As an eCommerce company, you can expect to hear a lot of shipment-related terms in the most strategic of situations.
It is important to have clarity on what is what so that you do not get confused or misled into making a decision that will not bode well for your business.
With that in mind, let us understand what is the difference between a parcel and a courier - two of the most common terms in the context of shipping and eCommerce.
Let’s get started!
What is Parcel?
A parcel is a single item packed on its own or several packages bundled together for shipping. A parcel can contain a single envelope or multiple boxes and can range across different sizes and weights. The tangible items that are moved from one place to another by couriers or postal services are known as parcels. The term parcel might refer to different kinds of items that may be from the furniture or household category, or even apparel or technology.
Usually, the front side of a parcel will contain important details such as the recipient's address. The label containing the address will also have a barcode that provides shipping information to the scanner and can even help you track your parcel if you think it is lost in transit.
What is Courier?
While the parcel refers to the shipment itself, “courier” refers to the courier services or companies that offer door-to-door delivery of your packages. These are specialised services that are known to be quick, timely and dependable with the capacity to handle several packages containing all kinds of items. Courier companies or services these days provide a large variety of delivery options such as next-day delivery, same-day delivery, and even international shipping.
Courier services can send parcels on behalf of an individual or a business depending on your requirements. Additionally, many courier companies now offer various levels of service such as standard shipping along with next-day delivery. While professional courier services were earlier available to only companies and distributors who were dealing in large volumes, nowadays they also facilitate delivery of one-off personal and e-seller items for a nominal charge.
Differences Between Courier and Parcel Services
While people tend to use the terms “couriers” and “parcels” interchangeably, they are quite different in definition as we just saw. Confusing courier services with postal services or parcel delivery services is not uncommon, however, it is a mistake worth correcting.
Thankfully, both kinds of services have several similarities making them more alike than different. The primary aspect that you should know about when talking about the difference between a parcel and a courier is that the former’s delivery generally refers to the delivery of a smaller or individual package.
On the other hand, when we talk about courier services, it refers to the shipping and delivery of a bundle of packages or a large package. Both terms can be used in the context of individual as well as commercial deliveries.
1. Affordability
Apart from this broad difference, the first point of difference to be considered between parcel delivery and courier delivery is affordability. While parcel delivery tends to be less expensive as it follows a standard delivery pattern - the parcels are collected from a specific location, sorted, and then delivered to the specified address.
However, courier services are often more expensive because they are handled by a logistics company. This company will handle every step of the process including shipping, customs clearance and timely deliveries.
2. Handling
Considering that parcel deliveries are inexpensive and follow a very basic processing method, people do not opt for this option when they want their package to be handled well. You are safe sending papers, files, or any such items that have no chance of being damaged through parcel delivery. However, people often avoid parcel services when they want to send out expensive or fragile items.
On the other hand, courier services usually follow a lengthy process including a thorough quality check process as compared to parcel services. As a result, you can expect courier service providers to be more careful with your fragile and expensive items. However, you should remember that even courier companies use automated sortation systems while handling shipments which does not guarantee any specialised handling unless you have specifically requested it.
3. Turnaround Time
The third point of difference that distinguishes parcel delivery from courier delivery is the turnaround time associated with both services. While parcel deliveries deal with sending small or less expensive items, they also do not have many complications or additional services associated with it, optimising the turnaround times.
When customers are looking to send non-urgent and routine packages, they will find it easier to opt for parcel delivery services, however, your parcel delivery might take a little bit of time.
On the other hand, courier services offer you several additional options to expedite your deliveries if necessary, marking your package as important or fragile, and more, to ensure that customers get high-quality services. This makes it a perfect alternative for packages that need to be delivered urgently or are very crucial or delicate. The turnaround time associated with courier services is generally very low compared to that of parcel deliveries.
Importance of Couriers in eCommerce Deliveries
We are sure you now have a clear idea of the difference between courier and parcel. Let’s circle back to the definitions of courier services and parcels that we discussed earlier. We will then delve deeper into the importance of courier services in fulfilling eCommerce deliveries successfully. Here are some of the primary points that contribute to making courier services so important for eCommerce companies —
1. Speedy Deliveries
One of the most significant advantages that courier services offer for eCommerce companies is their ability to facilitate speedy deliveries. Courier services can easily handle express deliveries, which is a valuable service in today’s day and age where customers demand you to provide same-day and next-day deliveries. The flexibility of courier services and their ability to offer overnight deliveries and priority shipping is what makes it a great choice for eCommerce companies.
2. Real-Time Tracking and Security
Courier services also offer customers the option of tracking their shipments in real-time, which is a valuable feature for eCommerce companies that have hundreds of deliveries, if not more, to deal with. These tracking systems will help you provide shipping and delivery updates to your customers, as well as ensure the security of your packages. Courier services also have stringent security measures to reduce theft or damage and to protect shipments.
Importance of Parcels in eCommerce Deliveries
Apart from these factors that position courier services as an important part of your eCommerce business’ outbound logistics process, here are some of the factors that you should consider for your parcels to make the most of them. Remember that regardless of the shipping process and courier services you deploy, it is your parcel that will determine customer satisfaction in the end.
With that in mind, here are some of the primary aspects of parcels that play a pivotal role in streamlining eCommerce deliveries —
1. Labelling
When you prepare a package to be sent to a customer, labelling is a necessary part of that process. Each parcel that you want to ship out should contain a label that has all the necessary information such as the sender and recipient’s addresses, special handling instructions, contact numbers, and tracking information.
2. Packaging
Regardless of how big or small your eCommerce store is, every parcel you send out will need to be packaged properly. Packaging is how you ensure that your parcel is wrapped safely to be transported and delivered to your customers. As an eCommerce store, you should put a lot of thought into determining the right packaging materials and methods for the items that you are shipping out.
3. Weight and Dimensions
When we talk about the different kinds of considerations associated with a parcel, you need to, of course, assign importance to its dimensions and weight. Keep in mind that courier services will decide the shipping charges of a specific parcel based on its dimensions and weight, along with the location you want to ship it to. It is a good idea to get an idea of the pricing based on the size and weight of a parcel when you are calculating its shipping costs.
Wrapping Up
We are sure that you are clear on the differences between a parcel and a courier better than before. While they may be used interchangeably when talking about shipping, remember that they both refer to entirely different things. It is important to pay attention to these differences as well as the similarities between the two so that you can navigate your shipping processes effectively. If you want to estimate the cost of shipping parcels to customers, use the online postage calculator on our website to get started.