PostNL Packets: affordable worldwide shipping for small parcels

PostNL Packets is fast, affordable, and ideal for online stores that ship across borders often.

How does it work, what are the benefits, and—maybe more importantly—what are the requirements for PostNL Packets? Keep reading to find out!

What is PostNL Packets?

PostNL Packets is a new shipping service from PostNL. It lets you ship small parcels worldwide through the international postal network. So what size is allowed?

There are two options: the parcel either fits through a mailbox, or it doesn't fit through a mailbox but is no bigger than a shoebox.

It's a cheaper alternative to standard international shipping, which makes it a great option for online stores selling across borders.

Mailbox parcels to other countries

In the past, you could ship goods through regular letter mail, which made it cheap to send small items anywhere. Since January 2020, the rules for regular letter mail have changed.

When you ship goods abroad, you need a shipping label with a barcode. You can only use regular letter mail for shipments that contain nothing but documents.

Barcoded shipping labels let countries keep better track of what goods are entering. If you're shipping outside the EU, you also need to fill in customs information.

Still want an affordable way to ship parcels with goods abroad? PostNL Packets is a great alternative.

It costs less than a standard international parcel. Want an easy way to create shipping labels for goods going abroad?

With Sendcloud, you can set this up easily using smart shipping rules, so your orders automatically get the right shipping option—including for international shipments.

Note: for international shipments outside the EU sent through the postal network, the CN22 customs form is required. With PostNL Packets, this is automatically built into the shipping label, along with the recipient's address.

Is your parcel worth more than €425? Then you can't send it through the postal network—you'll need to use a package shipment instead, which requires both a CN23 and a CP71 document.

Shipping parcels abroad with PostNL

If you want to ship parcels abroad with PostNL, you have 3 options for parcels up to 2 kilograms.

Option 1: Extra affordable – without tracking

This option, without tracking, works best for low-value items. It's cheap but still fast. If the recipient doesn't receive the parcel, or it arrives damaged, that's not ideal—but for these kinds of products, sending a replacement usually isn't a big deal.

This parcel falls under Priority Letterbox Packet if it fits through a mailbox, and under Priority Packet if it's about the size of a shoebox.

Priority Letterbox Packet and Priority Packet dimensions

Priority Letterbox Packet:

• Max 38 cm × 26.5 cm × 3.2 cm;

• Min 14 cm × 9 cm;

• Max weight: 2 kg.

Priority Packet:

• Length + width + height: max 90 cm;

• Longest side: max 60 cm;

• Max weight: 2 kg.

For this shipment, the barcode is only scanned for billing purposes—so you won't be able to track the parcel.

The benefit of this shipping option is that, as an online retailer, you don't need to sort the parcel or attach any forms.

You can put the parcels together in a PostNL mail bag, then drop the bag off at a PostNL point or hand it to the pickup service.

You do not need to sort shipments by destination. They can all go in one mail bag.

P.S. for fashion shipments specifically, you can use PostNL Fashionpack

Option 2: Fast and reliable – with tracking

This option works well if you or the recipient want to know when a shipment will arrive, or if you want to be able to track the parcel.

No signature is needed on delivery. The parcel gets scanned when it's delivered, which is handy since the recipient doesn't need to be home if the parcel fits through the mailbox.

Personalized tracking

Both your emails and the tracking pages show status updates on the shipment. With Sendcloud, you can style these entirely in your own branding, so you can carry your webshop experience through—even after checkout.

Another benefit is that the local mail carrier delivers this tracked shipment. Even if the mailbox is in an odd spot, the local carrier usually knows where to find it. This shipping option is supported by 46 postal companies worldwide, including nearly every European country.

