Pricing system for parcels based on weight by volume
Volume calculation
Volume calculation is the transport industry’s way of converting volume to weight. To find the weight by volume, multiply the length by the width by the height. If the dimensions are in cm, the results are divided by 1000 to get dm3/l (the volume of the parcel). The volume is divided again by a set conversion factor of 5. A factor of 5 means that 1 m3 is 200 kg. All weights are rounded up to the nearest whole kilo.
To find the price of the parcel, we use the shipping calculation weight, which is the weight by volume or the actual weight, whichever is the higher.
Calculation example
We have a Door-to-Door operating parcel to be sent in zone 1.
Actual weight: 3 kg
Weight by volume:
- Length 40 cm
- Width 20 cm
- Height 24 cm
40x20x24 = 19200 19200/1000 = 19.2 dm3 19.2/5 = 3.84 kg