Parcel Forwarding Guide - How to Forward Parcels from Britain
Parcel Forwarding Guide - How to Forward Parcels from Britain
Parcel forwarding from Britain gives international shoppers and businesses access to retailers that only deliver domestically. This guide explains how the process works from start to finish, what to look for when choosing a service, how consolidation saves money, and what customs rules you should know before you ship for the first time.
How Parcel Forwarding Works
The basic idea is simple. You register with a forwarding service and receive a real street address at a warehouse in Britain. You shop from any British retailer using that address, the retailer delivers your parcel to the warehouse, and the forwarding service ships it on to wherever you actually live. The retailer sees it as a normal domestic delivery. You get access to shops that would otherwise refuse your order.
Step 1. Get your forwarding address
Register free at send2hub.com/login. Your personalised address at our warehouse in Stoke-on-Trent is ready straight away, no setup fee and no waiting. One thing to know before you start: the Individual plan is for people who live outside the United Kingdom. If you are based in Britain, you need to register as a verified business instead, which requires a valid Companies House registration and a VAT number.
Step 2. Shop from any British retailer
Use your Send2Hub address at checkout on any British website. Amazon, ASOS, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Boots, Next, Argos, eBay, Etsy, TikTok Shop, hundreds of independent brands — if they ship within Britain, they will ship to your forwarding address. Browse our Shopping Directory for stores worth checking out.
Step 3. Your parcel is processed on arrival
Every parcel that arrives at our warehouse is photographed, weighed and measured the same day. Parcels delivered before 15:00 GMT are processed that same working day. After 15:00, they are processed the following morning. You see the arrival photo and full details in your dashboard immediately, before you decide whether to ship or hold for consolidation. This matters a lot if you are buying second-hand goods from eBay or anything fragile, because you can raise a problem with the seller before it leaves the country.
Step 4. Consolidate and save on shipping
If you have ordered from several different stores, hold your parcels in free storage until everything has arrived, then combine them into one outbound shipment. Most customers save 40 to 60 percent this way, because you pay one base shipping charge instead of several. The saving grows with every parcel you add. See our parcel consolidation page for details on how it works.
Step 5. Choose a carrier and ship
Pick your carrier from live rates across Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DHL, FedEx, UPS and DPD, enter your destination address and pay. We handle the customs paperwork. Use our shipping calculator to compare rates before you commit.
What to Look for in a Forwarding Service
Not all services work the same way, and the differences add up quickly over multiple shipments.
Same-day processing
A fully automated system processes your parcel on the day it arrives. Manual processing can mean delays, queues and data entry errors. At Send2Hub, everything is automated, so your arrival photo and parcel details appear in your account the same day.
Free storage that is long enough to consolidate
You need enough time to let all your orders arrive before you ship them together. Services that only give you seven or fourteen days of free storage force you to ship before you are ready. Send2Hub gives 30 days on the Individual plan, 45 days on Business and 60 days on Premium, all without a monthly fee on the Individual and Business plans.
Carrier choice with live rate comparison
Rates for the same parcel vary significantly between carriers. A service with only one or two options limits what you can do. Six carriers with a live price comparison at checkout gives you a real choice. Check current rates for your destination with our shipping calculator.
No hidden charges
Some services add receiving fees, repackaging charges or consolidation surcharges on top of the shipping cost. With Send2Hub, receiving, processing, storage within the free period and consolidation are all included. The price shown in the shipping calculator is the final price.
Arrival photography
If you are buying second-hand items, jewellery, electronics or anything fragile, a photo on arrival is important. It gives you evidence of what condition the parcel was in when it reached the warehouse, which is useful if you need to dispute something with a seller. At Send2Hub this is included as standard on every plan, not charged as an extra.
How Consolidation Actually Saves Money
International shipping rates are partly based on a fixed base charge per shipment. Every separate parcel you forward carries its own base charge. Combine three parcels into one and you pay that base charge once instead of three times.
A simple example: three parcels each weighing 500g, shipped separately to Germany, would cost roughly £12 to £15 each, around £36 to £45 in total. The same three parcels consolidated into a single 1.5kg shipment would typically cost £14 to £18. That saving of around 50 to 60 percent is the main reason consolidation matters. Use our shipping calculator to estimate the saving for your specific destination and parcel size.
When you are ready to consolidate, go to your dashboard, select the parcels you want to combine, declare the contents and value, choose your carrier and pay. We remove excess outer packaging to reduce volumetric weight before dispatch.
Customs — What You Need to Know
Customs is where first-time users most often get a surprise. The rules vary by destination and they changed significantly in 2025 and 2026. Always use our customs duty estimator before you commit to a shipment.
Declaring contents accurately
When you request a shipment, you declare what the parcel contains and what it is worth. Customs authorities at your destination use this to work out any duty payable. Declaring a lower value than what you paid is illegal, and if your parcel gets inspected, it can be seized or fined. We prepare the export documentation based on whatever you declare.
EU destinations from July 2026
From 1 July 2026, EU member states apply a flat rate of €3 per HS code line on parcels valued at €150 or below. A parcel with two product categories pays €6. On top of that, local VAT applies, typically between 19 and 25 percent depending on the country. One consolidated shipment pays this once rather than multiple times, which is another reason consolidation makes financial sense for buyers in Europe.
