Irish Parcels Is LIVE! Send A Parcel Anywhere In The World

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Lana

irish parcels

IrishParcels.ie is now up and running and ready to send your parcels!

You can visit our homepage now to get a quote and find out how much you can save on your parcel deliveries.

Irish Parcels offers competitive rates on parcels sent within Ireland and parcels sent to the UK.

We also deliver parcels to over 200 countries worldwide and our prices for these routes will be especially low, as we recognise that Irish people and businesses are struggling with the high cost of parcel shipping worldwide.

And although keeping costs low is one of our top priorities, it’s not our only concern. We know that when it comes to parcel delivery, customers want a safe, quick and reliable service. For that reason we provide you with these features:

1. Door-to-door service from only the best couriers. (DPD, TNT, GLS)

2. Full online tracking of your parcel.

3. Excellent customer service – we have a dedicated team on hand for all your queries.

How it works

Placing an order with Irish Parcels is very simple – it takes just a few minutes and you can do it all online.

Step 1 – Input the details of your parcel (size, weight and collection and delivery addresses.)

Step 2 – Get quotes from top couriers, book the one you want and pay online.

Step 3 – Print and attach your labels.

Step 4 – Finally, we’ll collect your parcel and deliver it to where it needs to go.

If you have any questions you can get in touch via our ‘contact us‘ page and we’ll be happy to help. We also have a live chat function which you can access via the yellow tab in the bottom right hand corner.

 

Other news:

Our sister company My Baggage is hiring, check our their job board for details. You can learn more about My Baggage on their Linkedin + page or on Google + : My Baggage

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Ireland’s Top 15 Health Food Brands

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Lana

Ireland's

Is it our imagination or is the world undergoing a bit of a health food revolution at the moment?

It seems like you can’t go two minutes on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram without seeing a picture of someone’s green juice detox, the super paleo salad they had for lunch or a selfie head to toe in the best running gear.

And Ireland certainly isn’t getting left behind on this one. Search hard enough and you’ll discover that there is a thriving local health food industry, with a wide range of Irish brands, each providing wonder products that promise to help guide us towards a healthier lifestyle.

And with holiday season fast approaching, what better time to take a look at some of the best Irish health food brands that you can try out today…

1. Blakes Chocolate

blakes chocolate

What is it? Guilt free organic and fair trade chocolate. What’s the story? Established in 2007, Blakes has grown to become one of the UK and Ireland’s premium organic chocolate brands. There are seven delicious flavours and they are all gluten and GMO free and made from 100% certified organic ingredients. Visit Blakeschocolate.com

2. Nobo Ice Cream

Nobo frozen goodness: fresh lemon, Nobo Ltd from 60secondreviews Food on Vimeo.

What is it? Dairy and gluten free ice cream that is quite literally frozen goodness. What’s the story? Created by Dublin born duo Rachel and Brian, who are self-confessed food geeks, Nobo was a labour of love which soon turned into their livelihood. Nobo is handmade in small batches and is the world’s first ice cream alternative made from avocado, coconut milk, and sweetened with pure honey. Visit Nobo.ie

3. Nua Naturals

nua naturals facebook

What is it? A superfood supplier. What’s the story? Inspired by the raw food, gluten free and vegan ethos, Nua Naturals supplies and produces organic health and superfoods. They have won a host of awards for their various products which include; cacao, sweeteners, protein powders and superfruits to name about 10% of the selection. You can buy online now at Nuanaturals.com.

4. Natasha’s Living Food

natashas

What is it? Raw and healthy snack alternatives. What’s the story? Natasha Czopor is the brains behind this brand of naturally grown wild, organically and sustainably raised fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains. It’s a healthier alternative to stuffing a bar of Cadbury’s fruit and nut in your mouth and best of all, everything is free from dairy, wheat, soya and refined sugar. Visit Natashaslivingfood.ie.

5. Goodness Grains

goodness grains

What is it? Gluten free, wheat free, dairy free but 100% mouthwatering baked goods. What’s the story? If you’re on a gluten free diet, Goodness Grains should be your staple. Established in 2013, it is one of very few purpose built gluten free bakeries in Ireland. This family owned company has won a staggering NINE Great Taste Awards and when you bite into one of their loaves, scones, pastries or bagels, you’ll quickly understand why. Visit Goodnessgrains.com.

6. Tara Hill Honey

tara hill

What is it? 100% pure Irish honey. What’s the story? Raw honey has a huge number of health benefits, as it is rich in nutrients, enzymes, vitamins and antioxidents that boost your immune system. Tara Hill Honey is a great local provider, with all honey produced on the slopes of Tara Hill, within a three mile radius of the owners’ home. This honey is available from a variety of independent health food stores and for more information, you can find them on Facebook.

