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TNT vs Royal Mail: ein Vergleich (auf Englisch)

If you manage an e-commerce business then you know the importance of choosing the proper mail courier.

Choosing the correct courier is not just a search for the right supplier. It’s about identifying a serious ally that will help you deliver the best value and service to your customers.

The right courier will satisfy your customers with the best quality, speed, and cost effective services.

TNT vs Royal Mail

Here at ShippyPro, we want to help you in your search for that perfect carrier.

Today we will be analyzing TNT and Royal Mail National US services, National UK services, European, and international services.

Royal Mail is based in The United Kingdom, playing a key role in the UK market.

TNT is based in the Netherlands and has been present in the international market for many years. Below you can see the TNT network presented by the same company. 

In this article, we will see what services are offered by the two companies for the national, European and international market.

TNT vs Royal Mail: National US Shipments 

TNT is now FedEx in the United States. For a comparison of their services, check out this article.

Royal Mail offers cost effective options for same day, next business day, and 2-3 business day delivery. These services also differ on potential compensation coverage based on your needs. The other key difference to note is some services offer guaranteed delivery while others cannot promise the parcel will arrive on time, but the success rates are high.

Same Day Delivery guarantees delivery by the end of the day on the same day the delivery order was placed. A special £10,000 compensation coverage option is available for those who need it. Due to the expedited nature of this service it does cost more than their other options.

Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed offers guaranteed delivery the next business day by 9:00 am. Royal Mail is so confident they can fulfill their guarantee that if the package does not arrive on time, they delivery is 100% free. A special £10,000 compensation coverage is also offered.

Royal Mail Signed for 1st Class aims to complete the delivery by the end of the next business day. While this is not a guarantee, the success rate of these deliveries is extremely high. There is an option to add up to £50 of compensation coverage as well.

The Royal Mail Signed for 2nd Class option aims to deliver the parcel by the end of 2-3 business days for a cost effective price. It is worth noting this 2-3 day delivery is only a goal and is not guaranteed, however it does enjoy a high success rate. The optional £50 of compensation coverage is also available.

Royal Mail’s 1st Class Mail serviceaims to complete the delivery by the end of the next possible business day. The success rate of this goal is also very high. Again the difference in compensation coverage is noticed. The potential coverage in this service is only up to £20 instead of the £50 option offered by its similarly priced services.

The 2nd Class Mail service aims to deliver the parcel by the end of 2-3 business days. While not a guarantee it is the most economic option if leniency in delivery time is allowable. Again the compensation is only £20 instead of £50.

TNT vs Royal Mail: National UK Services 

Below is a table that compares TNT and Royal Mail domestic services within the UK.

TNT Royal Mail
Service Delivery Time Cost Service Delivery Time Cost
Next Day 9:00 Before 9:00 am the next business day Same Day Delivery By end of same business day
Next Day 10:00 Before 10:00 am the next business day Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed Guaranteed next business day by 9:00 am
Next Day 12:00 Before 12:00 pm the next business day Royal Mail Signed for 1st Class Aim to deliver by end of next business day
Saturday Service Same day delivery or collection from a local TNT depot is available Royal Mail Signed for 2nd Class Aim to deliver by end of 2-3 business days
1st Class Mail Aim to deliver by end of next business day
2nd Class Mail Aim to deliver by the end of 2-3 business days

TNT provides quick and cost effective courier services within the UK. Their services can deliver the package the next business day with timing depending on how much they want to spend.

Next Day delivery guarantees delivery of the package by the next business day with the timing options 9:00am, 10:00am, and 12:00pm Monday through Friday.

If it is essential a package be delivered on a Saturday, TNT also offers Saturday Service. This provides same day delivery or collection from a local TNT depot.

TNT vs Royal Mail

Royal Mail offers cost effective options for same day, next business day, and 2-3 business day delivery. These services also differ on potential compensation coverage based on your needs. The other key difference to note is some services offer guaranteed delivery while others cannot promise the parcel will arrive on time, but the success rates are high.

Same Day Delivery guarantees delivery by the end of the day on the same day the delivery order was placed. A special £10,000 compensation coverage option is available for those who need it. Due to the expedited nature of this service it does cost more than their other options.

Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed offers guaranteed delivery the next business day by 9:00 am. Royal Mail is so confident they can fulfill their guarantee that if the package does not arrive on time, they delivery is 100% free. A special £10,000 compensation coverage is also offered.

Royal Mail Signed for 1st Class aims to complete the delivery by the end of the next business day. While this is not a guarantee, the success rate of these deliveries is extremely high. There is an option to add up to £50 of compensation coverage as well.

