Questions and answers about shipping parcels

OhShip is a booking site for DHL Express and UPS shipping labels: you compare prices, pay online and print the label yourself.

1. Enter where the parcel goes from and to.
2. Enter its size and weight.
3. Choose DHL Express or UPS.
4. Fill in the sender and recipient, and pay.
5. Print the label, attach it to the parcel and hand it in at a service point, or book a pickup with the carrier.

Read our guide to preparing your parcel. You can follow the parcel with the tracking number on the label.

You compare DHL Express and UPS in one place and see the full price before you pay, without a customer account or an agreement with the carrier.

Our prices are based on our agreements with the carriers, so they are often lower than the carriers' own list prices for single parcels.

Yes. You enter your card details directly with our payment provider Stripe, and they never reach us. The site uses encrypted connections.

Read how we handle your data in our privacy policy.

Write to us through our contact form or at info@ohship.dk. Customer service is open on weekdays from 10:00 to 18:00 and normally answers within one working day.

If your question is about a shipment, include the order or tracking number.

DHL Express and UPS.

The booking shows the services and prices available for your parcel and route, so you only see what you can book right now.

Express and standard services. Which ones you can choose depends on the route and the parcel:

• DHL Express: express delivery door to door, often the next working day within Europe.
• UPS Express Saver: express delivery on many routes.
• UPS Standard: usually the cheapest service, with a slightly longer delivery time.

Delivery times are the carriers' estimates, not guarantees.

Both deliver door to door across the EU. They differ in speed, price, where you hand the parcel in and whether you can add insurance.

• DHL Express is an express service that often delivers the next working day within Europe. You hand the parcel in at a DHL Express service point or book a pickup with DHL Express. You can add insurance when you book, if you declare the value.
• UPS offers UPS Standard, which is usually cheaper but takes a little longer, and on many routes UPS Express Saver, which is faster. You hand the parcel in at a UPS Access Point or book a pickup with UPS. Extra insurance can't be added to UPS.

The booking shows the price of each, so you can choose what suits you.

Yes. You can send to every EU country with DHL Express and UPS.

Destinations outside the EU, for example the UK, Norway, Switzerland or the USA, can only be booked when we offer them. The booking form always lists the countries you can book right now.

For a parcel leaving the EU you fill in a customs invoice in the booking: a clear description in English, the value and the country of origin. The recipient normally pays any import duties and taxes.

Dangerous goods can't be sent, for example flammable liquids, gases, explosives and loose batteries. Some other items are only accepted under conditions. The carrier's rules decide what is accepted:

• DHL Express: prohibited and restricted items
• UPS: prohibited and restricted items

When you describe the contents in the booking, we check the description and tell you if something is clearly not allowed. The check doesn't replace the carriers' rules: the carrier can still stop or return a parcel it doesn't accept.

Devices with the battery installed can be sent. Loose batteries and power banks can't.

• Battery installed in the device (phone, laptop, tablet, camera, watch): accepted when the device is switched off, protected against switching on and well packed. For lithium-ion batteries in devices sent by air, IATA recommends a charge of no more than 30 %.
• Battery packed with the device, for example a spare battery in the same box: not accepted.
• Batteries on their own: spare batteries, power banks, battery packs and batteries for e-bikes or scooters are not accepted.

Damaged, swollen or recalled batteries can never be sent, not even inside a device. The contents check in the booking doesn't guarantee that the carrier accepts the parcel: the carriers' battery rules apply (see “What am I not allowed to send?”).

Yes. You book the pickup directly with the carrier after you have bought the label; OhShip can't book it for you. OhShip charges nothing for the pickup, but UPS may charge a pickup fee when you book on its site.

1. Print the label and attach it to the parcel.
2. Book the pickup with the tracking number from the label: book a DHL Express pickup or book a UPS pickup.
3. Have the parcel ready at the address and time you booked.

If the carrier doesn't come, contact the carrier or our customer service with the tracking number. You can also hand the parcel in at a service point instead: find one on our service points page.

At a service point of the carrier on your label. Find the nearest one on our service points page by entering your postcode or address.

DHL Express parcels go to a DHL Express service point, and UPS parcels to a UPS Access Point. A UPS Access Point takes parcels up to 20 kg and 97 cm long, with a declared value up to EUR 1,000; for a bigger or heavier parcel, book a pickup.

Yes, with UPS you can send up to 10 parcels to the same recipient in one booking. DHL Express takes one parcel per order.

