When planning to send an item through parcel delivery or courier, one thing you’re going to need to know is the weight of your item. Between weight and size, couriers can plan how many collections they can fit in their vehicle, what they’ll need help moving and quote you a price that’s going to be accurate.
To ensure you get the correct weight, make sure you weigh the item you’re sending after wrapping. Your courier is going to want to know the actual weight of the item they’re transporting, don’t underestimate the difference your packaging can create. Err on the side of caution, even when only wrapping with brown paper, and weigh after packaging.
Use everyday household scales to weigh your parcel, make sure the scales are placed on a surface that allows you to easily ready the dial. If your parcel is too heavy or overly large for kitchen scales, grab your bathroom scales instead. Don’t strain yourself lifting heavy items; always use your knees to lift. If you can’t get your parcel on to some scales, try to compare the weight to other household items such as bags of sugar. By comparing your parcel to other commonly used items you can give your courier a more accurate guestimate that they can understand and translate into a weight that shouldn’t be wildly different to what you’re describing.
If you can use scales, make a note of the weight your parcel registers but be prepared to convert it if you haven’t checked what metrics your courier uses. Conversion apps are available for smartphones and Google is brilliant at converting different measurements in to whatever you need so if your courier requires kilos and you’ve used pounds and ounces you can quickly and easy translate that in to information they can use.
Always ensure your scales are calibrated properly before using to ensure an accurate measurement. Parcel delivery services are only allowed to accept parcels up to 30kg, so if your item weighs over that the driver won’t be allowed to physically lift it. Always make sure you choose a delivery service that will work for the size and weight of the parcel you’re sending. Delivery Quote Compare can help you find a delivery service and price that will suit your budget and requirements, just enter your information and let them bid for your business.
