Sending a parcel may seem, to the untrained eye, to be a very simple procedure, almost child's play: for many, it is simply a matter of enveloping the parcel to be sent and going to the nearest post office. In reality, of course, this is not the case: sending a parcel is an operation that involves many more procedures, including paramount importance we have the calculation of the measurements of the parcel to be shipped.
That is why in this article, we will be explaining how to calculate the measurements of a parcel to be sent and provide a number of practical tips for this operation, which concerns not only the dimensions of the parcel, but also its weight.
Whether you need to send a parcel for personal reasons or for your business, it is very important to have the correct measurements of the parcel to be sent in order to be able to choose the best shipping method, also based on the various tariffs and the different types of couriers present in this sector. We elaborate on this essential issue in the following section.
Why calculating the measurements of a parcel to be shipped is so important
Calculating the measurements of a parcel to be shipped is important both from the point of view of the customer both from the point of view of transport companies dealing with parcel shipments.
As for the point of view of the customer, calculating the measurements of a parcel to be shipped is essential for several reasons.
- First of all, informing the transport companies of the exact measurements of the package to be shipped allows the customer to choose the best tariff for this type of service, to be selected from the numerous quotes offered by companies.
- Secondly, providing the most accurate measurements possible of the parcel to be shipped also guarantees protect the package during the journey to the destination, thus avoiding possible delays and unforeseen events.
As for the transport companies, knowing precisely the measurements of the parcel to be sent is important for the following reasons.
- First of all, it allows the different services to express courier (such as UPS shipments) of organising times and zones shipping.
- In secundis, allows set up and of Arrange as optimally as possible the loads on the various trucks, so as to minimise risk to cause damage to the shipped package.
- In addition to organising times and zones, knowing exactly what size package is to be shipped also allows you to organise and of programming the various storages in lorries or on planes (especially for some international shipments).
- Ultimately, this allows transport companies to establish the tariff ideal for that type of shipment, an aspect that - as we have seen - is also of interest to the customer.
We believe we have satisfactorily answered the question implied in the title of this paragraph, but let us recapitulate: calculating the measurements of a parcel to be shipped is an operation of interest both to the customer who needs to ship that parcel and to the companies that will actually ship that parcel.
Practical tips for calculating the measurements of a parcel to be shipped
Now it is time to tackle the practical question: how do you calculate the measurements of a parcel to be shipped?
Before listing the useful tools and describing the steps of this operation in detail, a very important premise must be made: the measurements of the parcel to be sent must be taken with attention and accuracy, also in order to avoid possible delays in the delivery of the parcel. Furthermore, the measurements of a parcel to be shipped do not only concern the centimetres of width, depth and height of the parcel: in addition to the dimensions, in fact, the weight of the package.
Let's proceed in order and see together what tools you need to calculate the measurements of a parcel to be shipped.
- A ruler or a metro to measure the actual size of the package.
- A scales parcel weigher; if you do not have this particular type of scale, you can also use an ordinary scale.
- Pen and paper, on which to note the size and weight of the parcel.
Before using these tools, however, the package must be closed and ready to be shipped. This step also involves several steps, i.e. obtaining all the materials needed to package the parcel to be sent (you tend to need a box, bubble wrap, sawdust and adhesive tape) and then going on to the actual packing and sealing of the parcel.
Now that the package is ready, one can turn to calculating its measurements, paying particular attention to its size and weight.
The size of the package to be shipped
Calculating the dimensions of a parcel is certainly a longer process than calculating its weight. In fact, calculating the dimensions of the parcel means measuring how many centimetres long it is, how many centimetres deep it is and how many centimetres high it is. Let us see together how to measure these three characteristics.
- To accurately calculate the length, it is necessary to measure the horizontal side of the front panel of the pack.
- To calculate the depth, you must measure the horizontal side of the side panel of the pack.
- Finally, to calculate the’height, it is sufficient to measure the vertical side, i.e. from the base of the pack to its highest edge.
The weight of the parcel to be shipped
Weighing the parcel to be shipped is certainly easier and quicker, especially if its size is fairly small: in this case, it may be sufficient to place the parcel on the scale.
If, on the other hand, the parcel is larger, the scales may give a false weight, which is why it may be necessary to proceed with a double weighing. To proceed with the double weighing, one must first step onto the scales and note down the resulting weight; then one must step onto the scales again, but with the parcel in hand, and note down this new figure; to obtain the exact weight, one simply subtracts the first figure that came out from the second.
Once the dimensions and weight of the parcel have been calculated, do not forget to make a note of them on a sheet of paper, so that you can communicate them exactly to the transport company.
