Demystifying DIM Weight for 2017

Admittedly, DIM Weight policy is not the easiest comprehensible aspect of shipping. The recent DIM weight policy changes by major shipping carriers FedEx and UPS have further compounded the confusion surrounding DIM weight for shippers. Let us break-down the major 2017 DIM weight changes in bite-size pieces.

How Has DIM Evolved in 2017?

FedEx and UPS Recent Changes:

• FedEx changes their divisor to 139” for ALL shipments Air/Ground
• UPS changes their divisor to 139’” for all shipments greater than 1728 cubic inches (1 cubic foot); all other shipments are 166” as the divisor

What is the Impact of the 139 DIM Policy Changes to Bill Weight?

Here are the top 25 boxes sold in the United States. The new DIM of 139 results in higher weight in 21 of the 25 boxes, some quite significantly, with an average of 19.8%.

Snapshot of Major Carriers' 2017 DIM Policies:

The table above is for illustrative purposes only; last updated on December 11, 2016. Quadient USA strongly advises you to contact each carrier regarding their Dimensional Weight policies.

Want Real Life Examples of the Effects of DIM Weight?

Here’s a chart* that highlights the before-and-after difference for several common commodities. You can see how the difference becomes significantly greater for things that require more space, but are relatively lightweight.

Note: Percentages rounded. Rates calculated using zone 5 ground shipping rates for one parcel carrier. 

DISCLAIMERS AND NOTABLES:

Based on 2014 rates for FedEx Ground®, FedEx Home Delivery®, and UPS® Ground. FedEx® and UPS 2015 prices have not been announced and are subject to change.
FedEx Ground and UPS Ground currently apply the 166 volumetric divisor only to domestic packages 3 cubic feet or larger.

Charts and all other related content are for illustrative purposes ONLY. Quadient USA strongly advises you to contact each carrier regarding their Dimensional Weight.