Correct way to measure goods and avoid extra costs

It's crucial to measure and weigh your goods correctly before you send it. Once you book the shipment and provide the dimensions and weight of the goods, it's your responsibility as the shipper to ensure the information you provide is accurate. This is to prevent unnecessary additional costs.

Follow these steps when measuring your goods:

Measure on a flat surface - When measuring your goods, it's best to use a flat surface to easily obtain precise measurements.
Determine length, width, and height - Length = the longest side of the goods. Width = the second longest side. Height = the shortest side.
Measure your packaging, not the actual product - If you measure the product itself and not the packaging in which you're shipping it, there's a high chance that the measurements will be incorrect.
Weigh the product with packaging - Weigh your product together with both the outer and inner packaging to obtain the correct weight.

Incorrect measurements make a big difference

For each goods that is booked, a reservation is made with the specified dimensions and weight, on the vehicle that will handle the transport. You might think that a difference of a couple of centimeters doesn't matter much, but the fact is that all carriers measure and weigh your package using machines at the terminal. If the measurements you have provided don't match when they measure, you will be subject to additional costs.

If you measure incorrectly, it can result in:
Higher shipping costs, as the difference between the new and incorrect measurements will be charged.
Upon arrival at the terminal, the booked service will be changed to the correct service if needed and billed accordingly.
The carrier's administrative work may lead to delays in delivery.

If you receive an additional charge for incorrect measurements, you can dispute it. However, it's up to you to prove that the measurements you took are accurate, such as by providing photos of your packaging and how you measured it.

Goods sent to service points

If you've booked freight delivery to a pick-up point, measuring your goods incorrectly can lead to significant expenses. There are clear legal regulations regarding the dimensions of freight in these cases, as on-site staff cannot handle items that are too large or too heavy. Freight should have a maximum circumference of 300 cm and a maximum weight of 20 kg.

Calculation of circumference: Length + width x2 + height x2

Example:
You book a freight and specify the dimensions of the goods as follows:
118 cm x 50 cm x 40 cm (circumference = 298 cm)
Freight cost: 247 SEK.

At the terminal, the cargo is measured and has the following dimensions:
117 cm x 54 cm x 42 cm (circumference = 309 cm)
Additional charge for booking a new freight service, home delivery: 829 SEK

The final cost for the customer becomes 1,076 SEK, as they need to pay for the original booked freight service and in addition the booking of a new freight service. If the goods had been measured correctly, the right service would have been booked initially, and the cost would have been 416 SEK.

👋 Do you have questions or concerns about how to measure and weigh freight correctly? Contact customer service via chat, phone: +46 10-20 706 66, or email: kundservice@shiplink.se.

Updated on: 15/09/2023