Intro to Packaging and Shipping
Measuring a shipping box might seem like an ordinary skill but today we’re going through the basics for any beginners or businesses that are new to shipping products. We’ll cover how to measure a box, figuring out the cubic size as well as other general shipping information to keep in mind before packaging your product to get it sent out to a customer.
When packing and shipping boxes, it’s important to know how to measure a box properly in order to get the most efficient shipping rates. There are certain steps to measuring a box that will make it easier for your business and here’s everything you need to know in order to measure a box.
Inside or Outside Dimensions?
When you purchase a box from WCP or other distributors, shipping boxes are measured using the inside dimensions. This is done so that you know that your products will fit properly. When you measure a box for shipping with carriers like UPS or FedEx, you’ll be measuring the outside dimensions of the box. By using the outside dimensions it allows carriers to accurately figure out the space required for your package.
How to Measure a Box
- Measure the length of the box first. This is the long side of the box on the side of the longest flap.
- Next, turn the box 90 degrees and measure the width, which is the side with the shorter flap.
- Last, measure the height of the package. This will be measured with the flaps closed, from top to bottom.
*Note on measurements – Acceptable variance is +/- ⅛”.
Dimensional Weight and Shipping Your Package
Most freight companies charge by the dimensional weight of the box or the actual weight, whichever is greater. They do this so they can maximize their profits, which makes it vitally important for the shipper to have the right-sized box for your product so you don’t overspend on shipping.
How to Calculate the Dimensional Weight
- Multiply the length by the width by the height of the box to calculate the cubic size.
- Take the cubic size of the box and divide it by the shipping carrier’s divisor.For FedEx and UPS, the retail dimensional weight divisor is 139 and both DHL and USPS use 166 as the dim factor for packages less than 1,728 cubic inches (or 1 cubic foot). See carrier for more details.
For shipping companies, costs are based on the size of the box but also where the package is being shipped to. Shipping companies will charge you shipping costs based on the cubic size of the package based on the destination. The dimensional weight needs to be exact and not rounded at all for proper shipping costs.
If you have more questions or need help finding the perfect box please reach out to your local WCP team!
————-
Updated on 12/07/2021
Originally published 11/11/2019
Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Measure-the-Length-x-Width-x-Height-of-Shipping-Boxes
Source: https://shippingeasy.com/dimensional-weight-shipping-calculator/
FAQs
Measure the length of the box first. This is the long side of the box on the side of the longest flap. Next, turn the box 90 degrees and measure the width, which is the side with the shorter flap.
How do you measure a box for packaging? ›
How do you calculate the size of a box? To calculate the size of a box, you need to measure the length, width, and height of the box. Multiply the three measurements together to get the volume of the box in cubic units.
How do you measure a box for USPS? ›
Length is the longest dimension. Width is the horizontal measure side-to-side, perpendicular to the length. And height is the vertical dimension, measured top-to-bottom. For rectangular parcels, record the exterior dimensions for length, width, and height in inches -- using sewing or measuring tape.
How do you determine the size of a box? ›
You can calculate the volume of a box by multiplying length x width x height. Using the example of the single wall box this will be 102 x 102 x 102 which equals 1,061,208 cubic millimeters (㎣). In metric units volume is usually expressed in millimetres and litres.
What are the 3 measurements of a box? ›
There are three dimensions to all boxes, Length, Width, and Depth.
How do you determine the size of a package? ›
How To Calculate the Dimensions of a Box. The dimensions of a box formula is pretty straightforward: length x width x height. This format is also what your product packaging provider will use when creating your containers. The length of the box is the longest side when looking at it from the top.
How do you calculate pack size? ›
You can determine the volumetric weight of your package using Volumetric Weight Formula: Length (cm) x Width (cm) x Height (cm) / 5000. Let us make it easy for you.
What are the dimensions of a box packing? ›
All box dimensions are written as length x width x height. For example, 14" x 11" x 4" means 14" (L) x 11" (W) x 4" (H)". Specify whether these are inner or outer box dimensions.
How do you calculate items in a box? ›
For the solid ones, count how many will fit in width, height and depth, and take the product of these numbers.
How do you measure a box without a ruler? ›
Pull out a credit card or business card to use as a rough guide. You can measure objects by placing the card alongside the object. Then compare the size of the card to the size of the object. A standard credit card is 3.375 inches (8.57 cm) long.
Diameter is the length of a straight line across the center of the circle. For this example, we have a 6” Diameter x 4” Height box. For the Diameter: Measure, from bottom or top of the box, across the center of the circle.
What is l * w * h? ›
When you see the dimensions of an object listed as “length x width x height,” it is referring to the measurement of that object in three-dimensional space. The length is always the longest side, the width is always the middle side, and the height is always the shortest side.
What comes first, length or width or height? ›
These dimensions are always expressed in the order where the length comes first, followed by the width and then the height. This means if the dimensions of a box are to be measured they are expressed in the order of length, width and height.
How to calculate package dimensions? ›
For each package dimension, measure at the longest point, rounding each measurement to the nearest whole number (for example, 9.00 to 9.49 will be considered 9, and 9.50 to 9.99 will be considered 10). Then, multiply the package length by the width by the height.