The Royal Mail Signed for 2nd Class option aims to deliver the parcel by the end of 2-3 business days for a cost effective price. It is worth noting this 2-3 day delivery is only a goal and is not guaranteed, however it does enjoy a high success rate. The optional £50 of compensation coverage is also available.

Royal Mail’s 1st Class Mail serviceaims to complete the delivery by the end of the next possible business day. The success rate of this goal is also very high. Again the difference in compensation coverage is noticed. The potential coverage in this service is only up to £20 instead of the £50 option offered by its similarly priced services.

The 2nd Class Mail service aims to deliver the parcel by the end of 2-3 business days. While not a guarantee it is the most economic option if leniency in delivery time is allowable. Again the compensation is only £20 instead of £50.

TNT vs Royal Mail: Europe

Royal Mail does not have Europe specific services, but their European and international delivery times differ slightly. The table below compares the Royal Mail’s European aspect to TNT’s European service.

TNT Royal Mail
Service Time of Delivery Cost Service Time of Delivery Cost
Express 12:00
Economy
By 12:00 pm on a specified day International Tracked and Signed Aim for end of 3-5 business days
Express 9:00 Next business day by 9:00am International Tracked Aim for end of 3-5 business days
Express 10:00 Next business day by 10:00am International Signed Aim for end of 3-5 business days
Special Services The same day if possible International Standard Aim for end of 3-5 business days
Express By the end of the next business day International Economy Aim for end of 10-15 business days
Express Economy By the end of a specified business day

As you can see from the table above, TNT offers a wide variety of options in the European market.

The most popular options are their Express Packages. These are so popular due to their balance of reasonable delivery time and very competitive price.

Express Packages guarantee fully airfreighted delivery and are intended primarily for European countries.

The Economy Express 12:00 service is exclusive to the eurozone and is designed for greater convenience at the expense of prompt delivery.

The Economy Express service provides transportation to areas and lorries.

Royal Mail’s international services are also offered in Europe with the reduction of delivery times. These services can be broken down into two economic options and three slightly more costly options based on the delivery needs.

International Tracked aims to complete the delivery by the end of 3-5 business days. This service also provides end to end tracking of the parcel, giving you peace of mind from start to finish.

International Signed aims to hand you the parcel by the end of 3-5 business days as well. The difference with this service is it requires a signature upon the arrival of the package. This is perfect for sensitive parcels that are too important to be left out sitting on the porch.

International Tracked and Signed brings the best of both worlds to the table. Offering end to end tracking on top of the required signature upon arrival. With the same delivery time of 3-5 days this option is very popular and is the most expensive of Royal Mail’s European/international options.

International Standard is the first of the two economic European options. With a goal of delivery in 3-5 business days and no required signature or tracking system, it is a happy middle ground between cost effective and expensive additional services.

International Economy is the most bare bones European service Royal Mail offers. Completion of the package is expected between 10-15 business days with none of the frills of the other services.

TNT vs Royal Mail: International 

TNT Royal Mail
Service Delivery Time Cost Service Delivery Time Cost
Express By the end of next business day International Tracked and Signed Aim for end of 3-5 business days
Special Services As soon as possible next business day International Tracked Aim for end of 3-5 business days
Express Economy By end of defined day International Signed Aim for end of 3-5 business days
Air Freight By end of 1-3 business days International Standard Aim for end of 3-5 business days
Road Freight By end of 1-5 business days International Economy Aim for end of 10-15 business days

TNT’s international service details are listed below.

  • International Express Services are used to deliver goods to over 40 countries worldwide. Deliveries according to needs and price are scheduled by 9:00am, 10:00am, and 12:00pm with a maximum weight of 500kg.
  • Air Freight Service is a convenient solution for large and less urgent international shipments. Choose the speed and the price according to your needs. We will keep you informed on all the transportation phases.
  • Road Freight Service is a convenient solution for large national and international road freight. The advantage of choosing a dedicated vehicle for point-to-point, or groupage transport, is they can stop at different points, consolidate the merchandise, and make the final delivery in one elegant solution. 

TNT vs DPD

Royal Mail’s International services are the same as their European services so this section will look very similar to their European services with adjusted longer delivery times, with both economic and more pricey options. 

International Tracked aims to complete the delivery by the end of 5-7 business days. This service also provides end to end tracking of the parcel, giving you peace of mind from start to finish.

