Shipping with PostNL Business: which shipping options fit your webshop?

Shipping packages is a critical part of your webshop: it can make or break you as an online retailer. When you're just starting out, the big question is which carrier to ship your packages with.

If you've been in business longer and ship hundreds or thousands of packages a day, it makes sense to sign a contract with a custom-made solution for your products and production process.

PostNL Zakelijk is built for business customers and offers webshops several options. With Sendcloud, you can easily combine multiple carriers, including PostNL.

But when should you choose PostNL, what shipping options are available, and how do you save time and effort on the whole process?

In this article, we share everything you need to know about using PostNL Zakelijk for your webshop!

What can PostNL Zakelijk do for your webshop?

More than 200 years ago, PostNL started as the first and only postal company in the Netherlands. That history gave the company a huge network for both mail and parcels. Every day, PostNL handles an average of 900,000 packages and nearly 7 million letters.

Your customers care most about fast, safe delivery. Shoppers want their order as quickly as possible, and a missed delivery attempt is frustrating. That's why PostNL Zakelijk offers several shipping options for your webshop.

To make finding the right shipping option (or options) for your webshop as easy as possible, we've listed them all below.

8 shipping options with PostNL Zakelijk via Sendcloud

With Sendcloud, you can easily combine multiple carriers, including PostNL, so you can process your orders automatically. Thanks to our partnership with PostNL, you can add as many as 8 different shipping options to your checkout to boost your conversion rate!

1. Mailbox package within the Netherlands

If you ship products that fit through a mailbox, the mailbox package is the ideal shipping option. Your customer doesn't need to be home, and only one delivery attempt is needed. It also includes a Track & Trace code, so your customer can always follow the package.

With Sendcloud, you print your label in a single click, and tracking notifications go out automatically at different points along the way (when the package leaves your warehouse, gets scanned, and is en route). The PostNL mailbox package gets scanned twice: once when it's on its way and once when it's delivered.

PostNL mailbox package requirements

• Maximum size: L38 x W26.5 x H3.2 cm

• Maximum weight: 2 kg

• Delivery Monday through Saturday

You can drop off your packages at a PostNL parcel point or post office. The mailbox package is a must if you sell relatively small products or fashion items!

2. Standard 24-hour home delivery within the Netherlands

PostNL's standard shipping option is home delivery. You drop off your packages at a PostNL parcel point, or use a pickup service if your volume is high enough, and the package is delivered to your customer's home the next day.

If needed, the package can be delivered to a neighbor. If that's not possible either, the package is delivered to a PostNL pickup point, where your customer can collect it themselves.

PostNL home delivery requirements

• Maximum size: 100 x 70 x 58 cm

• Maximum weight: 23 kg

• Maximum size for extra-large/heavy packages: 175 x 78 x 58 cm and weight up to 31.5 kg

• Free Saturday delivery until 1:00 PM

• Option to rule out delivery to neighbors

3. Signature on delivery within the Netherlands

Signature on delivery works the same as standard delivery, but with a signature you know exactly who received the shipment. That gives you extra peace of mind.

You can choose delivery with or without the neighbor option. If you want to prevent the package from being delivered to a neighbor, choose "signature on delivery + home address only."

Want to use this option through Sendcloud? You can request it, or if you're using your own contract, you can load that contract into Sendcloud. From there, you can drop off packages at a PostNL parcel point or use a pickup service through your own contract.

Requirements for signature on delivery via PostNL

• Maximum size: 100 x 70 x 58 cm

• Maximum weight: 23 kg

• Maximum size for extra-large/heavy packages: 175 x 78 x 58 cm and weight up to 31.5 kg

• Free Saturday delivery until 1:00 PM

• Choose "signature on delivery + home address only" to rule out delivery to neighbors

• This shipping option comes with a fixed surcharge on top of your standard rate

4. Delivery to pickup points in the Netherlands

Pickup points are a popular delivery option in the Netherlands. After all, your customer chooses where the package gets delivered and picks it up whenever it's convenient for them. Offering this flexibility at checkout boosts both conversion and customer satisfaction.

The advantage of a PostNL pickup point is that the size and weight limits match standard home delivery.

Requirements for shipping to PostNL pickup points

• Maximum size: 100 x 70 x 58 cm

• Maximum weight: 23 kg

• Extra-large/heavy packages are not allowed and will be rejected.

• Your customer can pick up the package whenever they like at a PostNL parcel point or post office

Combining carriers through Sendcloud? Then you can add multiple pickup points to your checkout, so your customer can always choose the one closest to them.

5. Evening delivery within the Netherlands

Evening delivery is another way to meet today's high customer expectations. It gives you a service edge that boosts conversion and sets you apart from competitors. The requirements are the same, and the package is delivered the next evening!

