will help reduce costs and optimize routing. When you work with a carrier that specializes in large parcel logistics, this method is applied at scale.
2. Use logistics technology
Invest in a technology platform (or choose a carrier) that offers:
- Real-time tracking
- Route optimization
- Customer delivery notifications
These logistics tools will go a long way toward optimizing large parcel deliveries for both efficiency and improved customer experience.
3. Work with the right partners
Choose logistics providers with proven experience in large parcel fulfillment. They’ll understand the nuances, prevent common issues, and often offer value-added services.
Conclusion
Delivering large, bulky items can present plenty of challenges. However, the growing demand among consumers for large parcel delivery also creates a lot of opportunities for businesses that know how to do it right.
If you would like to start delivering your company’s large products in a way that’s affordable, efficient, and optimized for customer satisfaction, Bungii can help! We specialize in large parcel logistics, offer a network that covers more than 80 cities across the United States, and provide companies and their customers with state-of-the-art logistics tools.
Contact us today to learn more about the advantages of adding Bungii to your large item delivery network!