International Signed aims to hand you the parcel by the end of 5-7 business days as well. The difference with this service is it requires a signature upon the arrival of the package. This is perfect for sensitive parcels that are too important to be left out sitting on the porch.

International Tracked and Signed brings the best of both worlds to the table. Offering end to end tracking on top of the required signature upon arrival. With the same delivery time of 5-7 days this option is very popular and is the most expensive of Royal Mail’s European/international options.

International Standard is the first of the two economic European options. With a goal of delivery in 5-7 business days and no required signature or tracking system, it is a happy middle ground between cost effective and expensive additional services.

International Economy is the most bare bones European service Royal Mail offers. Completion of the package is expected between 6-12 weeks with none of the frills of the other services.

TNT vs Royal Mail: Additional Services for E-commerce 

TNT has signed with Inpost a highly innovative strategic agreement. With this agreement TNT started the installation of the newest generation of automatic vending machines or Lockers. These allow the withdrawal and delivery of goods 24 hours a day, 365 days year. However, TNT only provides Lockers in Europe.

In the US the locker services are provided by FedEx.

At authorized stores, FedEx provides Pick up and Drop-off services that tracks the operation of UPS Access Points.

FedEx and TNT customers can receive and ship parcels from selected outlets, handle withdrawals, and purchase supplies to be received at designated points of sale. 

Lockers work exactly like an ATM and allow you to access your shipments within seconds.

When the customer buys online from a TNT-owned e-shop they can choose the Locker that is most convenient for delivery. As soon as TNT deposits the goods at the specified location, the customer will receive notification from TNT.

Then the merchandise is ready for collection.

Locker’s are a “win / win” option. For e-commerce companies and customers who want to say goodbye to home expectations and negative experiences, but also for TNT in terms of process efficiency.

For environmentally friendly businesses, TNT offer CO2 services.

These allow businesses to track, analyze, and reduce their CO2 footprint.

Royal Mail offers a very unique Articles for the Blind option. This additional service will specially ship books, printed materials, letters, relief maps, audio and electronic media, equipment such as magnifiers and mobility aids up t 7 kg all made to aid visually impaired people. They come delivered at a First Class International rate and are very reasonably priced for a service that can spare no expense.

HM Forces Mail offers special discounted prices for delivering mail to The British Forces Post Office. With guaranteed Special Delivery, First Class Signed For, and Royal Mail 1st Class it is the perfect option for staying connected with the men and women serving their country. They deserve the best mails services and this additional service provides that to them.

TNT vs Royal Mail

TNT vs Royal Mail: Reviews and Considerations!

We at ShippyPro operate in the e-commerce sector, especially in the field of online shipments. We are in daily contact with many domestic and international couriers. 

Evaluating all the work of a courier is not an easy task.

The one perfect courier does not exist, however, there are certain couriers that are more suited for the needs of your business. 

In this article we have introduced the main services of both TNT and Royal Mail, used heavily at a national and international level.

We want to help you choose the ideal logistics partner for your needs, but there are other considerations we need to look at. 

To do this, we will show you the only metric of transparent judgment we have; the reviews of customers who use TNT and Royal Mail daily to ship domestically and around the globe.

Below are the total reviews of the two couriers formed on the basis of daily feedback from customers.

TNT vs Royal Mail

TNT vs Royal Mail: Who do we choose to ship?

At this point you understand how difficult it is to determine which courier is better than another.

It is well known that some carriers work better in some areas than others.

Now, considering that your goal is to provide the best customer service, there is nothing better than trying to enter into a contract with not one, but multiple couriers.

This way you will be able to offer excellent service in every area and every category of product.

Don’t limit yourself to a single shipping service provider

Instead, look to choose different couriers, each for a specific scope, significantly reducing asset management costs.

In fact, each freight forwarder charges very different tariffs in relation to the weight, size, and destination of the goods.

Compare and choose the best carriers for any type of shipping you make!

Comparing all these carriers is a time-consuming process, but there are services for managing the various shippers that can help.

The best way to manage this important decision is to choose a software that automatically compares the prices of different vendors and / or allows you to set shipping rules, saving you time and money.

ShippyPro Team

ShippyPro ist die komplette Versandsoftware für den Online- und Offline-Handel. Mit den Funktionen Label Creator, Track & Trace, Easy Return und Analytics vereinfacht unsere Software Ihre Versandvorgänge. ShippyPro lässt sich mit über 160 Kurierdiensten und 80 Vertriebskanälen integrieren und ist somit mit einer Vielzahl von Produkten und Anwendungsfällen kompatibel.