7. Iswari

iswari

What is it? Raw and organic superfoods. What’s the story? Iswari, based in Kinsale, Co Cork, is a provider of high quality organic superfoods. Iswari Ireland Director Jason Linton is committed to conscious living so you can rest assured that these products are made with your health in mind. There is almost no limit to the products available, but we’d especially recommend the raw chocolate bars, and the trail mix and the chia seeds and their goji berries and their agave syrup. Actually, just try everything. Visit Iswari.net.

8. Wilkie’s Chocolate

wilkies

What is it? Organic Dark Chocolate. What’s the story? Like so many of the foods on this list, Wilkie’s delectable chocolate is dairy free, gluten free, soy free and nut free, meaning that you get to taste a much more natural chocolate that’s high in cocoa content. Another Great Taste Award winner, Wilkie’s is a small local chocolate company that produces its chocolate in very small batches. You can buy online at Wilkieschocolate.ie.

9. Chia Bia

chiabia

What is it? Chia seeds, chia mix, biscuits and energy bars. What’s the story? Chia is such a health food buzzword lately and justifiably so; it’s the highest known vegetarian source of Omega 3 and is also high in fibre, protein and antioxidants. Chia Bia was established in 2009 by co-founders Barrie and Ray, after Barrie discovered the health benefits of chia seed following a back injury. Now a team of nine, they are based in Waterford and their products are available in various supermarkets and health food stores. Buy online at Chiabia.com

10. Adora Flax Oil

adora

What is it? Flax seed oil – a high quality digestible protein that contains all amino acids. What’s the story? Adora Flax Oil is grown and produced in Co Laois and is completely organic with no artificial chemicals or additives. Flax oil is often referred to as liquid sunshine, as it contains essential fatty acids to support brain and nerve function, aid liver detoxification, lower cholesterol levels and break down foot fats in the digestive system. It has anti fungal, anti viral and anti bacterial properties and is basically just really, really, REALLY good for you. Buy online at Adorafarm.com

11. Arranmore Seaweed

arranmore

What is it? Edible seaweed – Dulse, Dillisk, Carrageen, Spirulina, Nori Flakes and Kombu Krisps. What’s the story? If you love a good munch of Dulse, you’ll be a huge fan of Arranmore’s produce. This edible seaweed is from the shoreline of Arranmore island, off the Donegal coast. It’s naturally grown in the wild and harvested by hand. Seaweed is great for digestive health, your heart and it’s low in calories. Research has also shown that it can help regulate hormones too.

12. Stript Snacks

stript

What is it? Beef jerky. What’s the story? If you’re a proud carnivore, then get your teeth into some Stript Snacks. Using 100% prime Irish beef, Stript’s jerky is high in protein but low in calories to sustain your appetite in the healthiest way. It has no artificial ingredients or flavourings – just natural herbs and spices. Stript was set up by Irishman Ross McDonnell who discovered the health benefits and delicious taste of biltong whilst living in South Africa. Buy online at Striptsnacks.com

13. Wyldsson

wyldsson

What is it? Healthy snacks. What’s the story? Wyldsson is probably among the better known names on this list. But if you haven’t seen them on social media (where they have a mega loyal following), Wyldsson is an online healthy snack retailer. The company was set up to help athletes eat clean by making healthy foods that taste great, meaning they can resist the quick and easy junk food on the supermarket shelves. Products include nuts, berries, muesli, oats and yoghurt toppers. Buy online at Wyldsson.com

14. Kelkin

kelkin

What is it? Cereal, pasta, sauces, popcorn, spreads, bread, cakes, biscuits – the list is endless! What’s the story? Another bigger name listed here is Kelkin, who produce a wide variety of foods for a full and balanced diet. Their wholesome and delicious foods are made from high quality ingredients and they also have a ‘free from’ range for those on gluten, wheat, sugar or dairy free diets. Visit Kelkin.co.uk

15. Solaris Botanicals

solaris

What is it? Tea. What’s the story? Solaris is a family business, run by a husband and wife team of medical herbalists, based in Galway. The couple have been blending their own tea since their time in university, and managed to turn their passion into their careers in 2003 when Solaris was established. Since then, Solaris has won 13 Great Taste Awards for their blended teas, made from the finest organic, raw ingredients. If you’re a tea fiend (and what real Irish person ISN’T), then you can buy online at Solarisbotanicals.com.

