Shipping with Colissimo: everything you need to know for your deliveries!

Colissimo's delivery service is a benchmark on the French market. The offering from this iconic carrier is varied and its network is extensive. Whether it's a shipment within France, to Overseas territories, or abroad, Colissimo always has a solution for you. You can choose home delivery or delivery to a pickup point, and Colissimo has also set up a returns service. The business offering keeps growing and can be a real asset for your e-commerce site to reach as many customers as possible.

Before diving deeper into La Poste's service, feel free to check out our carrier comparison and the delivery options available for your online store. Remember that a well-rounded delivery offering will be a real advantage for your business.

• Everything you need to know about Colissimo

  • How does Colissimo work?

  • Shipping with Colissimo

  • Colissimo tracking

  • Colissimo returns

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  • Use Colissimo via Sendcloud

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  • The benefits of Colissimo

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  • The Colissimo offering

    
    

    • France

    • Europe

    • Overseas territories

    • Worldwide

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    • Packaging recommendations

      
      

      • Dimensions and weight limits to follow

      • Packaging tips

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      • Colissimo label

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      • How does Colissimo work with Sendcloud?

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        Everything you need to know about shipping with Colissimo

        How does Colissimo work? What are the terms of use for the service? What benefits will you find in it? We're going to break down the carrier's offering and help you understand it so you can easily integrate Colissimo delivery into your e-commerce site.
        
        

        

        How does Colissimo work?

        From shipping to receipt, including returns, Colissimo offers a wide range of services. It can sometimes be difficult to find your way among all these options, but once you've got the hang of them, they make life easier and let you enjoy a service tailored to your needs.

        Shipping with Colissimo

        You can print the labels yourself and stick them onto your parcels. Then drop them off at a post office or schedule a pickup. Colissimo On Demand is an occasional pickup service, available on request with no volume commitment (up to 15 parcels maximum). If you request a pickup before 1pm, your parcels will be collected that same day.

        Colissimo tracking

        Then track your shipments using the Parcel Tracking Tool. With this advanced tracking tool, easily search for your parcels, manage your claims online, and monitor your deliveries live. You can customize how results are displayed, and you keep a direct line to Colissimo customer service.

        Colissimo returns

        Returns management is always a critical stage for e-merchants. With Colissimo, your customers can return their parcel from a post office, a pickup point, or their own mailbox. This exclusive service meets the expectations of many e-consumers who want a simplified parcel returns process. All your customer has to do is log into their account, submit the request, print the return slip to stick on the parcel, and drop it in their mailbox. The next day, the postal worker simply collects the parcel.

        
        

        

        The Colissimo Business offering gives you even more flexibility and responsiveness with its available services. Designed for merchants, you benefit from single monthly invoicing, a simplified franking system, or the ability to plan your returns in advance. Several contracts are available depending on your needs.

        Use Colissimo via Sendcloud

        Shipping parcels with Colissimo is a breeze when you do it through Sendcloud. The platform lets you work with different carriers, including Colissimo, and therefore offer a complete delivery experience for your e-commerce site.

        You don't need to worry about pricing — you can use our pre-negotiated contract and take advantage of our shipping rates. Rates vary depending on your Sendcloud subscription, as well as the zone you're shipping to and the weight of your parcel.

        For example, shipping a 0.5 kg parcel within France (without signature) costs €6.50 with the Small Shop subscription. To a pickup point, shipping costs only €5.40. Still for the same weight, shipping to Germany with signature on delivery will cost you €10.15, and shipping to Martinique for the same parcel (without signature) will only cost you €11.65.

        Shipping with Colissimo: what are the benefits?

        • Delivery flexibility: in person, to a mailbox, to a post office, to a pickup point, or to a locker.

        • Hand delivery with signature or directly to a mailbox without signature.

        • Continuous parcel tracking, for both the e-merchant and the customer.

        • 19,000 pickup points in France.

        • Parcels available for pickup for 15 days, 30 days during summer (on request).

        • Redelivery service if the recipient is absent. Your customer can reschedule delivery themselves at their convenience.

        • Optional Ad Valorem insurance up to €5,000 (6 tiers available starting at €150).

        • Delivery within 2 days for France and from 3 days internationally.

        • Highly developed international network with 235 destinations.

        • For returns, a notification is sent to the customer once the parcel has been delivered to you (with signature).

        • The Colissimo offering: a range of services for your shipments

          The Colissimo offering is split into 4 geographic zones: France, Europe, Overseas territories, and Worldwide, and the services offered can differ slightly between them. Colissimo's rates vary depending on the destination and the extra services you add.
          
          

          

          France

          The France offering is naturally the most extensive and offers the greatest level of service customization. Colissimo's return-to-merchant-relay and return-to-mailbox service is only available with the domestic offering. Also available with this offering are Colissimo's Flex Services, which give your customers great delivery flexibility. Within the domestic market, you also benefit from 250 advisors who support you day to day.

