No matter which shipping service you choose, shipping costs will depend on the length, width and height of your package. To make sure you pay the right amount, you need to know the exact dimensions of the package you're sending. Use the measuring tool to determine the length, width and height of the package box. After that, use the measurement results to calculate the total size and dimensional weight of the package that may affect shipping costs.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Calculating the Length and Perimeter for a Regular Package (Rectangle)
Step 1. Measure the longest side of the package
Start by figuring out the longest side of the package and then tape a ruler or measuring tape to that side from one end to the other. Round the measurement to the nearest centimeter.
- Round the size to the nearest centimeter scale.
- This size is the length of the package.
- Many shipping services only accept packages up to a certain size.
Step 2. Rotate the measuring tool 90 degrees to find out the width of the package
The width of the box is the shorter side of the bottom or top side (or the open side). Measure the length of this side from end to end using a ruler.
This measurement is not necessarily as accurate as the package length measurement. Even if you swap the height for the width, the final calculation won't be much different
Step 3. Hold the measuring tool vertically to determine the height of the package
Measure the height of the package from the base to the lid, or vice versa. Round off the measurement results to the nearest centimeter, like the results of measuring the length and height of a package.
- The two horizontal sides of a regular package carton are generally exactly the same. This means that both sides can be used as the base or cover of the package.
- In most packages, the height is usually the shortest part.
Tip:
if your pack is an irregular shape, think of it like a regular rectangular pack, measuring the length, width and height from the outer edge of the pack.
Step 4. Multiply the length and width of the package by 2 then add them up to find out the thickness
Pay attention to your previous measurement results and then multiply the width and height of the package by 2. After that, add up the multiplication results. The amount you get is the estimated circumference of the package.
- If your package is 30 cm long, 10 cm wide, and 15 cm high, multiplying the width and height will give you 20 cm and 30 cm for a total of 50 cm.
- This number is the total distance around the thickest part of the package.
- Ignore the length measurement. You only need to know the circumference at the shortest part of the package.
Step 5. Count the total length and thickness to find out the total package size
Sometimes, when sending a package you will be asked for its overall size. To find out, simply add up the length and thickness of the pack. You will then have a number to describe the package size, which will be useful in shipping.
- Add up the length of 30 cm with the measurement results in the previous step so that the result is 80 cm.
- If the size of the package you are going to send is more than 330 cm, you may have to pay extra fees. Most shipping services do not accept packages larger than 420 cm.
Method 2 of 2: Calculating Dimensional Weight
Step 1. Measure the length, width and height
Use a ruler to measure all three sides of the package. Round this measurement to the nearest centimeter scale.
- When measuring dimensional weight, it doesn't matter which side is taken as the length, width, and height. You just need to make sure that all three sides are measured correctly.
- Note that this dimensional weight calculation can only be used in imperial units of measurement. This calculation will not be useful for metric sizes. (To use the following formula with the metric system, replace 166 with 5,000.)
Step 2. Multiply the length, width and height of the package to find the volume
Volume or cubic unit means the space in the box. If your package measures 30 cm long, 20 cm wide, and 10 cm high, the volume is 6000 cubic cm or 384 inches.
Some shipping services may use the term cubic size instead of volume
Step 3. Divide the volume of the package by a suitable divisor to find its dimensional weight
Shipping costs are not only calculated based on the size of the package, but also its destination. For shipments to the US or Puerto Rico, divide the volume of your package by 166. Meanwhile, for shipments to other countries, divide the volume of your package by 139.
- Based on the volume in inches in the previous step, the dimensional weight of your package should be 2.31 for shipping within the US, and 2.76 for shipping to another country.
- Do not round off the dimensional weight of the package. State according to the calculation results to determine shipping costs.
Step 4. Measure the weight of the package on the scale to find out the actual weight
Place the package on the balance and wait for the measurement results to be read. Be sure to record this weight accurately as it can help you determine shipping costs.
You can have your package weighed before shipping if you don't have your own scale
Tip:
if you send packages frequently, a personal scale can be very useful to save time and effort. Fairly good scales are sold starting at IDR 200,000
Step 5. Compare the actual package weight with its dimensional weight
If the dimensional weight of the package is greater than its actual weight, you may have to pay an extra fee. Most shipping services choose the highest cost to maximize their profit.
- You must know the actual weight of the package as well as its dimensional weight. The dimensional weight of the package is an estimate only, and is not an accurate measurement.
- In typical situations, shipping costs will be calculated based on the dimensional weight of the package, which is determined by the length, width and height. Meanwhile, the cost of shipping very heavy packages is often calculated based on the actual weight.
