When can I incur an additional weight charge?
The carrier will always measure the weight and dimensions of your package in their automated sortation system. If there is a difference between what they capture vs what was declared on Shippit, this is considered under-declared (i.e a misdeclaration). The carrier will invoice Shippit based on their measured weight & dimensions, then Shippit's Account Team will invoice the sender for these additional charges.
It's crucial to ensure the weights and dimensions of your articles are correct at the time of booking to avoid any additional weight charges. You can do this by:
- Check the accuracy of individual SKU product dimensions & weight in your WMS platform
- Check to ensure your product data is being imported
- Check the correct measurement units (e.g. cm, mm, m, kg, g) are being used for the bookings
- Check the dimensions of your package presets in Shippit app are correct
What are some weight variation issues that can result in a misdeclaration charge?
1. Dead Weight vs Volumetric (Cubic) Weight
When it comes to freight, you may not always be charged by how much the article actually weighs (or the "dead weight"). Carriers may charge you for the "volumetric weight" (or cubic weight) if your article is not very heavy but can fill up their delivery truck to capacity faster if it were full of such articles. This means carriers will need to take into account the volume of the parcels, as they aim to maximise the number of parcels they can carry in their vehicles while maintaining profitability.
To calculate the volumetric weight (kg):
The carrier will charge you the greater between the "dead weight" and "volumetric weight". This is also known on your invoice as the "charged weight".
For example, if you have a box of pillows weighing 2 kg, with box dimensions 70 x 40 x 40 cm, then the volumetric weight will be 28 kg. The charged weight will therefore be 28 kg.
2. Weight Brackets
If there is a misdeclaration that pushes the charged weight of your article into the next weight bracket, you may be billed the difference as an additional charge. This can occur with something as innocuous as adding an extra layer of bubble wrap to the package (which increases volumetric weight). Thus, it is beneficial to be aware of where the weight bracket thresholds lie with each carrier.
For example, if articles from 1 kg to 10 kg costs $16, and 11 kg to 20 kg costs $26 to ship, and your article was reported to be 10 kg but is then deemed by the carrier to be 11 kg, you will be billed the additional $10 as it now qualifies for the next weight bracket. Please note that carriers always round up weight to the nearest kilogram as an industry standard.
In order to avoid this type of charge, make sure your article (when fully packed under Packaging Guidelines) is well below the weight bracket threshold so there's a lot of buffer room.
What are the Surcharges that I can incur?
Shippit does include most of the basic carrier charges in its quotes at the time of booking, such as size, distance, and fuel levy.
However, there are some surcharges that cannot be included at the time of booking, and can only be calculated once an order has been reviewed, approved, and / or completed. These will be billed as an additional charge in the following month.
What to do if you believe the carrier has made a mistake?
If there has been an error on the carrier's part we will endeavour to retrieve compensation for you, however, sufficient proof must be provided first. Carriers have strict requirements for disputing their cubic measurements.
It's important to note that payment to Shippit is still required until the dispute has been finalised with the carrier & credit has been approved & received otherwise your account will be suspended.
For each label in the order that you're disputing, you'll need to supply the required evidence from section A and B, OR A and C noted below.
You can send this to our support team at hello@shippit.com.sg and we'll get back in touch to assist:
| Section A |
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| and Section B |
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| or Section C |
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