In New Zealand, “rural delivery”, commonly known as R D, almost always comes with an extra charge — and it’s not just a random fee. It’s a direct result of how delivery networks are organized and the challenges involved in reaching rural addresses.
Here are some of the main reasons behind the higher cost:
- Extra Distance & Fuel
Couriers usually travel far beyond their typical urban routes to reach rural areas. Often, this means driving long stretches of road with very few deliveries along the way, which makes each rural drop much more expensive in terms of fuel and vehicle wear.
- Lower Delivery Density
In cities, couriers might deliver 20 or more parcels within a few blocks. In contrast, rural deliveries might involve driving 10 or more kilometers just to deliver a single parcel. Fewer stops per trip mean higher cost per package.
- Subcontracting Rural Runs
Many courier companies don’t deliver directly to rural addresses themselves. Instead, they hand parcels over to specialized rural contractors — often the same people who deliver rural mail. These contractors get paid per parcel, and their fees add to the overall cost.
- Longer Delivery Times
Delivering in rural areas can take much longer due to winding gravel roads, farm gates, and widely spaced properties. Couriers factor in this extra time when setting delivery prices.
- No Cross-Subsidy from Urban Deliveries
Urban deliveries are cheaper and highly competitive. While it might seem fair to average delivery costs across all customers, most courier companies charge rural customers separately because rural deliveries don’t benefit from the economies of scale urban routes enjoy.
What does this mean when ordering products from our on-line store?
When you have finished selecting the items required from our on-line store and then proceed to checkout, you will see the array of delivery options to help you choose the correct courier fee for and cost based on your delivery address:
- NZ – Auckland / North Island — For urban addresses in cities and towns, this option has a lower delivery fee.
- NZ – North Island – Rural Delivery — For rural addresses outside towns, this option covers the additional costs involved.
Please select the delivery option that best matches your address to avoid extra charges.
Hopefully, the above explanation will help you understand why a rural delivery costs more than a standard delivery.
Image source: NZ Post
Thomas Müller – Chief Hearing Technologist
Thomas' key area of expertise is in the technology of rehabilitative audiology and he has a long and substantial history of providing consulting advice to various audiologists and other hearing specialists on all aspects of this area.
