Explaining DIM Weight for International Shipping

2015 Update: We just released MyUS TruePrice™ where shipping charges are based ONLY on weight - no dimensional weight calculations needed! MyUS TruePrice makes international shipping easier than ever!

So you just bought an amazingly plush, feather duvet for your bed to have shipped to your home across the pond. Surely, the cost of shipping feathers will be next to nothing, right? Sometimes shipping costs of a tiny box weighing 5 lbs. can cost less than a large rectangular box that weighs 2 lbs. This is because of the way delivery services calculate actual weight versus dimensional weight, or what is known as DIM weight.

When you ship an item via FedEx, USPS, DHL, UPS or any carrier that uses a mode of transportation to ship your item to you, you will be charged DIM weight or the actual scale weight of the item – whichever is greater. Think of it like this, your package is renting space on their airplane and if your large rectangular box takes up much more room than that tiny, heavy box sitting next to it, your rent is going to be higher. It’s like your package just bought the penthouse on that plane. 

Dimensional weight is based on the size of the package:  Length x Width x Height, divided by the carrier's DIM Factor = Dimensional Weight

For those not operating daily in the shipping world, it can be a difficult concept to grasp. Hopefully this has helped you to better understand and now you are officially an expert in the world of DIM weight. So whether you want to ship south to Australia or ship north to Canada, you’ll be keeping up with our Savvy Shipping experts in no time! The more you understand how your international shipping is calculated, the more efficient you can be with your shipments.