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LetterAgent can't do this: its labels top out at 5 kg Xpresspost parcels, and furniture ships as freight. The short version: a small disassembled piece can sometimes travel as an oversized parcel, but most furniture goes LTL (less-than-truckload) freight, either blanket-wrapped or crated, with the price driven by size, weight, and distance.
When it outgrows the parcel network. Parcel carriers cap the size and weight of a single box; a dining table or a sofa blows past both. Freight carriers move it on a pallet or loose in a truck trailer, and pricing switches from per-box to per-shipment, based on dimensions, weight, and distance. The dividing line is practical: if one person can't reasonably lift and carry it, it's freight. Small items like chairs or side tables sometimes squeeze into the oversized-parcel category if you disassemble them, which is worth checking before you price freight.
| Blanket-wrap | Crate | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Furniture wrapped in moving blankets, then stretch wrap | A custom wooden box built around the piece |
| Cost | Cheaper | More expensive, sometimes by a lot |
| Protection | Good against scratches and minor bumps | Best against impacts, stacking, and long hauls |
| Best for | Sturdy wood furniture, shorter moves | Antiques, glass, marble, anything irreplaceable |
Disassemble what you reasonably can. Table legs, bed frames, and detachable shelves ship smaller and cheaper, and every piece you remove is one less thing to snap off in transit. Wrap everything: blankets or padding first, then stretch wrap to hold it all in place. Photograph each piece from several angles before the driver takes it, with close-ups of any existing scratches: if there's damage later, those before-photos are what make a claim winnable. Measure the longest dimension and the weight, and flag anything fragile or oddly shaped: freight quotes are built on those numbers, and a wrong measurement means a wrong quote.
Size, weight, distance, and access. Freight pricing uses dimensional weight more aggressively than parcel shipping: a bulky but light piece can price like a heavy one. Then come the accessorials, the add-on services: liftgate service if there's no loading dock, residential pickup or delivery, and inside delivery if you need it carried past the curb. Each one adds to the quote, so an apples-to-apples comparison needs the same accessorials on every quote. A quote that looks cheap often just left them off.
Delivery windows are wide: freight runs on multi-day windows, not appointment times, and someone has to be there to receive. Inspect on delivery and note any damage on the delivery receipt before the driver leaves: signing a clean receipt makes a later claim much harder. And confirm the insurance: freight carriers include limited liability coverage by default, which is often far below the value of the furniture, so ask what full coverage costs before you book.
Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
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