February 23, 2022
5 Top E-commerce Shipping Partners in Germany

The parcel market in Germany is the largest in Europe. Its revenue doubled in 2020 reaching 23.5 billion euros and at the same time, the number of parcels doubled reaching over 3.7 billion. Deutsche Post DHL, Hermes Group, and DPD Group are the top 3 leading players in the German parcel market.
Here is a chart of the estimated shipping rates by the top parcel companies in Germany.
Deutsche Post DHL | Hermes | DPS | GLS | UPS | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UPS | Rate | |||||
Standard Shipping | 01 Lbs | 3.79 | 4.06 | 4.39 | 3.5 | 13.03 |
02 Lbs | 4.5 | 5.5 | 4.99 | 4.3 | 13.09 | |
05 Lbs | 7.49 | 6.9 | 6.4 | 5.4 | 15.29 | |
10 Lbs | 9.49 | 8.8 | 9.9 | 9.5 | 18.03 |
The German parcel market is projected to reach over 32 billion euros by 2025 with the majority share of shipments in the B2C sales segment.
Let’s have a look at the top 5 e-commerce shipping partners for Germany and their solutions to online businesses.
1.Deutsche Post DHL E-commerce Solutions
DHL, a part of the Deutsche Post, is a German logistics and package delivery service provider. It has its headquarter in Bonn, Germany. DHL eCommerce Solutions is a shipment solution for e-commerce businesses for shipping domestic and cross-border products.
For domestic shipping in Germany, DHL eCommerce offers two options:
1.Standard shipping
Gewicht und mabe | Online-peris* |
---|---|
Packchen S 2kg
bis 35x25x10cm |
3,79 EUR>
filialperis; 3,79EUR |
Packchen M 2kg
bis 60x30x15cm |
4,39 EUR>
filialperis; 4,50EUR |
DHL Paket 2kg
bis 60x30x15cm |
4,99 EUR>
nur online |
DHL Paket 5kg
bis 120x60x60cm** |
5,99 EUR>
filialperis; 7,49EUR |
DHL Paket 10kg
bis 120x60x60cm** |
8,49 EUR>
filialperis; 9,49EUR |
DHL Paket 31,5kg
bis 120x60x60cm |
16,49 EUR>
filialperis; 16,49EUR |
Here, the customer has the option to print parcel stamps conveniently at home or at any DHL location. The delivery duration for standard shipping is usually 1-2 working days.
2.Express Shipping
Gewicht |
zustellung am nachten tag(Montag-Freitag)6 Online-peris |
---|---|
bis 0,5 kg |
11,00 EUR>
filialperis; 13,50EUR |
uber 0,5 kg bis 2kg |
14,00 EUR>
filialperis; 16,50EUR |
uber 0,2 kg bis 5kg |
15,00 EUR>
filialperis; 16,50EUR |
uber 0,5 kg bis 10kg |
25,00 EUR>
filialperis; 27,50EUR |
uber 0,10 kg bis 20kg |
30,00 EUR>
filialperis; 32,50EUR |
uber 20 kg bis 31,5kg |
45,00 EUR>
filialperis; 47,50EUR |
In Express shipping, the delivery is done within the next day with a time option (there is a surcharge for time options).
For DHL eCommerce international parcel shipping, again there are two types, Standard shipping and Express shipping.
1.DHL International Standard Shipping Rates
Country | For Parcel up to 2 kg XS | For Parcel up to 5 kg |
---|---|---|
Inside the EU | EUR 4.89 | EUR 15.99 |
Switzerland & UK | EUR 8.89 | EUR 26.90 |
Rest of Europe | EUR 8.89 | EUR 29.99 |
Russian Federation | EUR 8.89 | EUR 30.99 |
United States | EUR 8.89 | EUR 36.99 |
North Africa, Canada, Middle East & Parts of Asia | EUR 8.89 | EUR 37.99 |
China | EUR 8.89 | EUR 42.99 |
Rest of the World | EUR 8.89 | EUR 45.99 |
2.DHL International Express Shipping rates
For international shipping, the rates start from EUR 44.79 (for weight up to 0.5 kg) for different zones in the EU. The rates worldwide (for weight up to 0.5 kg) start from EUR 43.24.
DHL offers DHL Expresseasy National & International for urgent parcels. The parcels are delivered the next day for domestic shipments and within 2-3 working days for international shipments.
2. Hermes
Hermes is Germany’s largest logistics service provider for deliveries to private customers. It has over 16000 ParcelShops in Germany with more than 400 local branches and 30 depots. Its headquarter is in Hamburg, Germany. It delivers 817 million shipments in Europe every year.
For e-commerce businesses, it offers-
- Hermes Shipping Interface with all essential functions such as shipping labels, returns, collection, and shipment information.
- Hermes Shipping Client with SSL- encrypted data transmission to import data in CSV format and daily generation of end-of-day lists.
- Hermes full integration for high-volume parcels (from 75,000 parcels a year) with complete independence through deep integration into the customer software.
