Volumetric weight explained
You may have heard about volumetric weights and wondered how it applies to your e-commerce deliveries.
Or perhaps you’ve discovered that your parcel costs more to send and it’s heavier on your invoice than you anticipated. Here’s everything you need to know about volumetric weight and how it affects your delivery price.
What is volumetric weight and why do I need to know about it?
First thing that you need to know (and not everybody does) is that your parcel weight will be measured by your parcel carrier to work out the tariff.
There are two ways of measuring that weight. One is the dead weight and that is simply the weight that you get when you place the parcel on the scales.
Second, is the volumetric weight, which considers the dimensions of the parcel. This is measured by the height x the length x the width.
The volumetric, or dimensional, weight is the method that most parcel carriers use to determine your charges. The reason they do this is because space comes at a premium, especially when you are delivering parcels by plane. The smaller the package, the more items can be delivered at once, thus increasing the revenue for your carrier.
So, even though you might have a very light item, if you send it in a large box, it will be more expensive.
Parcel measuring terms:
| Dead weight | The heaviness of the object as per the weight on your scales |
| Volumetric weight | The dimensional weight, measured by the length, width and height of your parcel |
How is volumetric weight measured by my parcel carrier?
Major parcel carriers use a laser scanning system to work out the volumetric weight of a parcel. It also scans your package and produces a corresponding tracking number at the same time. It does all this in a matter of milliseconds.
Sound clever? It is. However, what a laser scanning system cannot do is accurately measure an awkward parcel shape. For example, if your package is triangular, a t or an l-shape or anything that would be a bit awkward to measure using a standard ruler (such as a scrunched up bag), your parcel is going to cause some difficulties.
How does a parcel carrier measure an awkward-shaped parcel?
Unfortunately, laser scanning systems aren’t sophisticated enough to scan the exact dimensions of an awkward-shaped parcel. Instead, it will square off the object to a square or rectangular shape and work out the maximum measurement. Obviously, this is not ideal as you will effectively be charged for dead space.
So, how do parcel carriers work out the tariff rate based on my volumetric weight?
All parcel carriers use a simple calculation to convert your dimensional measurement into a tariff rate. To do this, they multiply the length, height and width of your parcel and divide that figure by 5000.
However, be aware that some carriers use a divisor of 4000 instead of 5000 and that will increase the cost of sending your parcel. If you want to ensure that you get the best tariff rate for your delivery. It pays to shop around and be careful of the small print!
Calculation for working out parcel tariff
Parcel length, height and width (in cm) ÷ 5000 (sometimes 4000)
Great, but why do I need to know the difference between volumetric and dead weights?
Well, the difference between the dead weight and the volumetric weight can be quite large and that can lead to some unexpected bills for your e-commerce company. Imagine the scenario below.
Anna sold a pottery vase online. It was quite small but very fragile, so she packaged it in a large box with bubble wrap to keep it secure.
When she weighed it on her home scales the weight was 2 kgs.
Anna used a large shipping company to send the vase to the customer. The weight was calculated using a laser scanning system based on the parcel dimensions (height, length and width).
The following calculation applied to Anna's parcel:
Height 30 cm x Length 50 cm × width 25 cm = 37,500 ÷ 5000 = 7.5 kg
Suddenly, Anna's 2 kg parcel is now actually a 7.5 kg parcel. It's more than three times it's original estimated weight. So, you can imagine the surprise Anna got when she received the bill.
What should I remember so I don’t get caught out by a surprise tariff rate due to volumetric weight?
Sometimes you just can’t avoid paying a little extra to make-sure your parcel arrives successfully. It’s a fine balance between making sure you keep your costs down and ensuring your parcel arrives undamaged – especially if you’re posting fragile goods.
However, there are a few tips you can consider to keep costs to a minimum:
Handy tips when sending a volumetric package:
- Be careful of sending awkward shaped packages – t-shaped, l-shaped and triangular items are particularly hard to measure.
- Try to avoid sending a lightweight item in a large box. The difference between what you think you should pay and what you actually pay could be quite significant.
- Try to minimise the packaging you use without jeopardising the security of the item inside. It’s all very well getting your delivery costs down, but not if it comes at the expense of your product (or customer satisfaction for that matter).
- Always check the small print. If your parcel carrier is using 4000 as their volumetric divisor, think again. They are making extra revenue on your package. That might be OK if it’s a one-off, but if you’re sending several items a week, that extra cost will soon add up.
Make your shipping easier with SAMOS
Want to know more? Pick up the phone or drop us a line. We’re happy to help. Get in touch today
At SAMOS we measure all our parcels in a volumetric weight using a divisor of 5000.
we are a small, bespoke shipping company we measure per item, which means your weight and tariff will be as accurate as possible. Plus, the rate we quote is always the price your pay. No hidden surcharges. No surprises.