Have you got a parcel to send? Irish Parcels can save you up to 80% on your parcel deliveries. Send a parcel within Ireland, to the UK or Worldwide.

Some of our most popular international courier routes include:

China, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, USA, Canada,

Australia, UK, Netherlands, Denmark and Poland

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Six tips to make your small business go global

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Lana

How To Go Global

Going global is the goal for almost every small business…

With 1.2bn online customers around the world, businesses who tap into international markets are much more likely to succeed.

And nowadays, more than ever, this is an actual possibility thanks to the Internet and social media which has opened doors to the rest of the world, giving small businesses access to different geographic markets and allowing almost anyone to become a global trader.

But of course, it’s not quite as easy and closing your eyes, putting a pin on a map and saying ‘I’ll take that country.’ There certain things to consider before you start plotting world domination…

1. Are you really ready to export? Really, really ready?

It sounds like a stupid first point, but ask yourself, are you ready to export? Do you have the time, the resources, the manpower and money to begin exporting? Is this going to be profitable? How much will you need to sell to cover the set up, labor and exporting costs?

Get a business and marketing plan in place to cover absolutely every step of the way and eventuality.

2 Study, study, study. Do your market research

Before you launch your product or service into another country, make sure there’s a market for it. You need hard evidence, not just a gut feeling.

Look at your Google Analytics, Facebook Insights etc to see if there is any traffic trends coming from a specific area.

Examine search trends to discover if there is an veritable need for your company. A starting point is to use Google’s Keyword Planner which will give you an idea of how many people a certain country are searching for what you have to offer.

If you find that there’s huge search traffic for your industry, don’t just shout ‘yippee’ and get started. Make sure to research any competitors and their market share, as smaller secondary markets with fewer competitors might be less of a risk.

You’ll also need to assess how competitive your price will be within the market and be sure to take taxes, tariffs and export charges into account.

3. Are there any lawful impediments?

If you want to go international, it’s a good idea to start with one country or area and go from there. Immerse yourself in the culture, society and background of the country. Investigate if there are any legal or cultural regulations or issues surrounding your product or service. And for goodness sake, make sure your brand name does not mean anything offensive in the local language.

4 And on that note…

Language. Yes – you need to know the language. You don’t have to be fluent, but be aware of keywords surrounding your industry. It’s incredibly ignorant to expect customers to deal with you in English. An idea is to hire a customer service type employee who has language skills and can communicate with your customers either on the phone, via live chat or email.

In addition, it’s also advisable to build a section of your website dedicated to these international customers. Have the page locally translated. Avoid using Google’s automated translation, as it’s rarely 100% accurate, which will just annoy native speakers and cause them to bounce straight off your site.

Having a local-rate phone number will also help make your business more locally accessible to international customers.

5. Sell yourself

The best way to get started with promotion is to find a highly targeted niche group of people who you are certain, will need your product or service. It’s more cost effective than just targeting a whole country, it’s much easier to measure effectiveness and it gives you something to build upon.

Facebook advertising is a great tool, as it allows you to target an audience by a wide variety of factors like gender, age, country, language, interests etc. That way you’ll be able to build a somewhat captive local online community.

Another great tip for promoting is to find the big local influencers – the local celebrities, journalists and media personalities. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook and build a relationship with them.

6. And last but not least…

If you are planning to sell a product abroad, international shipping can be a major concern, as high unaffordable courier rates are the main roadblock to global success.

Keeping international shipping costs as low as possible will significantly help your profitability. We might be a little biased but using Irish Parcels is the best way to do this. One of our top priorities is to help local Irish businesses expand into global markets, so our international shipping rates are extremely competitive.

We will provide you with the best prices and the fastest shipping times for major couriers like DPD and TNT, who have an excellent reputation for reliable service. We provide full tracking and door to door service and it takes just five minutes to book online.

Visit our homepage to get a quote or find out more.


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9 Ways SMEs Can Save Money Right Now

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Lana

5 Ways (4)

It doesn’t matter how big your business is, how impressive your turnover is or how profitable your industry is – no company can really thrive without keeping an eye on those overheads.

Every business on the planet benefits from reducing overheads, but there’s no denying that it’s a much more pressing for small businesses, where every single penny counts.

If you’re one of many small business owners that’s on a shoestring budget (is there any entrepreneur who ISN’T?!), you’ll know that fortunately, cutting costs even just slightly, can make dramatic improvement to your bottom line.

But finding costs worth cutting is the hard part.

So to help a little, we’re taking a look at nine small immediate steps that Ireland’s SMEs can take to save money right now.

1. Send it the smart way

Ok so, as a parcel delivery company we have to talk about what we know best – shipping costs.