The parcel services it offers are-
Package announcement-
Easy 2-4 hour delivery window with detailed information link to shipment tracking
Desired delivery-
The online buyers decide how they would like to receive their parcels
Parcelshop direct delivery-
The parcel is delivered directly to the ParcelShop
IdentService-
An identity check is done at the front door or in the ParcelShop during delivery
Express Service-
It is a fast track priority delivery service
Cash on delivery service-
Safe and fast delivery of goods to the recipient against cash payment of the value of goods.
Returns shipping-
Hermes offers shipping with return solutions for the customers
International shipping-
For e-commerce businesses to send parcels to international destinations.
3.DPD
DPD Germany is a part of the international DPD group. In France, DPD is a part of Groupe La Poste, Europe’s second-largest postal service.
For Germany, it has the DPD Classic parcel delivery services for fast standard delivery times and outstanding value for money.
Shipping possibilities | DPD Shop2Shop | DPD CLASSIC | DPD Gurantee | International- Express Shipping |
---|---|---|---|---|
Germany | Germany/Europe | Austeria,Czech Republic,Denmark, Estonia,Finland,France,Latvia, Lithuania,Monaco,Poland,Slovakia | Worldwide | |
Drop off at a Pickup Parcelshop
max weight 20kg,Length 100 cm,combined circumference length 250 cm |
- | - | ||
Collection
max weight 31.5kg,Length 175 cm,combined circumference+ length 300 cm |
- | |||
Online POD | - |
The DPD Express Shipping is for faster delivery of parcels domestically and internationally. For domestic shipments, the delivery is on the next working day.
Your supplementary Services |
DPD 8:30
Delivery by 8:30 hours |
DPD 10:00
Delivery by 10:10 hours |
DPD 12:00
Delivery by 12:10 hours |
DPD Express
Delivery by 18:00 hours |
DPD 12:00
Saturday
Delivery by 18:00 hours |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Germany | Germany/BeNelux | Germany,Switzerland and BeNulux | Germany,Switzerland liechtenstein and BeNulux | Germany | |
online POD | |||||
Parcels up to 31.5 kg |
The international shipping solutions, DPD has an efficient international network of more than 800 locations with cost-effective priced delivery to 37 European countries.
Services | Europe-Wide Shipping With DPD CLASSIC | Europe-Wide Shipping With DPD EXPRESS1 | world-Wide Shipping DPD EXPRESS1 |
---|---|---|---|
Srandard Delivery Time | 1-4 working days (Garuntee-Service as Optional estra) | 1-3 working days | 2-5 working days |
Consignee Delivery notification | Predict free of charge in 21 countries | Only with time specific delivery | - |
Network | road | by road/air | by air |
parcel tracking | Live-tracking | Online tracking | Online tracking |
POD1 |
|
For e-commerce businesses, DPD offer services such as-
- Shipping software integration with CRM and online shop systems
- Delivery notification for customers informing them of their parcel arrival time
- Live-tracking to show where the parcel currently is
- One-touch returns management
- Redirection options for customers to change the place of delivery
Refer to the below image for the DPD domestic shipping price chart.
Parcel Size (Shortest +Longest size) | pay online and send off at pickup parcelshop1,2 | ship the parcel directly from a pickup parcelshop7 | pay online and have a parcel pickup from home/parcellockbox3,4,8 | |||||
DPD shop2shop | DPD CLASSIC | DPD CLASSIC | DPD CLASSIC | DPD 10:00 DELIVERY Mon-Fri5 | DPD 12:00 Delivery Mon-Fri5 | DPD 12:00 Delivery Sat5 | DPD EXPRESS Delivery Sat5 | |
XSupto 35cm |
4.00 € | 4.39 € | - | 7.60 € | 32.00 € | 22.00 € | 42.00 € | 17.00 € |
Supto 50cm |
4.50 € | 4.99 € | 5.10 € | 7.60 € | 32.00 € | 22.00 € | 42.00 € | 17.00 € |
Mupto 70cm |
5.90 € | 6.40 € | 7.20 € | 10.90 € | 35.00 € | 25.00 € | 45.00 € | 20.00 € |
Lupto 90cm |
9.70 € | 9.90 € | 11.50 € | 17.20 € | 42.20 € | 32.20 € | 52.20 € | 27.20 € |
XLupto circumference +Longest side 300cm/td> |
- | 16.90 € | 17.50 € | 24.00 € | 49.00 € | 39.00 € | 59.00 € | 34.00 € |
Refer to the chart below for DPD international shipping rates from Germany within the EU.
Parcel Size (Shortest +Longest size) | pay online and send off at pickup parcelshop1 | ship the parcel directly from a pickup parcelshop3 | pay online and have pickup parcel from home/parcellockbox2 | ||||||
Zone1 | Zone2 | Zone3 | Zone1 | Zone2 | Zone3 | Zone1 | Zone2 | Zone3 | |
XSupto 35cm |
9.90 € | 12.90 € | 35.00 € | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Supto 50cm |
12.00 € | 15.10 € | 38.00 € | 12.50 € | 15.60 € | 38.50 € | 15.20 € | 18.20 € | 41.10 € |
Mupto 70cm |
15.80 € | 18.80 € | 43.80 € | 15.80 € | 18.80 € | 43.80 € |