Answering Your Shipping Questions: Package Dimensions

Answering Your Shipping Questions: Package Dimensions

Welcome to the second edition of our series where we answer your shipping questions! Today’s topic is package dimensions—what are they and why are they important?

We mentioned package dimensions a bit in our previous blog, but today we’ll go into depth about how they make a difference when it comes to shipping.

What Are Package Dimensions and Why Do They Matter?

Package dimensions are the measurements of each side of a package in inches, including the length, width, and height. You will most commonly see them written in the format L x W x H and the dimensions of your package are important for a few reasons.

Larger packages can cost more to ship if the carrier uses dimensional weight. As we learned before, dimensional weight, aka volumetric weight, is used instead of actual weight to account for the size of a package and is calculated by the following formula:

Volume (Length x Width x Height) / Dimensional Factor (Ranges from 139 in3 to 166 in3 by carrier)

The dimensional factor is determined by the carrier and may vary. For example, FedEx uses a dimensional factor of 139 for all shipments, while UPS only uses 139 for certain areas while using 166 for others.

This means that even if your package’s actual weight is low, the cost of shipping will be higher the larger the dimensions are. This is because you are paying for the extra space your package is taking up during transport.

Some carriers might also have size restrictions, limiting your options when it comes to price, carrier preference, and shipping time. Often, carriers will charge a fee for items they deem to be oversized, regardless of whether they use dimensional weight or actual weight to calculate shipping costs.

Common Challenges with Package Dimensions

When measurements contain decimals, the carrier rounds up to the nearest whole number. So as an example, a length of 10.7 inches is rounded up to 11. Keep this in mind if you’re trying to calculate your own dimensional weight at home so you’re not surprised by the carrier coming up with a different number.

If you’re shipping with MyUS, there’s no need to worry about dimensional weight when shipping non-oversized packages from our US warehouse thanks to our TruePrice rates, but other issues may also arise if items are shipped in unnecessarily large boxes.

If they don’t contain enough packing materials the integrity of the package might suffer due to the extra empty space, causing the box to become damaged and risking your items inside. Items may also get damaged if there’s too much space inside the box for them to shift and move around during transport. Even with adequate packing materials and filling in an oversized box, it’s still a hassle to dispose of the materials once your package arrives.

Tips for Managing Package Dimensions

To avoid damage while shipping packages, make sure that you choose the right size box for the items by measuring the contents and selecting a box with slightly larger dimensions. You’ll want enough room to protect everything with the proper packing materials, but not too much so your items don’t move around.

To minimize the dimensions of packages being sent to you and so you’re not left with a mountain of extra packing paper, take advantage of the free package consolidation included with every MyUS Premium and Business membership. We’ll combine all your shipments into one appropriately sized box, so you don’t have to wait for multiple packages and pay separate shipping fees for every single one.

FAQs

How do I measure my package dimensions correctly?

To measure package dimensions, take a tape measurer or a ruler and measure the longest side of the box that has a flap to get the length, the side perpendicular to the length that also has a flap to get the width, and then from top to bottom to get the height.

What happens if my dimensions exceed the carrier's limits?

If your dimensions exceed the carrier’s limits, a few things can happen. You may not be able to use the carrier at all, meaning it may not show up when checking online for shipping options or any packages they already have may be sent back to you. You might also incur extra costs due to oversize fees or shipping costs to have the package returned to you.

Can MyUS repackage my items to reduce dimensional weight?

Some retailers are notorious for packing items in boxes that are too large for what’s inside, and even if you don’t have multiple packages to consolidate into one box, you can still use our repackaging services to ensure that your items are sent in the right sized box to save you money. This service is free with Premium and Business memberships.

Become a Package Dimensions Pro

At MyUS, we make shopping online at US and UK stores from overseas easy. Check out our shipping rates to see how much you can save on international shipping, and take advantage of our expertise in repackaging to ship your individual packages in the correct sized boxes and consolidate multiple shipments.

And there you have it! Now you’re a pro when it comes to package dimensions. Join us next time to learn more about more ins and outs of international shipping. Happy shopping!

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We always aim to bring our members the best shopping options available, but some of the products featured in this post may have purchase restrictions. Please visit the merchant's terms of sale, shipping guidelines, and terms and conditions to find more information.