Overview
Dimensional Weight (also called DIM weight) is a calculation all shipping providers use to bill postage. Accurate dimensional weight helps ensure shipping costs are correctly estimated.
Dimensional weight can be higher or lower than the item’s actual weight based on the package dimensions. Lister has helpful features to ensure accurate dimensional weight calculation during the listing process.
For shipping costs, the final dimensional weight is considered to be the higher value of either the calculated dimensional weight of package or the actual weight of the package.
Table of Contents
Calculating Dimensional Weight within Lister
Lister uses information from five fields to calculate the dimensional weight of an item. Item Weight, Length, Width, and Height are required to use the Dimensional Weight Calculator.
Item Weight - Enter the item weight or automatically pull it in using your scale and Lister Connect
Length, Width & Height - Enter the item’s shipping length, width, and height. This will be used if creating a custom box size)
Box Padding - Select the amount of padding the item will need to arrive safely at its destination
Shipping Method - Carriers differ in their dimensional weight calculation. Select the shipping carrier this item is likely to ship with for the most accurate result
Shipping Box - Click “Calculate” to have Lister choose a box or manually select the shipping box
Once these five fields are complete, Lister will use this information to calculate dimensional weight for you.
Click the calculator icon within the “Shipping Weight” field to bring up the Dimensional Weight calculator. If Box Padding or a Shipping Box has been selected, Lister will automatically pull in the correct overall box dimensions
Click “Calculate dim weight” to calculate the dimensional weight for the package and auto-fill it into the Shipping Weight field
Factors Affecting Dimensional Weight
Lister can adapt to many workflows when calculating Dimensional Weight. While Box Padding and Shipping Box fields aren’t required to calculate Dimensional Weight, they have a big impact when it comes to shipping your items.
Developing a robust shipping workflow can be a huge undertaking, especially while balancing day-to-day operations.
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Item Dimensions and Weight
The most accurate dimensional weight will come from the item dimensions and weight. This means you should enter the dimensions of the item as shipped instead of the literal dimensions.
For example, the dimensions of a quilt may measure 50” x 60” x 1”; however, when folded, it may measure 15” x 15” x 6”. The folded measurement is closer to the shipping measurement and will result in a more precise dimensional weight.
Box Padding
Box padding is the additional space in a shipping box for any packing material. Overestimating padding can result in larger box sizes, which will increase the shipping cost charged to ship it out.
Box Size
When a box size is selected, Lister will use the dimensions of the box as defined in the Shipping Boxes settings to determine the dimensional weight.
For oddly shaped items, a better box can be manually selected if needed. Alternatively, Lister can estimate a dimensional weight using the Item’s Dimensions and Padding if a box is not selected.
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