Table of Contents
The best parcel delivery companies in Germany
The best parcel delivery companies are:
- Deutsche Post DHL
- DPD
- Hermes
- GLS
- UPS
Each of these parcel shipping providers has its own advantages and disadvantages for e-commerce companies, depending on shipping volume, size of parcels, preferences of the target group, and other relevant factors.
Deutsche Post DHL
Founded in San Francisco and wholly owned by Deutsche Post AG in 2002, the parcel delivery company dominates the German parcel market in many areas. In 2019, Deutsche Post DHL’s total revenue amounted to a whopping €63.34 billion. The Post & Parcel Germany division accounted for €15.5 billion of this in 2019. According to the company’s own figures, the 150,000 employees only in Germany contributed to this, having already sent 1.6 billion parcels in the domestic market in the year before the Corona crisis. This figure was already surpassed in 2020 at the end of November, before the Christmas shopping season. In addition, the new “DHL eCommerce Solutions” division was founded at the beginning of 2019 to increase the attractiveness for online retailers.
What is DHL Express good for?
Express shipping service DHL Express is particularly suitable for international parcel shipping. The German courier offers its own business division for faster-than-average shipping.
Does DHL offer CO2 Neutral Options?
Yes, Deutsche Post DHL aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050. Among other things, the Go Green environmental protection program offsets the greenhouse gases produced.
- Climate-neutral shipping within Germany: no additional costs
- Climate-neutral shipping in the EU: 20 cents surcharge per parcel
- Climate-neutral shipping worldwide: 70 cent surcharge per parcel
How many pick-up points does DHL have in Germany?
29,000 locations in Germany Packstation, post office branch, DHL Paketshop or “Paketbox”.
What are the advantages of using Deutsche Post DHL in Germany?
- Wide range of services
- Every parcel is insured up to €500
- Shipment tracking
- Choice between:
- slow & cheap
- fast & expensive
- Attractive for fast-growing and internationally active companies, according to DHL.
- “Warenpost” has been part of DHL’s service since last year. This allows small goods (max. 5cm x 25cm x 35.3cm) to be sent quickly (usually next-day delivery) and efficiently.
What are some of the disadvantages of using DHL in Germany?
- Assistance with problems and individual cases is often lengthy and slow
- Prices often complicated (this list of shipping prices can be helpful: Price list)
What are the delivery methods and services of DHL in Germany?
Delivery methods of DHL among others are:
- DHL International Express
- DHL Euro Plus
- DHL Sameday Jetline
- DHL Sameday Sprintline
- DHL Express 9:00/10:30/12:00
- DHL Express Worldwide
- DHL Express Easy
- DHL Warenpost
Hermes
The Hamburg-based parcel delivery company was founded in 1972 and is owned by the German retail company Otto GmbH. In 2019, the number of employees was 15,500 people, which contributed to the turnover of €3.5 billion. In 2019, it also shipped more than 900 million parcels, a growth of more than 100 million shipments compared to the previous year. Further significant growth can be expected in 2020.
Does Hermes offer CO2 Neutral options in Germany?
Hermes initiative to act in an environmentally friendly way was launched in 2010 under the name “Hermes – WE DO!
Does Hermes ship outside of the EU?
Shipping to countries outside the EU (with the exception of the UK) is not possible with Hermes, but the parcel carrier is one of the most popular delivery companies in the UK. It is, therefore, true that Hermes is a strong player within Europe, while there are no offers beyond that area.
How many pick-up points does Hermes have in Germany?
There are 16,000 parcel shops in Germany.
What are the advantages of Hermes for e-commerce fulfilment in Germany?
- 95% of all incoming packages are delivered in the domestic market on the very next day
- Every parcel is insured up to an amount of €500
- Shipment tracking
- B2B service from 300 shipments p.a. at attractive prices
- Especially attractive for smaller online retailers
- 1st place in the price-performance category for courier, express, and parcel service providers
What are the main disadvantages of using Hermes for e-commerce parcel delivery?
- Parcels are relatively often returned without successful delivery
- Only EU-wide shipping + the UK
- Not the optimal shipping solution for large internationally active e-commerce companies
- Bringing up the rear in climate-neutral shipping
Hermes delivery methods and services
Among others Hermes is offering:
- Hermes NextDay
- Hermes International
- Hermes BorderGuru (cross-border e-commerce service)
DPD
DPD Germany, based in Aschaffenburg, is part of the international DPD group, which operates under the wing of the French La Poste, the best-known logistic company in France. With 375 million parcels shipped in Germany alone in 2019 with the help of 9,500 employees, DPD Germany is one of the main players in the German CEP market. In 2019, DPDgroup was able to expand its revenue to €7.8 billion and thus remains the European leader in the parcel business.
Does DPD offer express delivery?
DPD offers in Germany both national and international express services.
Is DPD considered CO2 Neutral?
Under the name “Driving Change” DPD has established a group-wide strategy for sustainable development within the company. Since 2012, DPD has been shipping 100% climate-neutral.
How many pick-up points does DPD have in Germany?
DPD has 7,000 parcel shops in Germany.
Does DPD offer international shipping?
Yes, with DPD it is possible to ship to certain countries outside the EU, such as the USA. But the focus is clearly on shipping within Europe.
What are the main advantages of DPD in Germany?
- Simple pricing policy (5 price classes depending on the longest and shortest side of the parcel, but not on weight).
- Each parcel is insured up to €520
- Shipment tracking
- Comparatively fast delivery for standard shipping
- The front-runner in climate-neutral shipping
What is the main disadvantage of DPD in Germany?
The main disadvantage of DPD for deliveries in Germany is the high additional costs for delivery on Saturdays
What delivery methods and services does DPD offer?
DPD offers among others:
- DPD Air Classic
- DPD Air Express
- DPD PickUp 24
- DPD PickUp Express
- DPD PickUp Classic
GLS
General Logistics Systems B.V. (GLS) was founded in 1989, as German Parcel back then. Today it is headquartered in Amsterdam and belongs to the British delivery company Royal Mail. The so-called GLS Beteiligungs GmbH, consisting of the markets in Germany, Austria, and Hungary, contributes €1.12 billion to 50% of the total worldwide turnover. This is made possible by more than 8,000 employees in Germany. GLS is thus the third largest courier in Germany.
Does GLS offer express delivery in Germany?
Yes, customers can use their ExpressParcel service to send parcels in the fastest way possible.
Is GLS climate-neutral in Germany?
Since 2019, GLS Germany has been delivering all parcels 100% climate-neutral, both nationally and internationally. Further measures are being taken as part of the GLS KlimaProtect initiative.
How many pick-up points does GLS offer in Germany?
There are 5.500 parcel shops in Germany.
Does GLS ship internationally?
Yes, GLS delivers to 23 countries in the EU + the USA and Canada
What are the advantages of using GLS for e-commerce deliveries in Germany?
- Simple pricing policy (depending on the longest and shortest side of the parcel, but not on weight).
- Each parcel is insured up to €750 (€250 more than most competitors)
- Shipment tracking
- Reliable shipping
- Fast shipping (usually under 24h in Germany & 24h – 96h within the EU)
What are some of the disadvantages of GLS?
- Saturday delivery only in a few metropolitan areas
- Not an optimal solution for e-commerce retailers with large shipping volumes
- Comparatively few pick-up points
What services does GLS offer?
Among others services include:
- GLS BusinessParcel
- GLS EuroBusinessParcel
- GLS ExpressParcel
- GLS FlexDeliveryService
