Deutsche Post DHL is offering a new service whereby e-commerce companies can track their goods even after they have left Germany. The Ländernachweis service is available to 16 countries around the world at present though agreements are being made with other postal services around the world.

The new system involves the parcel having an RFID tag put on the parcel, so when it is scanned at the international sorting centre the sender receives a notification, as well as at the entry to the other country as well as at customs.

In a statement from Deutsche Post, the company said that the service is “designed specifically to cater to the needs of business customers and small-scale senders”.

The Ländernachweis is designed for mid value goods so a cheaper option is available for e-commerce companies unwilling to go for the top rated, and most expensive Einschreiben service they would otherwise use for high value goods. The statement from Deutsche Post explained, “While these customers can already use Einschreiben International (international registered items) to send higher-value goods, they often have other requirements when it comes to the international shipping of less expensive mid-sized to large items. Every single step in the shipping process need not be registered for these letter items, and key locations suffice for identifying their whereabouts. Ländernachweis closes this service gap and complements the diverse e-commerce portfolio of Deutsche Post DHL.”

The service, which costs €19 for 20 tags, is available in 16 countries. Within the EU, these include: Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, the UK, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and Hungary. Outside of the EU the service is available in Switzerland and the USA.

Postal operators and delivery companies are looking at new ways of capturing the e-commerce industry and such moves will be followed by interest. The availability of such a service will significantly help e-commerce companies in one’s country.