Guides
How to ship guides
Our ‘How to ship’ guides will give you top tips and advice on how to ship a wide variety of items with Turbo Parcel.
Whether you’re shipping a wedding dress to an international destination, sending a large box of personal belongings across states, or you’re an eBay seller looking for the cheapest and easiest way to ship multiple packages to customers around the globe, our ‘How to ship’ guides will guide you through the process.
If you’re shipping a package with Turbo Parcel and you’d like some advice on the best way to ship a certain item, our shipping guides and FAQs should be able to answer most of your questions, but if you still need help, please contact our customer support team on Live Chat and they would be happy to advise you.
We will constantly be adding new content on ‘How to ship’, so please check back the next time you ship.
How-to guides:
1. How to write an Australian address
When you send packages to Australia from the US, you can avoid delays and the risk of your parcel getting lost by ensuring it is addressed correctly.
To demonstrate how to write an Australian address, we’ve provided an example of a US address next to an Australian address, so you compare. You’ll notice that the Australia address format is the same as the US address format, with the city, state and Australia postal code appearing on the same line. This keeps things simple when it comes to correctly addressing mail to Australia from the USA.
2. How to write a UK address
Step 1
After the recipient’s name, you need to write their house name or number and the street name. In our example, it’s 71 Cherry Court.
Some addresses may have a house or building name. If the property has a name this should be on one line after the recipient’s name, then the street name should go on the next line.
If you’re sending to a business address, put the company name underneath the recipient’s name.
Step 2
Unlike an American address, where the town, state and ZIP code appear on the same line, the town and postcode is written on separate lines for a UK address.
On the line after the street name, you need to write the town or city, followed by the postcode on the next line. For clarity, the town and postcode should be written in capital letters.
Step 3
Finally, write the destination country. This seems obvious, but it’s amazing how many people forget! It’s best practice to write this in capital letters too.
3. How do I attach the customs documents to the box?
Customs documents must be securely fastened to the outside of your box. This is so customs officers can check what is being sent and the value of the goods, to calculate how much duty may or may not be owed.
- The best thing to do is use a ‘documents enclosed’ pouch which is designed to be attached to a box for shipping packages.
- A clear plastic wallet or envelope is also suitable as long as it is taped down so the customs documents don’t move in transit.
- Standard envelopes taped down to the side of the package with ‘Customs’ written on the outside of the envelope are also acceptable, but please ensure it’s not obstructing any barcodes on the shipping label
4. Shipping books
Shipping a book is quite simple, providing it is packaged correctly to protect it from damage, but if you’re sending multiple books it can get expensive, especially if you’re shipping books overseas from the US.
Find out how to ship books cheaply in the US and abroad and use Turbo Parcel’s free shipping calculator to compare prices from reputable shipping companies.