Shipping with bpost: which shipping options fit your online store?

bpost is still the best-known and largest carrier in Belgium. Like every other carrier, bpost has its own shipping methods to meet consumer demand. Each shipping method comes with its own advantages, drawbacks, and conditions. In this article you'll discover exactly what those are, what the benefits are, and which bpost shipping methods you have access to through Sendcloud.

Shipping with bpost: the options for online retailers

Until September 2010, bpost was known as De Post. Once a state-owned company, it has been an independent business since 2000. Even so, it still has the largest network of postal points as well as postal workers. To this day, 12 million items of mail are handled every day.

For your customer, fast and safe delivery comes first. Everyone wants to receive their parcel as quickly as possible, and a missed delivery attempt is frustrating. That's why bpost offers several shipping options for your online store.

We know the pain of shipping better than anyone. That's exactly why we founded Sendcloud. bpost was the first carrier connected to Sendcloud in Belgium. We're happy to help you find the right carrier and shipping options for your online store. What options do you have with bpost, and what are their benefits? We'll walk you through them in this article.

Want to ship parcels easily with bpost and optimize your shipping process? Try Sendcloud for free now! 👀

Four bpost shipping options for e-commerce

With Sendcloud you combine carriers, including bpost, so you can process and ship all your orders fully automatically. Thanks to our partnership with bpost, you can integrate 4 different shipping options into your checkout to boost conversion. Here's a closer look at each one.

1. bpack 24h Pro home delivery within Belgium

bpack 24h pro is the shipping method for fast and reliable parcel delivery within Belgium. bpost aims to deliver parcels sent with bpack 24h pro to the door the next business day, between 8:00 and 17:00.

If you drop the parcels off at a bpost point yourself, they'll be delivered to your customer the business day after bpost collects them there (tip: most bpost points have a fixed collection time, so just ask at your nearest bpost point).

The bpack 24h pro shipping method is suitable for parcels up to 30 kg. Within Sendcloud we offer 2 weight brackets: 0-10 kg and 10-30 kg. You can use the bpack 24h pro shipping method by selecting bpost@home in your Sendcloud account.

Conditions for bpack 24h pro home delivery

• Maximum dimensions: l + 2w + 2h = 300 cm

• Maximum length = 150 cm

• Maximum weight is 30 kg

• Standard without signature on delivery

• Missed the first delivery attempt? The shipment is then taken to the nearest postal point and kept for 15 calendar days.

2. bpack 24h Pro with signature on delivery within Belgium
Signature on delivery works the same as standard delivery, but with a signature you know who received the shipment. That's an extra layer of certainty for you.

Want to use this through Sendcloud? Simply choose the bpack@home signature on delivery shipping option, or if you use your own bpost contract, load that contract into Sendcloud to ship faster. You can then drop your parcel off at a bpost parcel point or use a pick-up through your own contract.

Conditions for bpack 24h pro with signature on delivery

• Maximum dimensions: l + 2w + 2h = 300 cm

• Maximum length: 150 cm

• Maximum weight is 30 kg

• For this shipping option, you pay a fixed surcharge on top of your standard rate.

3. bpost@bpack: shipping parcels to a service point
Add more flexibility to your checkout by offering service points. In Belgium, service points are chosen frequently. After all, your customer decides where the parcel is delivered and picks it up whenever it suits them. Around 20% of Belgians prefer delivery to service points over home delivery. By adding service points, and with them flexibility, to your checkout, you increase conversion and customer satisfaction while reducing the number of shoppers who abandon their cart. The advantage of a bpost service point is that the dimensions and weight for this shipping option are the same as for a standard home delivery.

Conditions for shipping to bpost service points

• Maximum dimensions: l + 2w + 2h = 300 cm

• Maximum length: 150 cm

• Maximum weight is 30 kg

• Your customer can pick up the parcel at any time at a bpost postal point or post office.

Combining carriers through Sendcloud? Then you can integrate the service points of multiple carriers into your checkout, so your customer can always select the nearest service point.

bpost: shipping to a parcel locker

With bpost@bpack you can also use parcel lockers. Activate Sendcloud's service point picker and parcel lockers are automatically shown in your checkout for your customer to choose from. Parcel lockers bring additional benefits:

• Next-business-day delivery to one of the Cubee parcel lockers

• The parcel can be picked up from 11:00

• At busy hubs, in stations and shopping centers

• Available for pickup at any time, 24/7

• Also possible for returning parcels

• The parcel stays available for pickup at the parcel locker for 5 days

• Maximum parcel dimensions: 32 x 43 x 58 cm

• Maximum weight: 30 kg

4. bpost World Business for shipments inside and outside Europe
With bpost World Business you can also ship inside and outside Europe. bpost then works with international logistics partners to deliver your parcel. Which partner bpost works with depends on the country you're shipping to.

How long the parcel is in transit also depends on the country you're shipping to. Check how long your parcel is in transit.

Conditions for bpost World Business

• Maximum dimensions: l + 2w + 2h = 300 cm

• Maximum length = 150 cm (except in the Netherlands: 120 cm)

• Maximum weight: 30 kg

• Includes signature on delivery

• Standard not insured

How do you ship a parcel with bpost through Sendcloud?

It's clear you have plenty of shipping options with bpost. On top of that, you can sign your own contract with bpost once you have enough shipping volume. The number of parcels you send determines your negotiating position and what bpost will offer you. Want to automate your entire shipping process, set it up the way you want, and combine multiple carriers as well? Then you can connect your own contract to Sendcloud's shipping software to automate your entire shipping process.

Another option is to skip signing a contract with bpost and use bpost directly through Sendcloud. In that case, you use Sendcloud's discounted rates.

Combine your own bpost contract with Sendcloud

• Use your own contract: Load it directly with your own negotiated rates and conditions.

• Direct contact with bpost: Faster handling of your questions.

• Complete checkout: Combine multiple carriers and shipping options through Sendcloud.

• The most suitable shipping option: Use smart shipping rules to automatically select the right shipping option for your shipments.

• Process orders: with barcode scanners, including picking lists and packing slips.

• Process orders automatically: Print shipping labels in a single click.

• Automatic tracking notifications: For every status of your shipment.

• Automatic returns portal: Handle returns flawlessly and effortlessly.

Use Sendcloud's discounted rates with bpost

• Flexible and contract-free: Ship with Sendcloud's rates.

• Complete checkout: Combine bpost with other carriers.

• Process orders automatically: and print shipping labels in a single click.

• Automatic tracking notifications: For every status of your shipment.

• Direct support: from within your Sendcloud environment.

• Automatic returns portal: Handle returns flawlessly and effortlessly.

Which shipping method is most cost-effective depends entirely on what you're shipping. We've built a handy tool that lets you compare prices yourself based on the shipping route and packaging type:

With integrations for more than 40 shop systems and an API, you can effortlessly connect your online store to Sendcloud and get started right away.

In closing

Which shipping option suits your online store and products best depends on the products you ship. Your parcel's dimensions and the destination determine your rate. By combining carriers, you can also spread risk and always use the shipping option that best fits your situation.

Want to explore multiple carriers and shipping options? Then read: Which carrier, such as bpost, DHL, DPD, and UPS, fits your store?