A YouGov report earlier this year, in conjunction with eBay, found that 31% of small businesses believe that postage and delivery costs are limiting their overall expansion and 75% of firms believe that high international rates are preventing them from reaching overseas markets. Sound familiar?

The average small business spends €11,000 per anum on parcel deliveries (according to another local report from ComReg). But here’s the good new – this is a significant spend which can easily be trimmed.

If your business sends parcels directly with couriers – either frequently or even just on occasion – you are seriously overpaying. Instead, use a comparison website like us – IrishParcels.ie. Customers can benefit from our contracts and reduced rates with major couriers which will decidedly lower your shipping costs. Businesses can stand to save up to 80% on parcel deliveries this way.

2. Value your workforce

If you’ve gone through the recruitment process, you’ll know that hiring someone is expensive and exhausting. Staff turnover can be extremely costly, so focus on retaining your current staff member by keeping them satisfied with their jobs. Be flexible to their needs, evaluate their duties and discover if you can reduce contracts from full-time to part-time.

3. Think outside the box

It’s a hotly debated issue for SMEs, but when done correctly, outsourcing can also help cut those operational and labor costs. Many startups avoid delegating to third parties in fear taking a risk, handing over control and added expense. But outsourcing to the right party will help you reduce spend, free up internal resources and allow you to focus on core duties. It’s always best to leave tasks where you have less experience, in the hands of experts.

4. Bury your offline efforts

A good marketing department can help build a small business into an empire, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, it can just as easily see everything you’ve built crumble into dust. (That’s perhaps a dramatic metaphor, but it’s true nonethless!)

So many businesses throw money at TV, radio and print advertising because that’s where their competitors are, it’s what all the big brands do and it’s familiar territory – it’s traditional.

But if you’re not as big as Sky or Coca Cola, it’s NOT the most effective way of reaching your audience, growing your brand and increasing sales. Start focusing your attention to online advertising, if you don’t already. Spend money on PPC advertising, Facebook ads, email marketing or affiliate marketing.

It’s cheaper than advertising offline but more importantly, it’s easier to target your specific customer base and it’s easier to measure effectiveness and therefore streamline your spend.

5. Don’t be a waste of space

If you have office space, make sure none of it is going to waste. Slim everything down as much as you can and see how much extra space is left. If there’s enough consider renting the extra space or setting up an office-share system with another company.

6. Be friendly

And on that note – is there another company that you could team up with? One that provides a different product/service but still serves the same market as you? If so, put links on each other’s websites, refer customers, put your brochures in each other’s mail, share mailing lists or share stands at trade shows. Not only is it mutually beneficial for both businesses, it can also aid the customer and improve their experience.

7. It’s easy being green

It’s an obvious one, but wasting heat and light is just like opening your wallet, emptying the contents down the toilet and flushing it away. Turn off lights and exclude drafts or switch to motion censored lighting and heating so energy and electricity is only used when needed.

8. Go mobile

If you have a website, it MUST be mobile friendly. Especially if you’re an online retailer, but not exclusively – all sites benefit from mobile compatibility. Smart phones and tablets are now the preferred method of internet access.

Online shopping and searching via mobile exceeds PC or laptop, so if people can not access your goods or service on their mobile, you are losing customers by the second. In the physical sales world, it’s like setting up a shop miles away from town, in the middle of a field, surrounded by trees and hedges with a locked door that can only be accessed with passcode given to you by a wizard. If you’re not visible, you’re not found.

9. No experience necessary

There are a lot of benefits to hiring an experienced candidate; they have a reliable track record that you can trust, they know what they’re doing and there’s less training required. It’s not that big of a risk and SME owners usually HATE taking risks.

But, what SMEs hate even more is overspending and unfortunately when it comes to hiring – experience is expensive…

Instead consider hiring a recent graduate. What they lack in background, they often make up for in enthusiasm and newly acquired knowledge. New graduates are tomorrow’s leaders. They have less bad habits to correct and see the industry with fresh eyes and may have creative new ideas to help you grow.


New to IrishParcels.ie?

We’re a brand new Irish courier! Visit our homepage to get a quote or find out more.


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Introducing Irish Parcels!

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Lana

Welcome

Need to send a parcel?

Irish Parcels is a brand new website which offers businesses and personal users the best prices and fastest delivery times for their parcel deliveries.

We compare top couriers in Ireland and worldwide to provide you with the best quote, which you can book quickly and easily online.

Individuals and small businesses can save up to 80% on delivery costs with Irish Parcels.

You’ll be able to save money on parcels sent within Ireland, to the UK and worldwide – we ship to over 200 countries at competitive prices.

