My shipment has cartons of three different sizes: how do I get the total chargeable weight?
The Identical packages field multiplies one carton by a count, so it cannot mix sizes. Run each size separately with its own count, using the same divisor each time, then add the Total chargeable weight figures. Before relying on that total, ask your carrier whether it bills each piece on its own or the shipment as a whole.
Example: three sizes in one shipment
A shipment to a distributor with 17 cartons, using 5000 as an example divisor. I ran the tool three times:
- Size A, 8 cartons of 40 × 30 × 30 cm at 6 kg each: 7.2 kg per carton, 57.6 kg in total.
- Size B, 4 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm at 14 kg each: 19.2 kg per carton, 76.8 kg in total.
- Size C, 5 cartons of 30 × 20 × 20 cm at 5 kg each: volumetric weight only 2.4 kg, so the actual weight applies, 25 kg in total.
The sum if each piece is billed separately: 57.6 + 76.8 + 25 = 159.4 kg. Notice that size C is heavy for its size, unlike the other two. That matters in the next section.
Why the figure can change if the shipment is treated as one unit
Some carriers add up the whole shipment's volume and actual weight, then compare the two totals. From the tool's own figures: total volume 288,000 + 384,000 + 60,000 = 732,000 cm³, so the shipment's volumetric weight is 732,000 ÷ 5000 = 146.4 kg. Total actual weight is 48 + 56 + 25 = 129 kg. The chargeable weight would then be 146.4 kg, below 159.4.
The difference comes from the heavy size C cartons offsetting the lighter ones once the shipment is pooled. Which method applies? That is your carrier's decision for its service, which the tool does not know, so ask before relying on either figure.
Working it out
- Group the cartons by size and weight, and count each group.
- In the Volumetric shipping-weight calculator, enter one carton from the first group with its count, and note the three total lines.
- Repeat for the other groups without changing the divisor or its basis.
- Add up each group's total chargeable weight, and also the volumes and actual weights if your carrier treats the shipment as one unit.
After the calculation
Put each group's figures on a packing list with the Packing-list generator, with carton counts and dimensions, because the carrier and the consignee will need them. If you track shipping costs month by month, log each shipment's real cost in the Expense summary generator to see over time which kinds of shipment cost you most.
Common questions
Can I enter several sizes in one calculation?
No. The tool handles one size at a time, with a count for identical cartons of that size.
Why must the divisor stay the same?
It is one shipment with one carrier and one service, and mixing divisors makes the sum meaningless.
Does the total include rounding?
No. The tool does not apply carrier rounding, so apply it yourself under your carrier's rule.