Description
Carriers do not charge by weight alone
Ask most sellers what a parcel costs to ship and they will weigh it. That is half the answer. Carriers bill on whichever is greater — the actual weight, or a volumetric weight worked out from the box’s dimensions.
A 450g product in a 30 x 22 x 12 cm box weighs 630g with packaging. Its volumetric weight is 1.58kg. The carrier bills the 2kg band. You are paying for a weight band and a half of air, on every order, invisibly.
This kit makes that visible, and then finds the money.
What you get
1. A 10-sheet Excel workbook
- Start Here — how the sheets connect
- Settings — dimensional divisor, fuel surcharge, handling cost, your target
- Packaging Library — every box you use, with its cost and volumetric weight
- Carrier Rates — rate cards for up to 6 carriers across 3 zones
- Parcel Calculator — one parcel, priced across every carrier, with the full cost stack
- Carrier Comparison — the cheapest carrier at each weight band
- Free Shipping — the order value at which free delivery pays for itself
- Zone Analysis — which destinations cost more than they earn
- Shipping Tracker — twelve months of real figures
- Dashboard — cost per parcel, recovery rate, zone health
2. A 12-page companion guide (PDF)
How volumetric weight works and why it is missed, what to measure on a box, how to read a rate card, why no carrier is cheapest at every weight, how to set a free shipping threshold honestly, and the seven changes that return the most for the least work.
3. A Notion template
Five ready-to-import databases: Packaging Library, Carrier Rate Card, Zone Analysis, Monthly Shipping and an Action Board.
Built for
- Sellers shipping their own orders who suspect they are overpaying
- Anyone choosing between carriers, or considering a second one
- Anyone about to offer free shipping and wanting to price the offer first
- Anyone shipping internationally without knowing which destinations pay
What’s in the file
- 1 x Excel workbook (.xlsx) — formulas live and editable
- 1 x PDF guide, 12 pages
- 5 x Notion-ready CSV databases + import instructions
- Delivered as a single ZIP, available immediately after payment
Compatibility
Microsoft Excel 2016 and later, Microsoft 365, Google Sheets and LibreOffice Calc. Works with any carrier, any currency and either metric or imperial units — you enter your own rate card rather than relying on built-in rates that go stale.
This is a planning tool. It does not constitute tax, accounting, legal or financial advice. Carrier rates, surcharges and dimensional divisors vary by carrier, country and contract.
Frequently asked questions
Does it work with my carrier?
Yes. Rather than hard-coding one carrier’s rates, you enter your own rate card — so it stays accurate when rates change, and works anywhere in the world.
Metric or imperial?
Either. Set your units and dimensional divisor once on the Settings sheet and keep every measurement consistent with them.
How many carriers and boxes can I track?
6 carriers across 3 zones, 15 packaging types and 12 destination zones as supplied. Copy a row down to add more.
Will this work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload to Google Drive and open with Google Sheets. Formulas, dropdowns and colour coding all carry over.
Do I need my carrier contract to use it?
You need your rate card, which your carrier provides. Published list rates work too, but contracted rates give a truer picture.
Is this the same as the Profit Calculator?
No. The Profit Calculator covers unit economics — product cost, marketplace fees and margin. This one covers delivery: billable weight, carriers, zones and shipping thresholds. They work well together but neither repeats the other.
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