Weight disputes are one of the most common discomforts in the eCommerce sector. As a seller, you might get surprised to see the inaccurate shipment weight calculation. 

Many new suppliers struggle with weight discrepancies. They are often charged extra for their packages. If you’re one of them, don’t worry; in this blog, we’ll help you understand what weight discrepancies are and how to reduce them.

Let’s start with the basics of weight discrepancies.

What is Weight Discrepancy? 

Generally, When sending parcels with courier services, weight disparity is a problem. Weight discrepancy is a disagreement between a ‘seller’ and a ‘courier company’ over the package’s reported weight. 

It usually arises when the courier company disagrees with the seller’s provided order weight. 

For example, During shipment, the seller claimed the weight of the package was 3 kg but when the courier company calculated the parcel it was 3.5 kg. Therefore, due to the different weight measurements, there will be a dispute between the shipping company and the seller. 

And this weight can lead to changes in the total amount of the parcel while delivered. Thus, if the weight of the parcel turns out to be more than you calculated, you will have to pay more. 

Now that we know the basics, let’s understand how to reduce such weight discrepancies.

7 effective ways to reduce Weight Discrepancy:

Weight discrepancy can be burdensome for any company. So, here are some measures that can help you reduce weight disputes caused by weight discrepancies:

• Improve Packaging system:

The first step is to reduce the package fill. Do not unnecessarily stuff the boxes with bubble wraps and other packaging materials. Use it according to the product. 

Select the most appropriate carton sizes and pack products with only the materials required to properly dispatch the product. Do not over package any product as it may lead to increasing the weight of your package. 

• Correct Volumetric Weight Measurement:

To reduce weight discrepancy the second thing you need to do is to measure the volumetric weight measurements carefully and correctly.   

The volumetric weight of a product is calculated by dividing the product of its length, width, and height by 5000. (This divisor of 5000 can vary from company to company). All the measurements should be in cm.

To determine the actual weight of a product, the seller must measure its length, breadth, and height after packaging and divide it by 5000.

For example, If the gross weight of your product is 1 kg and you used a lot of packaging material and the shipment’s length, width, and height come out to be 30 x 30 x 30, the volumetric weight will be 5.4kg, which is a lot more. 

This is why, to prevent paying extra costs, you must double-check that your packaging matches the product. 

3) Maintain a record of Product Image:

The image serves as the best proof for any weight disputes. Before sending goods to a shipping aggregator, a seller should always have a proper image record of it.  

The image is proof in the event of a dispute. You can take images while measuring the package’s dimensions. You may also make a video of it. Make sure you take 3 to 4 photographs from every dimension so that images are clear to understand. 

Take a photograph of the length, width, and height of a package separately to avoid any confusion with Weight Discrepancy.

This is necessary to do so because when the company raises a dispute they ask for images as proof. So, if you have the measurement images in hand, it will help you resolve disputes easily. 

4) Map Packaging with SKUs (Stock Keeping Unit):

A key strategy for reducing weight discrepancies is to map packaging material with product SKUs. A unique code that a seller gives to each type of goods it sells is known as an SKU.

SKUs are also an important aspect of a marketing strategy since they allow merchants to manage inventory in their stores or warehouses by SKUs.

For example, If your product weighs 800 grams and is supplied in a specific box, you can attach the SKU with that box, this means you can give a unique code to that box. So, whenever a new order comes for that product you can package the product with the same box.

This way the volumetric weight of each box remains the same and you won’t have to recalculate the weight of each box again. This will assist you in having a smooth shipping experience.

5) Use a correct shipping partner while outsourcing:

For smooth operation, It’s necessary to choose a reliable shipping partner, so that they do not cheat you with unnecessary weight discrepancy disputes. 

A logistics aggregator assists a seller in keeping track of all weight discrepancies and taking action in a timely manner. Parceldeck is one of the most reliable shipping aggregators that enables you to ship across 27000+ pin codes with 25+ courier partners. 

Parceldeck provides you with a platform to identify discrepancies and take action on them within seven days. 

6) Measuring unusual packages with an automated system:

Unusual packages are one of the most common causes of weight discrepancies. A bottle and Tubes, for example, must be weighed in cubic measurements. 

But if you simply calculate the cubic measurements it won’t be effective, that is why we need a dimensioning system to determine the weight perfectly. Therefore, when we automate this process, the weight of the package will be reduced. 

7) Keep track of your overall monthly shipping costs:

Regularly review your carrier bills to confirm that shipping prices are correct and that you’re measuring the correct Weight Discrepancy. 

You’ll have a greater chance of resolving a shipping charge dispute if you take the time to measure products before shipment and record the information. 

Conclusion:

And that’s it, these are some simple suggestions and strategies for reducing weight discrepancies. Easy right?  We’re sure that after reading these pointers, you’ll think to yourself, “We could have done that before.” But do not worry, you can still make these minor adjustments to avoid weight disparities and ensure a seamless shipment for Weight Discrepancy.

Weight discrepancies are not a huge issue; they can be reduced with some simple and easy methods. All you have to do is to look out for ways and work efficiently. Now that you have all these pointers, you can work on your business and help it grow without any hindrances. 

For more such informative content you can always check out our blogs on Marketing and eCommerce at Parceldeck’s website.