Irish Parcels is one of the first Irish courier company to offer majorly discounted rates on international routes, so customers who need to send items worldwide and small businesses that serve international markets can make significant savings.

As well as low prices and hassle-free booking, we also offer door to door service and full online tracking of your parcel.

A Bit Of Background

Irish Parcels was created by 26 year old entrepreneur Paul Stewart, following the success of his Belfast based company NI Parcels.

After seeing many Northern Irish businesses benefit from the competitive rates of NI Parcels, Paul noticed that this need was not being correctly fulfilled for the Irish business community.

Paul says: “Many Irish SMEs are paying a higher price for their deliveries than they need to, they may not send large volumes of parcels to get any significant discounts from the couriers.

“With Irish Parcels, customers can benefit from our contracts with couriers like DPD, GLS and TNT and therefore save hundreds of euros on their current delivery costs.

“Other Irish courier brokers aren’t as competitively priced on international rates and focus more on the domestic market, so with our low costs, small businesses that serve international markets are likely to benefit significantly with Irish Parcels. I believe exports are key to Irish business and I hope Irish Parcels can help SMEs be more competitive internationally ”

Follow Irish Parcels on Facebook and Twitter to see our latest news and offers.

 

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Student Storage Services

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Lana

hand-truck-564242_640Student Storage Services

If you’re studying away from home, going on a gap year or taking your third year abroad, student storage can seem like a great solution when trying to figure out what the heck you’re going to do with all your stuff.

But, while student storage is a great way to manage your belongings and travel hands-free, there are some drawbacks…

Disadvantages Of Student Storage

There are two main drawbacks to student storage – the first is the set time limit. When booking student storage, you will have to choose a set amount of time for your belongings to be kept in the unit. If that time limit expires and you have not yet collected your belongings, you may face additional fees and charges.

The second drawback is something seemingly insignificant, which can become a major impracticality; after booking student storage and travelling home at the end of term, many students come to realise that they have forgotten something crucially important and now have no way to collect it. This can be quite an inconvenience.

Thankfully, there are some excellent alternatives to student storage, which provide you with all the benefits and overcome the aforementioned impracticalities.

Student Shipping – An Alternative To Storage

Student shipping is a great alternative to student storage and there are many specialist companies that offer these services specifically for students.

My Baggage is the No.1 Student Shipping Services, transporting luggage to 200+ countries worldwide for over 30,000 students.

With Mybaggage, you get all the benefits of student storage – low costs, door to door service, the ability to travel with little to no luggage, as well as added advantages such as full online tracking and a generous 30kg weight allowance per item.

Prices are fixed, so there are no hidden fees and by forwarding your luggage, you can ensure that nothing is left behind.

You can book and pay for your My Baggage shipment online and they have full customer support via phone, email and live chat if you happen to have any questions.

For more information on how student storage compares to student shipping, check out this informative post on the My Baggage blog.

More information on student shipping

 

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Irish Parcels – Save Time And Money On Your Parcel Deliveries

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Lana

Welcome

Welcome to Irish Parcels!

We are an online courier comparison service that can save you time and money on your parcel deliveries.

We compare the top couriers in Ireland and provide you with the cheapest prices and fastest delivery times for your parcel shipment.

hand-truck-564242_640Cheap Parcel Delivery

Individuals and small businesses can save up to 80% on their parcel deliveries. To get a price for your parcel, all you have to do is visit our homepage and enter the size and weight of your item. All parcels are individually priced based on their size and weight to give you the best value for money.

Simple Online Booking

One of the main benefits of Irish Parcels is the easy online booking and secure payment system – no more queuing at the post office, you can do everything from the comfort of your own home or office and it takes just a few minutes to book. In addition – there’s no need to create an account with Irish Parcels – it’s a pay-as-you-go system.

Door-to-Door Service

Irish Parcels only works with the best couriers in Ireland  (such as GLS, TNT, DPD) to ensure a safe, quick and reliable service. Once you’ve booked your parcel, it will be collected from your door and delivered straight to where it needs to go.

Full Online Tracking

Once your parcel has been collected, you can track its progress online and see where your shipment is every step of the way.

Cheap Worldwide Delivery

Irish Parcels ships to more than 200+ countries worldwide and our international courier rates are extremely competitive. So whether you’re sending a care package to a relative in Australia, or if you’re a small business owner sending products to France, you could save a considerable amount of money on your international parcel deliveries.

aboutQuote

 

Learn more:

Parcel Delivery Ireland

Courier Services Ireland

International Parcel Delivery

Our Couriers

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