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Shipping facts: lines, limits and who pays when things go wrong

Eight exhibits from the estimator, the help centre and two dated announcements. Prices are examples with a date; rules are quoted.

Exhibits in this drawer

Codes S-01 to S-08.

S-01Lines on offer
S-02Weight floors
S-03Volume weight
S-04Kako Insurance
S-05Tariff table
S-06EU 3-euro notice
S-07US tax-free lines
S-08Dispatch time

Shipping lines by destination

The estimator needs no account. We ran it for a 1 kg parcel of ordinary goods to five countries on 2026-10-10. The point is not the prices, which move, but the shape of the choice: how many lines, and how many of them your parcel can actually use.

S-01

The number of lines depends on the destination

The fact: For a 1 kg parcel of ordinary goods on 2026-10-10, the official estimator listed 13 lines to the US, 16 to the UK, 18 to Germany, 17 to France and 16 to Poland, some greyed out by weight rules.
Printed where: Official shipping estimator, no account needed.
Read on: 2026-10-10 (re-check after 2026-11-09)
What it means: More lines is not the same as cheaper lines. What matters is which lines accept your goods (batteries, liquids, shoes) and your weight.
Check it yourself: Run the estimator with your own country and weight; prices move, and your parcel is not our sample.

Swipe across the table to read all columns.

Destination (1 kg, 2026-10-10)	Lines listed	Lowest listed price	Its transit estimate
United States	13	$38.07	11-17 days
United Kingdom	16	$15.76	7-19 days
Germany	18	$22.96	8-12 days
France	17	$25.96	9-20 days
Poland	16	$23.42	7-13 days

Prices are the operator's quotes for that day and weight, in US dollars as displayed. Re-run the official estimator for your own parcel.

Official UK estimator results for a historical 1 kg ordinary-goods query — Official 10 October 2026 example. Route prices, enabled rows and weight restrictions are historical; some logos failed in the original capture. Requote for the actual goods and parcel. Open full image

Weight floors and volume weight

Route minimums, maximums, goods restrictions and billing method decide whether a displayed quote is usable. Some routes use volume weight and some actual weight only; check the selected route.

S-02

Some lines refuse parcels that are too light

The fact: On 2026-10-10: UK Line-B (>5kg) needs at least 5001 g; HKUPS to the UK and Poland needs at least 2501 g; two UPS lines to the US need at least 2000 g. EUB to the US caps actual weight at 2 kg.
Printed where: Greyed rows and warnings in the official estimator.
Read on: 2026-10-15 (re-check after 2026-11-14)
What it means: A visible price may be on a disabled row. Check route minimums, maximums, dimensions, goods restrictions and current availability. A broad liquid/cosmetics label does not establish perfume acceptance; confirm the specific goods.
Check it yourself: Enter a weight below and above the floor in the estimator and watch the rows grey out.

S-03

Chargeable weight depends on the selected route

The fact: For volumetric routes, compare packed actual kg with L × W × H in cm divided by the route factor (such as 5000, 6000, 7000 or 8000). Actual-weight-only routes also exist; minimums and rounding can affect the bill.
Printed where: Help centre article 26; line notes in the estimator.
Read on: 2026-10-15 (re-check after 2026-11-14)
What it means: Item net weight is not final packed chargeable weight. Requote after packing; removal or added protection can change both dimensions and actual weight.
Check it yourself: Read help article 26, then compare line notes in the estimator.

Weight also matters at the other end of the scale. Help article 21 warns that parcels over 10 kg, or parcels with many identical items, are more likely to be treated as commercial by customs.

Insurance and who pays when a parcel is lost

Warehouse and transit losses follow separate stated rules. Compensation remains subject to eligibility, evidence and limits; buying insurance does not make every loss or delay reimbursable.

S-04

Delay compensation is conditional on route insurance terms

The fact: Retained Kako Insurance terms describe delay cover at 20% of freight after a route-dependent 30/40-day threshold, plus conditional customs/loss/damage cover. Limits, exclusions, evidence and claim requirements apply.
Printed where: Help centre article 123.
Read on: 2026-10-15 (re-check after 2026-11-14)
What it means: Insurance is not automatic reimbursement. Confirm the selected route’s cover, insured amount, deadline and required evidence. Uninsured transit assistance is distinct from warehouse compensation.
Check it yourself: Read help article 123; coverage per route is marked in the estimator.

Customs: the table, the EU notice and the US routes

The retained customs table and dated operator notices are historical references, not current customs-law guidance. Check destination customs information and the current route terms. A newer operator notice does not establish every legal requirement.

S-05

The customs threshold table is marked as a reference only

The fact: Help article 69 contains an old reference threshold table. This guide does not use those amounts as current customs rules.
Printed where: Help centre article 69.
Read on: 2026-10-15 (re-check after 2026-11-14)
What it means: Use destination customs information and the selected route’s current terms. An operator’s reference table or tax-inclusive label is not a complete statement of law.
Check it yourself: Read help article 69 and check your own country's customs site.

S-06

A dated EU notice describes a EUR 3 per-parcel offer

The fact: The operator’s 23 June 2026 notice describes EUR 3 per parcel from 1 July and a subsidy subject to withdrawal. It is a dated operator announcement, not verified current customs law or an assured current route price.
Printed where: Announcement 51 in the notice list.
Read on: 2026-10-15 (re-check after 2026-11-14)
What it means: Check the actual route and checkout for current applicability. Do not calculate today’s customs liability from category examples in this old notice.
Check it yourself: Open the announcement list and find the 23 June entry.

S-07

A 2025 notice describes specified US tax-handling routes

The fact: The operator’s 17 April 2025 notice described certain US routes with included tax handling and a historical price comparison of approximately US$5–10 above USPS.
Printed where: Announcement 30 in the notice list.
Read on: 2026-10-15 (re-check after 2026-11-14)
What it means: The old notice does not establish today’s price difference, eligibility or customs treatment. Read the actual selected route and checkout terms.
Check it yourself: Open the announcement list and find the April 2025 entry.

After you press submit

Submission, packing, dispatch and carrier pickup are separate events. Retained help gives indicative intervals and working-day qualifications; use actual account records and tracking for the parcel.

S-08

Dispatch and pickup times are indicative service stages

The fact: Retained articles describe dispatch/packing around 24 hours and carrier collection within 2 working days, with weekend and holiday qualifications. Actual processing and carrier events can differ.
Printed where: Help centre articles 106 and 108.
Read on: 2026-10-15 (re-check after 2026-11-14)
What it means: Submission, packing, carrier collection and departure are distinct events. Final packed weight can change the freight charge; check any balance adjustment and tracking record.
Check it yourself: Read help article 106 and help article 108.

Before you submit, price your parcel in the estimator; the free packing photos are your evidence if the box arrives crushed (G-03).