• UPS: on the parcel step, press “Add another parcel” and enter the size and weight of each one. You pay once and get one PDF with a label for each parcel. Every parcel needs its own label and gets its own tracking number.
• DHL Express: book each parcel as a separate order.

Parcels to different recipients are always booked as separate orders.

You can book parcels from 0.1 kg up to 70 kg. The longest side can be up to 120 cm and the other two sides up to 80 cm.

• UPS: the length plus twice the width plus twice the height can be up to 400 cm. A UPS Access Point only takes parcels up to 20 kg and 97 cm long, so book a pickup for anything bigger or heavier.
• DHL Express: the booking limits above apply. If a parcel fits only one carrier, the booking tells you.

Measure and weigh the parcel once it is packed, and round up to whole centimetres. If it is too big to book, split the contents into several parcels or contact our customer service.

Only for parcels leaving the EU, when we offer such destinations. Inside the EU you need no customs documents.

1. In the booking, choose the reason for sending, for example gift, personal belongings or sale.
2. Add one line per kind of item: a clear description in English, the quantity, weight, value and country of origin. The lines must add up to the parcel's weight and declared value.
3. We make the customs invoice from this and attach it to your order confirmation e-mail. Print it and hand it to the carrier with the parcel.

The recipient normally pays import duties and taxes under the carrier's terms. Describe the contents and value truthfully: a gift or used belongings can still be charged duty and VAT, depending on the destination country's rules.

The price depends on the parcel's weight and size, the route and the service you choose. We get it from the carrier when you search, so it follows the carriers' current rates.

The carrier charges by the actual weight or the volumetric weight, whichever is higher (see “What is volumetric weight?”).

No hidden fees. Before you pay, you see the price of the label and of insurance if you choose it, and that is what you pay. We add no booking or card fees.

We may invoice you afterwards in two cases:

• Weight or size difference: if the carrier measures the parcel heavier or larger than you entered, we invoice the price difference.
• Return costs: if the recipient refuses the parcel or it can't be delivered and the carrier sends it back, we invoice the return costs the carrier charges.

We add no fee on top of either. Import duties and taxes outside the EU are separate: the carrier normally charges them to the recipient. Read more in our terms and conditions.

If you disagree with an invoice for a weight or size difference, contact our customer service with the order number. Business customers must object within 30 days of the invoice date.

You pay by card: Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, JCB, American Express and Diners Club.

Business accounts with an agreement can pay by invoice.

With an account, you download the receipt for a card payment under “Order history” in “My profile”. Business accounts that pay by invoice get their invoices under their agreement.

For private customers, prices include VAT. Business accounts see prices excluding VAT, and VAT is added where it applies.

Volumetric weight is a weight worked out from the parcel's size: length × width × height in cm ÷ 5,000. The carrier charges by the actual weight or the volumetric weight, whichever is higher.

Example: a 40 × 30 × 20 cm box has a volumetric weight of 24,000 ÷ 5,000 = 4.8 kg. If it weighs 2 kg, the price is based on 4.8 kg, rounded up to the carrier's next weight step: UPS rounds up to the next half kilo, so here 5 kg.

Measure the parcel once it is packed and round up to whole centimetres. If the carrier measures it larger or heavier than you entered, we may invoice the difference afterwards (section 6 of our terms and conditions).

Every parcel is covered by the carrier's standard liability under its terms. With DHL Express you can also add insurance when you book, if you declare the parcel's value.

• DHL Express insurance costs 1 % of the declared value, at least EUR 11 or the same amount in your currency, and you see the price before you add it. It is DHL Express's shipment insurance and follows section 8 of DHL Express's terms and conditions, which say what is covered and what isn't.
• UPS: extra insurance can't be added; the carrier's standard liability applies.

To make a claim, contact our customer service with the tracking number. We handle the claim with the carrier for you.

If the payment isn't completed, your order is saved and nothing is charged. If an amount was reserved on your card, your bank releases it automatically; how quickly depends on your bank.

1. Check the card details, or try another card.
2. Try again on the payment step of the same booking. Don't start a new booking for the same parcel, so you don't pay twice.
3. If it fails again, or you are not sure whether the payment went through, contact us before you try again.

The booking is complete when you see the order page with your label and get the order confirmation e-mail. Contact our customer service with the e-mail address you booked with.

Enter the tracking number from your label in the “Track package” field on our front page.

The tracking number is also in your order confirmation e-mail and, if you have an account, under “Order history” in “My profile”.

