Shipping guideHow courier shipping weight is calculated
Why a light but bulky parcel can cost more than you expect.
Couriers charge on the chargeable weight, which is the higher of the parcel's actual weight and its volumetric (dimensional) weight. Volumetric weight reflects how much space the parcel takes up in a vehicle.
volumetric weight (kg) = length × breadth × height (cm) ÷ 5000
Most domestic services use a divisor of 5000. Some air services use a different divisor, so check your rate card. Weight is then rounded up to the next slab, commonly 500 g.
Example
A 30 × 25 × 15 cm box weighs 1.2 kg. Its volumetric weight is 30 × 25 × 15 ÷ 5000 = 2.25 kg, so it is charged as 2.5 kg.
How to reduce it
- Use the smallest box that protects the product.
- Measure the packed box, not the product.
- Enter accurate dimensions when booking. Couriers re-weigh parcels and raise weight disputes when the declared values are lower.
NDR and RTO, explained
What happens after a failed delivery attempt and how to recover the order.
NDR (Non-Delivery Report) is raised when a courier attempts delivery and cannot complete it. Common reasons are the customer being unavailable, an incomplete address, a refused parcel or the customer asking for a later date.
Couriers usually make a limited number of attempts. If the issue is not resolved, the parcel goes RTO (Return to Origin) and comes back to your pickup address. RTO usually carries a return freight charge.
Working the NDR queue
- Review new NDR cases daily, ideally before the next delivery run.
- Call or message the customer to confirm the address and a good time.
- Request a reattempt, or update the address or phone where the courier allows it.
- For repeat refusals on COD orders, consider prepaid-only for that pincode.
COD remittance basics
How cash collected by couriers reaches your bank account.
On a cash-on-delivery order, the courier collects payment from the customer at the door. That cash is then remitted to the shipping platform and on to the seller after delivery, on a cycle set in your agreement.
The three numbers to track
- Expected COD: the value of COD orders shipped.
- Collected: COD on orders the courier has delivered.
- Remitted: the amount paid out to you, usually in batches with a bank reference (UTR).
Reconcile each remittance batch against delivered AWBs. Orders that went RTO will not have COD collected. Raise a query for any delivered AWB missing from a batch.
