There is a significant factor in shipping costs that is often under-appreciated, and one of those factors is dimensional weight, also known as dim weight, which is one of the most key factors. If dim weight is miscalculated, it affects your shipping expenses, which might result in lost revenue.
So, what is dim weight?
Dimensional weight, also called volumetric weight or dim weight, is a pricing system for commercial freight transportation that uses an estimated weight derived from a box’s length, breadth, and height.
Prior to 2015, significant carriers used a straightforward formula to determine the price of shipping goods. The usual elements affecting shipping costs were the item’s weight and the distance it had to go. The cost of shipping increased with both the weight and the distance. However, the size of the object to be sent is a recent addition that major carriers have started incorporating into their formula.
You waste valuable storage space during delivery when you ship a lightweight item in a gigantic box. As a result, we now have DIM Pricing, which considers the volume of a package being transported.
How do you calculate the dimensional weight?
Get your package’s volume first, equal to its length, width, and height, before calculating the dimensional weight. Use the longest dimension for each length, width, and height if your product doesn’t have a standard box form.
Divide the volume by the shipping company’s “DIM factor” once you know the volume.
Current DIM factors are as follows:
- USPS:166
- DHL: 139
- FedEx: 139
- UPS: 166 for the retail rate and 139 for the daily rates
Once you’ve done that, round up the total to the next whole number to get your DIM weight.
Only packages having a volume greater than 1,728 cubic inches (corresponding to a box measuring 12 inches in length, breadth, and height) and zones five and higher are subject to DIM weight price. Otherwise, the actual weight will be utilized.
Why does dim weight matter so much to eCommerce firms?
Traditionally, shipping fees for any type of product, referred to as freight in the corporation, are added. However, the distance between the distribution center and the destination may be included in weight-based freight calculations.
More effective and practical distribution strategies are now necessary due to modern, improved logistics. After years of delivering light items in huge and generally inadequately proportioned packaging, supply chain industry professionals decided it was time for a change, which led to the introduction of the dimensional, or DIM-weight policy.
DIM weights have reduced waste from excessive packing and improved distribution efficiency by reducing the space occupied by pallets and trailers. DIM weights are intended to deter the delivery of commodities in overly big packaging. By employing the correct size or specific packing materials, DIM weight avoids taking a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Companies have reduced expenses across the board for their shipping operations by using DIM weight as a new benchmark.
Experts in packaging can offer suggestions for the proper-sized packaging, reducing the DIM weights of sent goods. Corrugated boxes that are correctly sized, the addition or modification of void fill or cushioning goods, and a better understanding of the packaging requirements for delivered products are just a few of the many options available for minimizing DIM weight for practically any distribution method.
In what ways can the dim weight help firms to reduce shipping costs?
If you’ve been paying attention, the DIM weight calculation is actually a density calculation. The DIM divisor determines a minimum shipping cost based on presumptions regarding the typical density of shipments. It doesn’t matter if the package dimensions don’t match the DIM weight calculation since you’ll just be charged for the actual weight. The DIM weight cost calculation, however, could surprise shippers with exceptionally large and light shipments. This is because DIM weight essentially penalizes heavy, low-density shipments.
Dense thinking is key to defeating the DIM weight, and below listed are some of the ways the dim weight can be a savior to mitigate shipping costs:
- Ensure that your items are wrapped in the smallest box available and that you use the right packaging material to prevent them from breaking.
- Check your available materials to see which is the most space-effective for your things’ protection. In addition, by changing your packaging material, you might reduce the size of your boxes even further without sacrificing the quality of your goods.
- Consider switching carriers if you ship many packages or renegotiating your existing contract with your provider if you ship many packages. The DIM divisors and cost multipliers used by various carriers might greatly impact your shipment prices.
Conclusion:
You can choose better how to package your stuff if you comprehend dimensional weight and how it’s determined. When you reduce the size of your box, you avoid paying excessive shipping fees and spend less on the actual packing supplies. The nicest part is that when clients get and unbox their orders, you make them happier.
