If your shipping bills feel higher than the weight on your scale, you're probably paying volumetric weight — and it's the most common reason sellers overpay couriers.
How volumetric weight is calculated
Couriers bill the higher of actual (dead) weight and volumetric weight. The standard domestic formula is:
Volumetric weight (kg) = (Length × Breadth × Height in cm) ÷ 5000
So a 40 × 30 × 25 cm box is 6,000 cm³ / 5000 = 6 kg volumetric, even if it only weighs 2 kg on the scale. You'll be charged for 6 kg.
How to stop overpaying
- Right-size packaging. Every spare cm³ is billed weight. Use the smallest box that protects the product.
- Declare accurately. Under-declaring invites weight-discrepancy charges later — which cost more than declaring correctly up front.
- Compare carriers by chargeable weight, not rate. Some couriers use a 4000 divisor for certain services; the chargeable kg differs even at the same per-kg price.
- Dispute wrong reweighs. If a courier reweighs higher than reality, contest it with photos/video of the packed parcel on a scale.
Skyfleet shows the chargeable weight per courier at rate-compare time and lets you raise weight-discrepancy disputes with evidence upload — so you're never quietly overbilled.
Why is my 1 kg parcel billed as 3 kg?
Because its dimensions make the volumetric weight 3 kg, and couriers bill the higher of the two. Shrink the box or expect to pay the volumetric figure.
Is the divisor always 5000?
For most domestic surface/air it's 5000; some express and international services use 4000 or 6000. Always check the divisor for the exact service.
