What is Volumetric Weight and how will it affect my shipment?

When sending a parcel via courier, no matter what the destination, you will need to provide a certain amount of minimum information in order to obtain a quote for the service you require. All parcel delivery services require you to enter the destination of your package and the weight (most often in kilograms) and dimensions of your parcel (that is, the length, width and height, most often in centimetres) in order to obtain a quote. For non-seasoned shippers, the dimensions are measured as shown in the image below:

Often, the cost of your shipment will be calculated on the basis of its stated weight, in kilograms. This is called the actual weight. Sometimes, however, if your parcel is particularly large or bulky and contains relatively light items (think: balloons, sponges or even large items made of lightweight plastic) a value derived from the size rather than the weight of your parcel will be used to calculate the shipment cost. This is called the  volumetric weight. 

How is volumetric weight calculated?

Different services have slightly different formulae for calculating volumetric weight, but generally speaking, the figure is determined by multiplying the three dimensions of your parcel together and dividing by  between 4000 and 6000. For example, the premium air service DHL Express Worldwide, which is offered at heavily discounted rates by Transglobal Express, calculates volumetric weight with a denominator of 5000. So, if your parcel dimensions are 40x20x15 centimetres, given that (40x20x15)/5000=2.4, the volumetric weight for your consignment would be 2.4kg

How will it affect the cost of my shipment?

The chargeable weight of your shipment will be either the actual weight or the volumetric weight- whichever is largest. So, in the example above, if your parcel weighed less than 2.4kg, you would still be charged the 2.4kg of volumetric weight. If your parcel weighted more than 2.4kg, you would be charged for actual weight. 

All clear?

Please contact Transglobal Express on 0845 145 1212 if you require any further information, or check our website for service specific details.

Happy Shipping!