Volumetric Weight Explained: Why Light Parcels Cost So Much

If a parcel of down jackets costs as much to ship as a box of books three times heavier, volumetric weight is why. It is the most common source of "why is shipping so expensive?" — and understanding it is the fastest way to spend less.

The formula

volumetric weight (kg) = length × width × height (cm) ÷ divisor

The divisor is 5000 or 6000, depending on the line. A smaller divisor produces a larger number and therefore a higher charge — express lines frequently use 5000.

Freight is charged on the chargeable weight, which is:

chargeable weight = max(actual weight, volumetric weight)

Both are rounded up. The idea is straightforward: an aircraft and a truck sell space, not just mass. A parcel occupying a cubic metre of hold displaces revenue whether it is full of feathers or steel.

Worked examples

Pillow, 0.6 kg actual, in a 60 × 40 × 20 cm carton

You are billed for 8 kg of a 0.6 kg pillow. This is the classic case, and why vacuum compression exists.

Same pillow, vacuum-compressed into 40 × 25 × 12 cm

A 75% reduction in chargeable weight from repacking. On any tier, that is a large saving, and it is the single clearest case where a paid repacking service pays for itself several times over.

Textbooks, 6 kg actual, in 35 × 25 × 20 cm

Dense goods are billed on actual weight. Repacking a box of books changes nothing about the price — do not buy the service.

Two pairs of sneakers with boxes, 1.8 kg actual, in 45 × 35 × 25 cm

Halving the bill by discarding two cardboard boxes. This is the highest-return optional service on the menu for footwear.

The goods that always surprise people

Bulky and light, by category:

How to cut the chargeable weight

1. Remove original packaging. Shoeboxes, gift boxes and the seller's filler are volume you pay for.
2. Vacuum compress soft goods. Usually the largest single saving available.
3. Ask for the smallest carton that fits. A warehouse that drops your goods into the nearest big box costs you money.
4. Ship in one parcel. One 8 kg parcel is cheaper than two 4 kg parcels, because minimum charges and handling are per parcel. Free storage exists precisely to make this possible.
5. Fill voids. A tall box with a small item inside is billed on the box. Void fill does not add chargeable weight.
6. Split rigid items from compressible ones only if it reduces the total — sometimes it does not, and a single well-packed parcel still wins.

What we do

We measure and weigh what actually arrives, and we quote on the chargeable weight rather than an estimate wherever we can. If the measured chargeable weight comes in below our estimate, the difference is refunded; if it is above, we tell you before dispatch and you can choose to remove packaging, drop an item or switch tiers rather than pay the supplement.

The optional services relevant here are remove/replace packaging, vacuum compression and reinforced packaging — priced per item, shown on the checkout page, never applied without you selecting them.

Related reading

• How to reduce international shipping cost — the broader playbook
• What is DDP shipping? — who pays duty and VAT
• Shipping from China to the EU — region-specific notes

Try the numbers on your own parcel

Paste a link into the homepage box, pick a tier and submit your confirmation. We measure the packed parcel and quote the real freight — and if the arithmetic upsets you, you can change tier or request repacking before paying anything.