How to Calculate Dimensional (DIM) Weight on your packages

You’ve been hearing a lot of news/stories of the drastic dimensional weight changes that UPS and FedEx are implementing in January 2015.

But What Exactly is Dimensional Weight?

Dimensional or DIM weight is a term that was coined by UPS and FedEx. UPS defines this term as:

Dimensional weight reflects package density, which is the amount of the space a package occupies in relation to its actual weight. Dimensional weight may apply to all UPS domestic and international package services.

In other words dimensional weight is the weight of a package based on the volume/density of a package.

When does dimensional weight apply?

Dimensional or DIM weight applies ONLY when and if the package volume weight exceeds the package “actual” weight.

UPS and FedEx have a formula by which you can calculate the dimensional weight of a package.

FORMULA for Domestic Shipments : Length x Width x Height ÷ 166 = Dim Weight

FORMULA for International Shipments : Length x Width x Height ÷ 139 = Dim Weight

SAMPLE BOX:

24″x 16″ x 12″ = 4,608 cubic inches ÷ 166 = 27.76lbs (Dim Weight)

A 24x16x12 box has a dimensional weight of 27.76 lbs. If the box’s “ACTUAL” weight is less than the Dim weight, the carrier will go by Dim Weight of the package and bill you as if the package was 27.76 lbs even though it might weight much less.

But if the “ACTUAL” weight of the package exceeds the Dim weight of the package than the carrier will go by the actual weight instead of the dim weight.