Shipping Calculation Breakdown - More about Dimensional Weight

Understanding shipping prices and dimensional weight can be confusing, but we’re here to help you understand how shipping cost is calculated for your packages.

What is Dimensional Weight?

Dimensional weight, also known as volumetric weight, is a way for shipping carriers to calculate your package’s shipping costs. It is calculated by multiplying the length, width, and height of the package and dividing the result by a dimensional divisor, or DIM divisor, set by the carrier (ours is 166).

This is the usual method for calculating shipping costs because you are paying for the amount of space your package takes up during transit. Smaller packages have lower shipping costs because they don’t require as much space and therefore more can be fit in a truck or plane at one time.

So How Does Boundr Use It to Calculate Shipping Costs?

Boundr calculates shipping costs by taking the dimensional weight into account along with the destination country, sender location, and the package’s actual weight. The final price for shipping is the greater of the two between dimensional weight and actual weight. You can use our international shipping cost calculator to get a list of shipping estimates for your packages from different carriers such as FedEx or Aramex.

The Formula for Calculating Dimensional Weight

As we mentioned before, our formula for calculating dimensional weight is:

But are you wondering why the DIM divisor s 166? This was the industry standard for many years, but recently other carriers have decreased the number and now the average is around 139, making shipping with dimensional weight even more expensive. The lower the number gets, the higher the prices become. With Boundr, our high DIM divisor saves you money compared to other companies.

Let’s say your package is 16 inches x 12 inches x 12 inches. With Boundr, the dimensional weight is rounded up to 14lbs, but with other companies the dimensional weight is rounded up to 17lbs. That’s 3lbs extra you’re paying for with other carriers.

Use Boundr to Save On International Shipping

Now that you’re an expert on dimensional weight, you can understand how Boundr calculates shipping costs and keep this information when choosing what size box to ship your packages in. Check out our packaging guidelines for even more tips on how to pack your items safely and securely to save money and make sure your packages arrive to their destination safely.

Ship internationally with Boundr and start saving today!