Shipping lines explained
Updated 2026-09-29 · Puro Classico
When you ship a parcel from your agent's warehouse you pick a shipping line. Lines differ in price, speed, tracking and how customs is handled — choosing well often matters more than the item price.
Main types
- Economy / postal lines: cheapest, slowest, basic tracking.
- Special lines (often labelled "tax-free", "tax-inclusive" or by country, e.g. "UK Air Cargo"): built for a specific destination; some include import duties in the price. Read the line's notes in your agent.
- EMS: the international postal express service — usually mid-priced with decent tracking.
- Express couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS): fastest and best tracking, but usually the most expensive and duties are typically charged on delivery.
Volumetric weight
Carriers charge the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight, calculated from the box size (commonly length × width × height in cm ÷ 5,000 or 6,000, depending on the line). That's why shoe boxes are expensive to ship.
How to save
- Combine several items into one parcel.
- Remove shoe boxes and extra packaging; vacuum-pack puffers and hoodies.
- Compare two or three lines for your country in the agent's estimator.
- Keep the declared value accurate and follow your country's import rules.
Rough estimate: weight estimator → shipping calculator.
FAQ
Which shipping line is fastest?
Express couriers like DHL or FedEx are usually fastest, then EMS and special lines, then economy postal lines.
What is volumetric weight?
A weight calculated from the box size. Carriers charge whichever is higher: the real weight or the volumetric weight.
