When you receive a shipping bill for online purchases (especially when using overseas代購services), have you ever had this question:
"My dress/plush toy is so light, why is the shipping weight so much higher? Was it weighed incorrectly?"
In fact, when logistics companies calculate shipping fees, there's another method called "Volumetric Weight" calculation. Today, I'll take 3 minutes to explain the concept of "Volumetric Weight" in the simplest way possible and share how we help you save on shipping costs!
💡 What is "Volumetric Weight"? Why do logistics companies charge this way?
Imagine this: if someone ships a whole box of cotton and a whole box of iron blocks, both have the exact same volume.
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Iron blocks are, of course, heavy, so it's reasonable for logistics companies to charge more.
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But if you only weigh it, cotton can be as light as a feather. However, this box of cotton takes up the same amount of space in an airplane or truck!
If all customers shipped cotton, and planes were full but had no weight, airlines would lose money. Therefore, there's a consensus in the global logistics industry: "Actual weight" versus "Volumetric weight" – whichever is greater will be used for charging.
💡 Core Formula:
Shipping weight (lbs) = ⚠️ "Actual Weight (lbs)" versus "Volumetric Weight (lbs)", whichever is greater.
📊 Comparison of "Volumetric Weight" Calculation Methods for Taiwan's Four Major Logistics Companies
Taiwanese logistics companies generally calculate volumetric weight for international express or cross-strait express shipments. To make it easier for everyone to calculate, I've standardized the formula to: input in centimeters (cm) and directly calculate "pounds (lb)", making it clear at a glance:
| Logistics Company | Volumetric Weight Calculation Formula (Dimensions in cm) |
| SF Express | Length X Width X Height cm / 6000 X 2.2046 = Volumetric Weight (lbs) |
| DHL Express | Length X Width X Height cm / 5000 X 2.2046 = Volumetric Weight (lbs) |
| FedEx | Length X Width X Height cm / 5000 X 2.2046 = Volumetric Weight (lbs) |
| Chunghwa Post (Taiwan Post) | Length X Width X Height cm / 6000 X 2.2046 = Volumetric Weight (lbs) |
*Measurements in cm less than 1 cm will be rounded up. Volumetric weight calculated with a divisor of 5000 is usually higher than with a divisor of 6000.
🔍 Practical Example (cm to lbs):
Suppose you purchased a giant Rilakkuma plush toy:
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Actual Weight: 3 lbs
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Dimensions after packaging: Length 50cm X Width 40cm X Height 30cm
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Calculating volumetric weight with SF Express:
50 X 40 X 30 cm / 6000 = 10 kg
10 kg X 2.2046 = 22.1 lbs (round up to 1 lb for less than 1 lb) -
Result: Although the plush toy itself is only 3 lbs, because it takes up so much space, the logistics company will ultimately charge for 23 lbs of shipping!
🛒 Online Shopping Item "Volume to Weight Ratio" Chart: Shipping Cost Estimation Reference Before Ordering
Want to more accurately estimate shipping costs before placing an order? You can refer to the following categories to understand which items are more likely to incur volumetric weight:
📈 Items typically with higher volumetric weight
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Plush toys / pillows: Light but bulky, usually with higher volumetric weight than actual weight.
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Sneakers/footwear (with shoe box): Shoe boxes have fixed space, plus an outer carton, which amplifies the overall volume.
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Designer handbags (with exquisite gift boxes): Many big brands provide very large rigid cardboard boxes and packaging bags, which increase the overall volume.
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Potato chips / popcorn / packaged snacks: Bags filled with cushioning air take up a lot of space.
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Helmets / model toys: Cannot be folded and have a fixed shape, so volume cannot be compressed.
📉 Items typically with higher actual weight
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Light clothing / textiles: Can be folded and compressed, generally charged by actual weight (excluding down jackets/thick coats, etc.).
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Beauty and skincare products: Serums, creams, etc., are small in volume and dense in weight.
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General books: High weight density, generally no worries about volumetric weight.
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Jewelry / accessories: Generally small in volume.
*The above categories are for reference only, and actual shipping charges may vary.
🛡️ Meadow Duck's "Secret Weapon": Free Integrated Repacking Service!
Reading this, are you worried that buying bulky items online might not be cost-effective? Don't worry! Our online store offers a "secondary repacking/consolidation service" specifically to help customers break the spell of volumetric weight!
Many overseas websites like to use very large cartons when shipping, filled with inflatable plastic bags (air). All this "air" costs money when passing through customs!
After our overseas warehouse team receives your goods, they will perform the following optimizations:
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Carton trimming to reduce volume: We cut oversized outer cartons to just the right size to package the goods, ensuring customers don't pay for "air."
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Box removal to reduce weight (optional): If the customer agrees, we will proactively remove shoe boxes or unnecessary fancy outer boxes, replacing them with bubble wrap for protection. This instantly saves you several pounds in shipping costs!
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Consolidation of multiple items: If you purchased items from multiple stores, we will remove unnecessary packaging and perfectly arrange all items to minimize space, merging them into one compact box.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Volumetric Weight
Q1: Why is the weight I measure at home with a regular scale different from the shipping weight charged?
A: Because a regular scale can only measure "actual weight." As mentioned in the article, when an item's volume (Length X Width X Height) is larger, logistics companies will charge based on "volumetric weight."
Q2: Since free integrated packaging is available, can all products be compressed for me?
A: We will compress items while ensuring "goods safety." For fragile items (such as glass, ceramics, high-precision electronic instruments), we must retain sufficient protective materials and original hard boxes, so excessive compression is not possible to prevent damage during transport.
Q3: When buying shoes, how can I specifically request you to "remove the shoe box"?
A: Yes, you can. If you need the shoe box removed, simply notify us when placing your proxy purchase order, and our warehouse team will handle it once they receive the package.
Summary: A light package doesn't necessarily mean low shipping costs
When making overseas proxy purchases or international shipments, shipping costs are not only determined by the actual weight of the goods but also by the package dimensions. Logistics companies typically compare the actual weight with the volumetric weight and charge based on the higher of the two.
Meadow Duck's Taiwan proxy purchase service will, under the premise of safe delivery, assist customers in consolidating packaging as much as possible to reduce unnecessary packaging space and thus lower volumetric weight charges caused by oversized packages.
If you are unsure whether an item is likely to incur volumetric weight, you can provide us with the product link, quantity, and whether you wish to retain the original box before placing an order, and we can provide an initial assessment.
For shipping details, please refer to the link below:
https://meadowduck.com/pages/about-proxy-purchase-consolidation
If you need Taiwan consolidated shipping to Hong Kong, please contact us immediately via Whatsapp / Signal 🥰
Whatsapp / Signal : +852 9010 7944
Further reading:
Popular Online Shopping Platforms in Taiwan
What is Taiwan consolidated shipping? How to use Taiwan consolidated shipping to Hong Kong?