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You may have noticed that shipping to Ireland has got a whole lot more difficult recently, with parcels being returned resulting in unhappy customers, headaches and cost. Some e-com businesses have swapped to alternative parcel delivery companies in an attempt to remedy the problem, without much success. Here we explain what the problem really is, why the mainstream mail and parcel delivery companies will continue to struggle with this and how ultimately you can ship to Ireland without any problems.
To understand why you are having problems shipping to Ireland, we’ve broken this down into the most frequently asked questions. Understanding the solution then becomes far clearer.
How do my shipments currently get from the UK to Ireland with my existing parcel carrier?
After your parcels have been collected and sorted at your parcel delivery companys' UK hub, they will enter Ireland via vehicle ferry or by air, depending on the service you’re using. The most important aspect to understand is that the parcels are being exported directly from the UK to Ireland, which may seem obvious, but it is also part of the problem.
Why are my shipments to Ireland being returned?
As with other EU countries, Ireland restricts certain products that are shipped directly from the UK. This has meant that products with certain tariff codes will been rejected and returned to the sender. Therefore, not only are you paying your parcel delivery company for the outbound service, but you’re also often paying for the return service usually accompanied with all the layers of surcharges. On top of all that you must then refund your customer. As you may have experienced, it all gets very expensive, time consuming and risks poor reviews.
So why can’t my mail or parcel delivery company just deliver to Ireland without these problems?
The most cost and time efficient way to carry parcels to any country is send them as directly as possible thereby minimising multiple handling at hubs. The mail and parcel delivery company data and physical infrastructures from the UK to Europe were designed around the efficiencies of borderless trade, which no longer exists. For Ireland this always meant injecting parcels directly from the UK – and here lies the issue. If you continue to utilise mail and parcel delivery companies that ship directly to Ireland, you’re always going to have the same product restriction issues and therefore returns. Therefore these are now legacy networks that no longer provide the service that you really need.
How do I prevent my parcels to Ireland from being returned?
The eagle eyed will have noticed that the word “directly” has been highlighted above several times – and here is why. In Ireland the product restrictions are placed on direct UK imports. So, logic suggests that to get your parcels into Ireland without being returned or rejected, it makes sense that your parcels arrive in Ireland via another EU country.
So how do I export to Ireland via another EU country?
Ireland will not impose product restrictions on parcels from other EU countries, as they do from the UK, because the UK is not in the EU. Our solution is SAMOS Connect EU parcel service. We export to all EU countries via one EU country entry point, then ship the parcels across to Ireland once they have cleared EU customs and are in free EU circulation. No more product restrictions restrictions, returns, hold-ups, bad reviews, unhappy customers and lost profits. Genius. Click here to find out how our service works.
Do any other EU countries impose restrictions on products originating from the UK?
Yes, and it changes daily. We understand that France is also restricting products with certain tariff codes (such as bicycles, parts and accessories) and Spain is restricting entry of cosmetics and frangrances (see here for more details) if shipped directly from the UK. This creates the same problems for the mail and parcel delivery companies, and therefore for you too. But with SAMOS you now have a solution for these and many other products too.
Is the Samos Connect service more expensive?
No. Click here to check out our tariff. Refreshingly, this is the tariff you pay. No surcharges.
Does my customer get charged tax and fees before delivery on the SAMOS service?
No, never. We reverse the import charges back to you, so that none of your customers will ever be charged taxes or fees before delivery - guaranteed. We also do not surcharge you for reversing import charges back to you - unlike the DDP surcharges imposed by other parcel carriers.
All sounds good. How do try it?
Contact us at the details below, request a demo, or simply register here to start shipping straight away.
Since Brexit, Samos has been helping e-commerce businesses across the UK get their EU orders back to pre-Brexit volume levels, with our no-fuss parcel service that simply delivers across the EU. Think alternatively brilliant. Think outside the box. Think SAMOS!