First check the tracking: the carrier often shows a new expected delivery date there. Delivery times are estimates, not guarantees.

If the parcel isn't moving or you are worried, contact our customer service with the tracking number. We contact the carrier and keep you informed.

Contact our customer service as soon as possible with the tracking number. We open a case with the carrier and keep you informed.

• Damaged parcel: keep the parcel, the packaging and the contents, and send us photos of the damage, the packaging and the label. The carrier may ask to inspect them.
• Lost parcel: send us a description of the contents and their value, with a receipt if you have one.

Compensation follows the carrier's terms and liability limits, or the DHL Express insurance if you bought it. The carriers have deadlines for claims, so report it as soon as possible.

Tracking can take a while to update, especially just after hand-in and when the parcel crosses a border. If nothing has changed for 48 hours, contact our customer service with the tracking number and we will look into it.

The carrier handles a refused parcel under its own terms and usually sends it back to the sender.

If the carrier sends it back, we may invoice you the return costs the carrier charges, with no fee on top. Contact our customer service if you need help.

The carrier decides what happens under its own terms. It may try again or leave the parcel at a service point near the recipient, and it lets the recipient know by a notice, e-mail or text message.

Follow the parcel with the tracking number: the tracking shows the next step, and with some carriers the recipient can choose another day or place for the delivery.

If the parcel can't be delivered or isn't collected, the carrier sends it back. We may then invoice you the return costs the carrier charges, with no fee on top.

Create a free account on our sign-up page.

With an account your addresses and cards are saved for next time, and you find your orders and labels under “Order history” in “My profile”.

No. You can book and pay as a guest.

An account is free and saves your addresses and cards, so your next booking is quicker.

Log in and open “My profile”. Under “Account settings” you change your name, phone number, e-mail and password, and under “Delivery address” your saved address.

On a business account, the company name and VAT number can't be changed there: contact our customer service.

Click “Forgot password?” on the login page and enter your e-mail address. We send you a link where you choose a new password.

The link is only valid for a limited time. If the e-mail doesn't arrive, check your spam folder.

When you book, we confirm the sender's phone number with a 6-digit code by SMS. If it doesn't arrive:

1. Check the number and the country code, and press “Change number” if they are wrong.
2. Wait a moment, then press “Send the code again”. A new code can be sent after a short wait.
3. Check that your phone can receive text messages, for example that it doesn't block messages from unknown senders.

A code expires after a while, and after too many wrong tries you have to wait before trying again. If the code still doesn't come, contact our customer service with the phone number you used.

After you have paid, you can download the shipping label as a PDF. We also attach it to your order confirmation e-mail, and if you have an account, you find it under “Order history” in “My profile”.

Print it on an ordinary printer: the parcel needs a printed label when you hand it in.

Ordinary A4 paper is fine. Make sure the barcode prints sharp and clear.

Tape the label to the largest side of the parcel with clear packing tape. The whole label must be visible and the barcode must not be covered or folded over an edge.

Remove or cover any old labels and barcodes on a reused box.

No. You provide the box, tape and padding yourself.

Pack it so it can handle normal handling on the way:

• Use a strong box that fits the contents, without empty space.
• Wrap fragile items one by one and put padding, such as bubble wrap or paper, around them.
• Tape all seams with strong packing tape.

Read more in our guide to preparing your parcel.

A label paid by card must be used within 30 days of purchase, so you don't have to send the parcel straight away. After 30 days it is cancelled automatically and can't be used. Unused labels are not refunded.

Business accounts that pay by invoice follow the period in their agreement.

Contact our customer service before you send the parcel and give us the order or tracking number. We correct the label for you; the label itself is not refunded.

No. Unused labels are not refunded, even if they are cancelled automatically after 30 days. Read more in our terms and conditions.

After you pay, you come to the order page, where you can download the label. We also attach it as a PDF to your order confirmation e-mail.

• Check your spam or junk folder, and that the e-mail address in the booking is right.
• With an account, download the label under “Order history” in “My profile”.

If you still can't find it, contact our customer service with the e-mail address you booked with and, if you have it, the order or tracking number. Don't book again, or you may pay twice.

No, the parcel needs a printed label. The label is a PDF that you print yourself: the carriers' couriers don't bring printed labels, and we can't promise that a service point will print it for you.

If you don't have a printer, you can print the PDF at a library, at work or in a print shop. Ordinary A4 paper is fine.