          Key features of the Colissimo France offering:

          • Delivery within 48 hours

          • Home delivery (with or without signature)

          • Built-in flat-rate compensation of €23/kg (without signature) or €33/kg (with signature)

          • Expertise in home delivery and the last mile

          • 19,000 pickup points

          • Indicative returns time: 3 days

          • Europe

            With over 300 million potential customers, the European market is a genuine growth opportunity for your e-commerce site. Thanks to a complete, tailored delivery offering, Colissimo supports your expansion across Europe. Backed by a strong network of alliances with specialist partners, delivery methods are adapted to your customers' local habits. An interactive notification service is available to 18 countries and enables flexible deliveries (delivery time slot given in advance, rescheduling possible, etc.). You also have access to a dedicated customer service team.

            Key features of the Colissimo Europe offering:

            • Delivery from D+3 for major European destinations

            • Home delivery (with or without signature)

            • Full tracking in 6 languages

            • Built-in flat-rate compensation of €23/kg (standard offering) or €33/kg (expert offering)

            • 15,000 pickup points available across 18 countries

            • Indicative returns time: from 3 days

            • Returns available from 23 countries with 73,000 drop-off points

            Overseas territories

            Too often overlooked by e-commerce players, the Overseas departments represent no fewer than 2.8 million potential customers. Colissimo lets you reach this market with a complete, tailored offering built on 300 post offices. Only delivery to pickup points is not available. A particularly useful option, Delivered Duty Paid, lets you cover duties and taxes on behalf of your recipients.

            Key features of the Colissimo Overseas offering:

            • Delivery from D+6 or D+7

            • Economy delivery option (delivery from D+11)

            • Home delivery (with or without signature)

            • Built-in flat-rate compensation of €23/kg (without signature) or €33/kg (with signature)

            • Indicative returns time: from 5 days

            • Worldwide

              Going global is the dream of many e-merchants, but it comes with significant logistical challenges. Colissimo's Worldwide offering gives you access to a vast network built on solid alliances with the world's leading transport players, who are also last-mile specialists. Colissimo delivers more than 50 million export-import parcels worldwide every year. You have access to a dedicated international customer service team and customs expertise to make your declarations easier.

              Key features of the Colissimo Worldwide offering:

              • Delivery from D+5 to major international economic hubs

              • Guaranteed delivery times to 40 destinations

              • Delivery to home address only, with signature

              • Full tracking in 6 languages, available in 109 countries

              • Built-in flat-rate compensation of €33/kg

              • Indicative returns time: from 5 days

              • Returns available from 24 countries

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                Packaging recommendations for your Colissimo shipments

                Shipping with Colissimo: dimensions and weight limits to follow

                Colissimo distinguishes between machinable and non-machinable parcels. If you stay within the limits for your parcel to be machinable, it will be processed more efficiently (and therefore faster) by La Poste's services.

                The maximum weight for a parcel is 30 kg for home delivery and returns, and 20 kg for delivery to a pickup point.

                To calculate the maximum dimensions, add together the length (L), width (l), and height (h). The sum of these three dimensions must be less than 150 cm for the parcel to be machinable, and should generally always be less than 200 cm.

                Note that the length is limited to 100 cm for the parcel to be machinable, and should never exceed 200 cm (non-machinable parcels).

                Packaging tips

                To ship your parcels under the best conditions, be sure to follow these tips:

                • Keep it stable: distribute the weight evenly and don't hesitate to properly wedge and cushion your goods.

                • Have at least one side that allows the label to be displayed horizontally.

                • Use closure methods with no overhang: no string, handles, flaps, etc.

                • Use sturdy packaging suited to the contents.

                • Never wrap your parcels in paper.

                • Don't bundle your parcels together.

                • Don't hand over unpackaged goods, they will not be accepted.

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                  Colissimo shipping label

                  When it comes to the label, make sure it's at least the minimum size (16 x 11 cm), that it's legible, and that it lies flat. Don't use the label as adhesive tape and don't cover any part of it. Remember, the label is what gets your parcel to the right destination!

                  How does Colissimo work with Sendcloud ?

                  
                  

                  

                  Once your Sendcloud account is created, you'll be able to directly connect the carrier to your platform. You can use your own Colissimo contract if you have one, or let Sendcloud handle it for you and take advantage of our pre-negotiated contract. Connect your online store to multiple carriers so you can offer delivery methods that meet your customers' expectations. Sendcloud helps you take your e-commerce site to the next level:

                  • Combine more than 25 carriers and offer the best delivery option for each of your shipments.

                  • Automate your shipments and save valuable time.

                  • Easily generate the documents needed for customs declarations on your international shipments.

                  • Send personalized notifications to your customers to keep them updated on their order.

                  • Manage returns easily through a single tracking platform.

                  • Use Sendcloud's shipping rates, or import your own carrier contracts. 25 international carriers.

                  • Give your customers a choice.

                  • Do you have questions about shipping parcels with Colissimo? Want to learn more about the benefits Sendcloud offers? Feel free to leave us a comment!