In this article you'll find the following (use these links to jump to each section)
Steps to Calculate the Shipping Cost of a Package
To calculate cost a of a package, you need the following five items:
1. Carrier you wish to ship with
2. Service you with to ship via
3. Shipping Zone
To accurately calculate the shipping zone, you need both the origin zip code and the destination zip code.
Download our shipping zone sheet with zones based on shipping from each of DCL's four facilities.
To find your shipping zone using the sheet linked above:
Look at the column that matches the DCL Origin Warehouse you'll be shipping from.
Locate the first three numbers of the destination zip code.
Check the corresponding zone number.
For Example, Shipping from Fremont Warehouse to Zip Code 80908 (809) would be Zone 5 (Cell E811).
If you cannot find your zone in the sheet linked above:
It may be an extended zone. If your shipment isn't Zone 2-8 it will be an extended zone that is not in the contiguous US. We denote these as Zone 11 in the sheet. In eFactory these extended zones appear as 44, 45, 46, etc.
It may be Air freight. The sheet linked above is for ground domestic shipping. If you need to calculate Air freight zones, you can find them in eFactory. Zone 102 corresponds to Zone 2; Zone 103 corresponds to Zone 3; etc.
4. Actual weight of your package
To accurately gather the actual weight of your package, put the box on a scale.
Make sure the product and all packing materials are also included to replicate the actual weight of your package as it will be shipped. To calculate actual weight of the package, round up to nearest whole number.
For example, a package that weighs 5.2 lbs. has an actual weight of 6 lbs.
5. Dimensional weight of your package
Dimensional weight, or DIM weight, (also called rated weight) reflects package density, which is the amount of space a package occupies in relation to its actual weight.
Most carriers use dimensional weight as the primary way shipping rates are calculated.
How to calculate DIM weight:
Determine the package dimensions in inches. For each dimension, measure at the longest point, rounding each measurement to the nearest whole number (for example, 1.00 to 1.49 will be considered 1, and 1.50 to 1.99 will be considered 2).
Multiply the package length (longest side of the package) by the width by the height. The result is the cubic size in inches.
Divide the cubic size in inches by the divisor to calculate the dimensional weight in pounds. Increase any fraction to the next whole pound.
Formula for DIM weight = Length x width x height / DIM factor = x cubic inches
Each shipping service might have a different DIM Factor that is used to calculate the volumetric weight of a package. DIM factor may change every year.
How to Use eFactory to Calculate Small Package Cost
eFactory is a great tool to estimate small package cost.
Locate the Transportation section of the top navigation.
Transportation > Cost Estimator
Enter the following:
Origin Warehouse
Destination Zip code
Actual Weight
Number of Packages
length/width/height
If package is going to a residence
This is an estimated base rate for the package you entered. This is not a guarantee of all in cost. Additional factors that affect this freight estimate:
There may be additional surcharges added that aren't reflected in eFactory.
The only surcharge that is added in eFactory is fuel (which changes weekly by carrier).
Customer discounts are not reflected in this eFactory estimate.