United States
The $800 duty-free threshold was suspended in August 2025. Every shipment from Britain to the US is now subject to import duties, regardless of value. For products aimed at children under 12, such as clothing, toys, bicycles and helmets, CPSC eFiling has been required since 8 July 2026. Contact us before ordering these product types to avoid delays at US customs.
Australia
Most individual purchases come in below the AUD 1,000 GST threshold, so customs clearance is relatively simple. The trade agreement between Britain and Australia, which came into force in January 2023, removes tariffs on 99 percent of British goods by 2027, which benefits buyers ordering genuine British-made products.
Mistakes That Cost Money
Leaving out your unit number. Your unique Send2Hub unit number must appear in Address Line 2 of every order. Without it, we cannot match your parcel to your account automatically. It goes to our Unidentified Parcels Unit and a £2.00 fee applies.
Ordering from overseas sellers on British marketplaces. We only accept parcels dispatched from within Britain. A seller on Amazon.co.uk who ships from China, Germany or anywhere outside the country cannot send to us, even if the listing appears on the British website. Only sellers dispatching from a British address qualify.
Ordering prohibited items. Perfumes, standalone batteries, aerosols and other items on the prohibited list cannot be accepted. Check the prohibited items list before ordering anything you are not sure about.
Underdeclaring on customs forms. Putting a lower value than what you paid is illegal and can lead to seizure, delays or fines at your destination.
Forwarding each parcel separately. Shipping individually is always more expensive than consolidating. Wait for all your orders to arrive, then ship them together.
When Parcel Forwarding Will Not Help
Prohibited items. If what you want to buy is on the prohibited list, a forwarding service cannot help. Do not order these items to a forwarding address.
Goods from overseas suppliers. If your supplier is based outside Britain, they cannot send to Send2Hub. All inbound parcels must come from a sender based within the United Kingdom.
Official correspondence and legal documents. A forwarding address cannot be used for Companies House, HMRC, banks or any official purpose. For those needs, you want a dedicated virtual business address service.
For Businesses
Businesses use forwarding services differently from individual shoppers, and the Business plan is designed around these needs.
Marketplace returns. If you sell on Amazon, eBay or Shopify from outside Britain, you need a returns address to meet platform requirements. Amazon can issue a full refund without requiring the buyer to return the item if no British returns address is on file. A Send2Hub Business account covers this. Returns arrive, are photographed and inspected, held in storage and consolidated before re-shipping. See our e-commerce returns management service.
Supplier consolidation. Companies sourcing from multiple British suppliers can use Send2Hub as a consolidation point before international freight, reducing base charges and keeping customs documentation cleaner.
What Cannot Be Forwarded
Prohibited items (not accepted under any circumstances): standalone batteries, power banks, perfumes, fragrances, aerosols, SIM cards, weapons, flammable liquids, narcotics, prescription medicines, nicotine products, perishable food, counterfeit goods, official documents.
Restricted items (accepted but not covered against loss or damage): devices with batteries such as laptops, phones and tablets, jewellery, watches, glassware, ceramics, antiques, televisions, car lighting. Arrange your own insurance for anything high-value in this category.
For the full list, see our prohibited and restricted items page.
Glossary
HS code: a standardised number used globally to classify goods for customs purposes. Including the right code speeds up clearance and reduces the chance of delays.
De minimis: a threshold below which goods can be imported free of duty. The US $800 threshold was suspended in August 2025. The EU €22 threshold was abolished in July 2021.
Consolidation: combining multiple parcels from different retailers into one outbound shipment. Typically saves 40 to 60 percent on shipping compared to forwarding individually.
Volumetric weight: a calculated weight based on a parcel's dimensions rather than how heavy it actually is. The formula is length times width times height divided by 5,000, giving kilograms. Carriers charge whichever is higher, actual or volumetric weight.
Quick Links
Shipping Calculator — live rates across six carriers
Pricing and Plans — Individual, Business, Premium
Parcel Consolidation — how to save on shipping
Returns Management — for marketplace sellers
Prohibited Items — what cannot be forwarded
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between parcel forwarding and mail forwarding?
Parcel forwarding handles physical packages from retailers. Mail forwarding handles letters, documents and official post. Send2Hub offers both. For letters see our mail handling service.
How long does it take?
Express carriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) typically take two to five business days. Economy services (Royal Mail, Parcelforce) take five to fourteen. Exact times depend on weight, destination and how fast customs clears it. Our shipping calculator shows current estimates.
Can I forward to any country?
Send2Hub ships to over 200 destinations. Check your country in our shipping calculator.
Can people based in Britain use the Individual plan?
No. The Individual plan is for people who live outside the United Kingdom. If you are based in Britain, you need to register a verified business account with a Companies House number and VAT number.
How much does it cost?
The Individual and Business plans are free to register, with no monthly fee. You pay for outbound shipping only. See our pricing page and use the shipping calculator for live rates.
What makes a good reshipping service?
Free plans, 30 days or more of storage, arrival photography on every parcel, four to six carriers with live rate comparison, and no hidden fees. For a more detailed breakdown, read our guide to choosing the best consolidation service.