# Best option for shipping bulk internationally

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-option-for-shipping-bulk-internationally/593762>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 23, 2011, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-option-for-shipping-bulk-internationally/593762 "2011-08-23T11:09:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Shig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shig)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-option-for-shipping-bulk-internationally/593762/1 "2011-08-23T11:09:46Z")

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Anyone have any experience with shipping large/ multiple items overseas? I’m in the U.S. and interested in finding the best option for shipping about 400 lbs. in stuff to the UK. It’s mostly books and a large sports card collection. There’s no need for it to arrive in any big hurry or anything. Any advice, stories, etc. is greatly appreciated. Thanks

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**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-option-for-shipping-bulk-internationally/593762/2 "2011-08-23T17:06:11Z")

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One option is to contact a freight forwarder to arrange what is called LCL (less than container load) shipment. Your stuff will have to be securely packaged and labelled. PM me if you want more info; I work for one of these.

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-option-for-shipping-bulk-internationally/593762/3 "2011-08-23T17:33:58Z")

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Something like thirty years ago, my father shipped a large pile of books to a friend who had moved overseas. He sent them via the postal service, and the books were in large canvas bags. So I recommend checking prices for international media mail, if there is such a thing.

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**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-option-for-shipping-bulk-internationally/593762/4 "2011-08-23T19:46:55Z")

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> [@MLS](#):
>
> One option is to contact a freight forwarder to arrange what is called LCL (less than container load) shipment. Your stuff will have to be securely packaged and labelled. PM me if you want more info; I work for one of these.

Sometimes this is also referred to as LTL: less than truckload.

You may be able to get help from local shipping agencies (even though your ultimate goal is international shipping); check your local yellow pages. My company ships stuff all over the US and internationally, and frequently we contract through local players, as well as the big boys (FedEx, UPS, whatever).