What is dimensional weight?
Dimensional weight is a standard formula used in the freight industry that considers a package’s density when determining charges. Transportation charges are based on the gross weight of the shipment or the dimensional weight of the shipment, whichever is greater. To obtain the appropriate formulas used for specific carriers contact a World Warehouse & Distribution freight analyst and they can provide you with the correct formulas.
Dimensional weight on most products is the actual shipping weight of the item. Some swords and axes are very long and/or have large handles and pommels. UPS assigns a minimum weight on any package based on the cubic size of the package (Length x Width x Height) and divides that by 194 and charges the greater of this number or the actual weight. Example. A sword may weigh 4 lbs but requires a box 56″ long x 12″ wide by 3″ high. (56x12x3=2016) If you divide 2016 by 194 this package has an 11 pound minimum weight. (2016/194=10.39….) All fractions of a pound are round up to the next full pound.
When shipping fragile bulky items like computer motherboards or LCD panels, we must use extra protection to avoid damages during transit. A full ATX Motherboard weighs approx. 2 lbs., however we must use a 15 x 15 x 5 box for safe transit. Carriers like FedEx, UPS, and DHL will charge us for a Dimensional Weight of 6lbs.
• Weight used when the weight of a package is less than the actual size of the package (e.g., box of inflated balloons) • Based on a formula considering a package’s density when determining freight charges • Final transportation charges are based on the gross weight of the shipment or the dimensional weight of the shipment; whichever is greater.