Evening delivery requirements

• Maximum size: 100 x 70 x 58 cm

• Maximum weight: 23 kg

• Maximum size for extra-large/heavy packages: 175 x 78 x 58 cm and weight up to 31.5 kg

• This shipping option comes with a fixed surcharge on top of your standard rate

6. Shipping within Europe with PostNL

PostNL also lets you ship within Europe. For these shipments, PostNL works with international logistics partners to deliver your package.

Which partner PostNL works with, and how long the package takes to arrive, depends on the destination country.

PostNL Europe requirements

• Maximum size: 176 x 78 x 58 cm

• Maximum weight: 23 kg

• Includes signature on delivery

• Insured up to €500 by default

7. Shipping worldwide with PostNL GlobalPack

PostNL GlobalPack is a great shipping option for worldwide shipments. Its biggest advantage is that you can ship anywhere in the world, with packages insured up to €200 by default.

Insured international shipping gives you peace of mind, since packages headed abroad have to meet a lot of requirements and travel a long way to their final destination. If you ship without insurance, you lose both your money and your product if something goes wrong.

PostNL GlobalPack requirements

• Maximum size: 100 × 50 × 50 cm

• Maximum girth: 300 cm (2x the height + 2x the width + 1x the longest side of the package)

• Maximum weight: 20 kg

• Signature on delivery included by default

• Insurance up to €200 included by default

Using PostNL GlobalPack through Sendcloud? Then your shipping label prints automatically along with pre-filled international customs forms.

8. Shipping small packages worldwide with PostNL Packets

PostNL Packets is a new shipping service for sending small packages up to 2 kg and worth up to €425 anywhere in the world through the international postal network.

You can use it for small packages that fit through a mailbox, or that are no bigger than a shoebox.

With PostNL Packets, you can choose from Priority letterbox, Priority Packet, Priority Packet Tracked, Priority Packet Extra, and Registered Letter.

PostNL Packets requirements

• Letterbox: minimum 14 cm × 9 cm & maximum 38 x 26.5 x 3.2 cm

• Packet: length, width, and height maximum 90 cm, longest side maximum 60 cm

• Choose from no Track & Trace, with Track & Trace, or with Track & Trace and signature

A CN22 customs form is required for postal network shipments. With PostNL Packets, it's automatically built into the shipping label, along with the recipient's address.

Tip for fashion retailers: PostNL fashionpack

As a bonus, here's one last tip! It's not really a shipping option, but a packaging option for online retailers who ship clothing.

PostNL fashionpack is mailbox-package packaging designed for clothing, so you don't have to ship it in a box. It's easier, cheaper, more sustainable, and a better experience for your customer.

Shipping heavier packages with PostNL Zakelijk?

Want to ship heavier packages with PostNL? In other words, packages that weigh more than 23 kilograms? Keep in mind a surcharge of €3.05 applies. Whenever a shipment doesn't meet the general terms and conditions, a surcharge gets added.

If you're not prepared for these surcharges, they can add up to a hefty bill. So always make sure you stick to the requirements of your chosen shipping option. Not sure? Reach out to your account manager for extra peace of mind.

Shipping with PostNL via Sendcloud

It's clear you have plenty of shipping options with PostNL!

If you ship enough volume, you can sign your own contract directly with PostNL. That way, for example, you can use the pickup service if you send more than two packages a week.

Want to ship up to 3 times more efficiently and combine multiple shipping options and carriers? Then you can link your contract to Sendcloud to automate your entire shipping process.

But you don't need a contract with PostNL to use Sendcloud. You can also use PostNL directly through Sendcloud and take advantage of our discounted rates.

Combine your own PostNL contract with Sendcloud

• Use your own contract: load it directly into Sendcloud with your own rates and terms

• Direct contact with PostNL: faster handling of your questions

• Complete checkout: combine multiple carriers through Sendcloud

• Best-fit shipping option: chosen automatically for every product

• Process orders: with barcode scanners, including pick lists and packing slips

• Automatic order processing: print shipping labels in one click

• Automatic tracking notifications: for every status of your shipment

• Automatic returns portal: handle returns without errors or hassle

Take advantage of Sendcloud's discounted PostNL rates

• Flexible, no contract needed: ship at Sendcloud rates

• Complete checkout: combine PostNL with other carriers

• Automatic order processing: print shipping labels in one click

• Automatic tracking notifications: for every status of your shipment

• Direct support: easily accessible from your own Sendcloud environment

• Automatic returns portal: handle returns without errors or hassle

With integrations for more than 25 shop systems and an API, you can connect your webshop to Sendcloud with ease and get started right away!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. And if you'd like to explore other carriers and shipping options, read: Which carrier — PostNL, DHL, DPD, UPS, and more — fits your shop?