Here's the full list of countries that accept this shipping method

• Australia

• Belgium

• Belarus

• Brazil

• Canada

• Cyprus

• Denmark

• Germany

• Estonia

• Finland

• France

• Greece

• Hong Kong

• Hungary

• Iceland

• Ireland

• Indonesia

• Israel

• Italy

• Japan

• Croatia

• Latvia

• Lithuania

• Luxembourg

• Malaysia

• Malta

• New Zealand

• Norway

• Austria

• Poland

• Portugal

• Russia

• Saudi Arabia

• Serbia

• Singapore

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

• Spain

• Thailand

• Turkey

• United Kingdom

• United States

• South Korea

• Sweden

• Switzerland.

This parcel falls under Priority Packet Tracked when it's about the size of a shoebox or fits mailbox dimensions.

Priority Packet Tracked dimensions

• Length + width + height: max 90 cm;

• Longest side: max 60 cm;

• Max weight: 2 kg.

Here too, you don't need to sort the mail or attach any forms. Put the parcels together in a PostNL mail bag. You can then drop the bag off at a PostNL point or hand it to the pickup service. You do not need to sort shipments by destination. They can all go in one mail bag.

Option 3: Extra security – with tracking, signature on delivery, and limited insurance

The last option works best for small, higher-value parcels. These shipments move through a secure network, kept separate from all other mail parcels. That lowers the risk of a shipment getting lost, and the signature proves the parcel actually arrived. You can send this parcel to any country in the world.

The parcel falls under Priority Packet Extra when it's about the size of a shoebox.

You can also send a 'Registered Letter'. This option is for actual (legal) letters—registered letters that, of course, fit through a mailbox.

Priority Packet Extra and Registered Letter dimensions

Priority Packet Extra:

• Length + width + height: max 90 cm;

• Longest side: max 60 cm;

• Max weight: 2 kg.

Registered Letter:

• Max 38 cm × 26.5 cm × 3.2 cm;

• Min 14 cm × 9 cm;

• Max weight: 2 kg.

Finally, the same rule applies here: no sorting the mail, no forms to attach. Put the parcels together in a PostNL mail bag—you do not need to sort shipments by destination. They can all go in one mail bag. Then seal the bag with a special red tie-wrap. This is needed for extra security. You can drop the bag off at a PostNL point or hand it to the pickup service.

The PostNL Packets shipping options at a glance

How do you get started with PostNL Packets?

You can request a quote directly through PostNL. Want to use PostNL Packets through Sendcloud? Then upload your own PostNL contract to Sendcloud.

Through PostNL, you can get a discount if you ship more than 1,000 PostNL Packets parcels per year.

Already using Sendcloud and already uploaded a contract? You can add a signature as a detail in the Sendcloud platform.

Also, get in touch with your Sendcloud account manager to activate this shipping option in your Sendcloud account.

You can get started from 50 PostNL Packets shipments per year.

How to ship parcels abroad with PostNL

Here's how to prepare your shipments and send them worldwide with PostNL, hassle-free.

1. Check the size and weight

Mailbox

• Max 38 cm × 26.5 cm × 3.2 cm;

• Min 14 cm × 9 cm;

• Max 2 kg.

Parcel

• Length + width + height: max 90 cm;

• Longest side: max 60 cm;

• Max 2 kg.

2. Print your shipping labels

Process your orders automatically and print your labels through Sendcloud.

3. Shipping outside the EU?

Shipping products outside the EU? Don't forget the customs form. Shipments sent through the postal network need a CN22. With PostNL Packets, this customs form is already built in.

Shipping goods heavier than 2 kg or worth more than €425? Then they need to go through the package network, which requires a CN23 and a CP71. If you choose PostNL Globalpack, the CN23 is generated automatically in your Sendcloud account.

Also check the shipping requirements per country to make sure your product clears customs.

4. Drop off the parcels or have them picked up

Drop off the parcels at a PostNL service point, or arrange a pickup.

Good luck with your shipments! If you still have questions about this PostNL service, leave a comment—we're happy to help.

Looking for the right carrier and shipping option for your shipments? Check out which carriers, like PostNL, DHL, DPD, and more, fit your online store.