When it comes to packaging, we always aim to pick the correct box that will adequately fit all our products without leaving any space in the box that will make the products move about during transportation. This will help in preventing damage to the product. Measuring a box might seem easy, but in reality, it can be tedious if you have no idea what you are doing. Getting the correct dimensions of the box is very important since it determines the safety of your package and the shipping and warehouse costs. Therefore, getting the correct box is essential to avoid incurring transportation costs. In this article, we will guide you on how to measure a box's dimensions correctly.
Why is box measurement important?
- Protection for products-boxes acts as safety for products. This is mainly common with products that are likely to break quite easily if mishandled. This is why picking the right box dimension is very important since it will help keep your product safe from damage or handling as well as theft, since if an expensive product is placed in a box, nobody will notice what is inside the box since it's perfectly fitted to make it seem like it's empty. Hence there will be less likelihood of theft.
- Easy transportation- getting the right box dimension is very important for ease of transport since boxes tend to be carried from one place to another during shipping, hence if the product is properly placed in the correct dimension box, the transportation process will be easy due to less risk of damage.
- It attracts customers- it might sound unreal, but customers fall for your packaging design and color even before they buy your product because they want to be sure they are purchasing quality and attractive items. Without proper packaging of your products, your products might face disadvantages from those of your competitors in the product life cycle. Good packaging is that which is attractive, fits correctly, and it's easy to handle.
- Transportation cost-
getting the correct dimensions of the box is essential in determining the cost. Most airports, warehouses, and ships charge transportation and storage costs according to the box size. Getting the correct box dimensions will help save on the cost of transportation and warehousing since a small product should not be fitted in a vast box since that will lead to you being charged more for storage.
Dimensions of a box
When it comes to the measurement of a box, there are three dimensions:
length, width,and
height. These are the dimensions that you will need in the measurement of your package. Length means the longest side of the box at the top. Width is the shortest side of the box at the top, while height is the deepness or perpendicular height of the box from top to bottom. Most rectangular boxes' width and height will be much smaller than squared boxes. These differences in the shape of the box mainly depend on the type and shape of the product.
The difference between internal and external dimensions
The internal and external dimensions of the box should also be put into perspective since the internal measurements determine how your product will fit and how safe it will be. The internal dimensions of the box are the most critical dimensions you should look at with custom packaging. With the eternal size of the box, factoring in the thickness of the box is very important since some products require a tight fit to maintain shape and quality. This is very common with glass objects since they can easily break. Getting a custom corrugated box can help you ship fragile objects since they are correctly and structurally designed internally and externally to withstand any bumps and impacts hence protecting your products.
How to calculate the volume of a box
You can easily calculate the volume using the basic mathematics taught in school. The measurements that you get should be in CM cubed.
Volume= length *width *height.
So how exactly do you get the measurements?
- Using a ruler or tape measure, place the measurement equipment on the top of the box and measure the longest side of the box. The measurement you get will be your length, and it should be in CM., for example, 20 CM.
- Measure the shortest side of the top of the box. The measurement you get will be the width. Most of the time, the width is usually more concise than the length. For example, 10CM.
- Lastly, Measure the depth or the height of the box. This will be measured from the top to the bottom of the box. In most cases, the depth is usually longer than the length, but in the case of a short rectangular box, the depth will be more concise than the length, but today, we can use a more extended depth. For example, 30CM.
Therefore, from the examples given, the box volume will be.
20*10*30=6000CM Cubed.
How to calculate the weight of the box
In most cases, the shipping company will charge you based on the cubic size of the box or the weight of the package. Whichever comes out more significant will be the cost of your shipping. This is why getting the correct dimensions for the package is essential. So to find the weight of the package, you need to do this;
- Calculate the volume of the box first, that is, length*width *height. The measurement should be in centimeters cube.
- To calculate the weight of the box, contact your shipping carrier for the divisor. Most of the time, different carriers have different divisors. Once you get the divisor from your carrier, divide the centimeters cubed measurements by the shipping carrier divisor. The amount you get will be the weight of your package.
Conclusion
Getting the correct dimension of the box can help protect your products from damage and increase your customers in your product's life cycle. With a high increase in charges, with the correct dimensions of the box, you are more likely to cut shipping and warehouse costs. You can easily find the dimensions of your package by multiplying the length, width, and height.
