Why do you need sizes to estimate shipping cost?

At Hula Global, we understand how vital it is for our clients. Hence, we strive to make it as accurate and transparent as possible. In order to create our estimates, we request our clients to provide size ranges of their products. We understand our clients may not always have full-size breakdowns, formal size charts, or finalized sizing details.

However, we do need some broad sizing information, as it is vitally important for our team to provide accurate shipping estimates. Sizing information can include a breakdown of the sizes as adult, children, or infant, or it can be as simple as small, medium, and large.

Potential clients often question why we request this sizing information. It may seem that shipping costs would only be determined by how many pieces are ordered and the destination country. However, there are a multitude of factors that contribute to the shipping costs.

The weight, volume, and size of packaging are all very important to be considered, as is how the products are packed into cartons and containers. All of these factors are a result of the sizes of the products we are shipping.

At Hula Global, we request size information, even in broad terms, since different sizes impact shipping space, shipping weight, and shipping costs. Shipping baby rompers and adult men's T-shirts, for instance, will have vastly different costs even if the shipping quantity is the same.

This is because adult T-shirts will require larger and more expensive shipping cartons, while baby rompers will be less expensive to ship because they will take up less space and weight and can be more tightly packed to utilize shipping space more efficiently.

When shipping freight, the actual weight and the volumetric weight are the two measurements used to calculate the charges. Volumetric weight is calculated by the freight dimensions, not by the actual weight.

For baby rompers, the volumetric weight is often less expensive because they take up less shipping space compared to adult shirts, which take up more shipping space and therefore create a greater volumetric weight shipping cost. Because of these reasons, a size range is essential for Hula Global to attempt to give a broad shipping cost estimate.

The impact of the size of the product goes beyond customer satisfaction and packing and shipping considerations. The larger the size of the product, the more folding and packing adjustments need to be made.

In terms of packing, larger sizes may require more protective padding or the use of larger polybags and cartons. Smaller sizes, on the other hand, may be folded and packed more efficiently. Consider a product range, say, T-shirts. An XL or XXL T-shirt will, of course, take up more space than a size S or M. As a result, if a customer only provides the total order quantity without the size breakdown, the estimated shipping costs will be considerably off when the order details become available.

During this stage, we do not assume that the customers will have completed their size charts. We appreciate that many companies will be in their initial phase and may not have their size chart finalized.

We appreciate more of a high-level understanding of the sizes. For example, knowing that your order primarily consists of adult men’s apparel or women’s dresses, or children’s garments, provides us with sufficient information to provide you with a more accurate assessment.

Knowing this size range also helps us predict the packaging type. Different sizes mean different carton dimensions, which affects the number of cartons needed for the shipment. More cartons mean more expensive shipping, because it increases the volume and handling of the shipment.

Knowing the size range helps us predict the best capacity for the goods to be packed and how they will be transported.

Shipping classification and customs documentation also consider sizes. Due to their category and intended use, some products may require different documents, and some may need extra handling. For some markets, baby clothing may be subject to different treatment than adult apparel. Knowing the size category helps us consider all the shipping and customs regulations that may apply.

From an early budgeting perspective, sharing size restrictions allows clients to sidestep difficulties later on. If a company has to plan logistical expenses based on a generic estimate that overlooks dimensional variances, it will only be disappointed when the actual freight charge is more than anticipated. Customers will appreciate the more accurate estimate, and in turn, will be able to adjust their spend if size parameters are provided upfront, even if just in general.

I would also add that size variations are often accompanied by SKU complexity. More size options typically mean that there are more SKUs. This also affects efficiency for packaging and increases shipping costs. Consider an order that consists of three sizes (S, M, L) versus an order that has ten sizes and spans over multiple categories. The former is less complicated and more efficient to ship. Therefore, knowing the size distribution also helps us understand this complexity.

Hula Global seeks to improve estimations, and this means we need your size data. In our industry, this is the norm, and it helps protect and benefit both our customers and us. The more data we collect about your products, the more accurate and reliable the shipping estimates we provide will be.

To sum up, dimensions assist with shipping costs as they impact weight, volume, box, and structure of the shipment. While we understand you may not have a finalized size guide, sharing a size category, order of magnitude, adult, children, or infant apparel helps us provide a concrete and realistic estimate. This ensures better logistics, budgeting, and surprises during shipping.

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