Volumetric weight

Volumetric weight

We often get asked can I have your price per kilo to ………… destination? Well the branded courier services like DHL, FedEx, and TNT, who move our clients' parcels, do not charge in that way.

The chargeable weight of a shipment is based on either the actual physical weight of a parcel or parcels in Kilos. Or the volumetric weight of the parcel or parcels whichever is the larger.

The volumetric weight of a parcel is based only on its size. The larger a parcel is, the larger its volumetric weight will be. This is important because a large box that is lightweight will take up more space in a vehicle whilst in transit than a smaller one of the same weight. This why a courier can only calculate the volumetric weight of a shipment once they know the sizes of your parcels eg the length, width, and height in cms.Below is a guide on how volumetric weight is usually calculated. 

For international courier services that are moved by air, eg express services, the volumetric weight of a parcel is calculated as the length in cms x width in cms x height in cms divided by 5000. For shipments that are being moved by road, the calculation changes and the total is divided by 4000. Although volumetric weight can be assigned any volume by a carrier, these are the most common values used to calculate the volumetric weight by the large branded couriers.

If you are unsure about how to measure a parcel, please have a look at our online video: , - How to measure a box.

So it is only when you have the size and weight of your parcel, that you can calculate both its actual and volumetric weight so that you know what the chargeable weight is. If you do not know what factor your carrier is using to calculate the volumetric weight of a parcel, do not worry.  If you have both the size and weight of your parcel, our pricing portal will automatically calculate the chargeable weight for each service and provide instant quotes from multiple carriers for delivering your shipment. So you can let us do all the calculations, and all you have to do is choose the service with the right price and features that you would like to use. All our services are fully tracked and supported by our knowledgeable UK customer service team.

I hope that this article has helped to explain what volumetric weight is, and why it is needed to be able to calculate an accurate shipping quote. Whilst the smaller a parcel is, the smaller its volumetric weight will be. It is important to ensure that you always use plenty of internal packaging material to protect your contents while they are in transit.

 

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