Weight is a critical factor in e-commerce logistics. Accurate weight data ensures precise carrier quotes and helps your warehouse avoid unexpected surcharges. ShipHero automates these calculations so that every shipping label is accurate, compliant, and cost-effective.
Understanding how ShipHero calculates weight allows you to optimize your warehouse settings and identify why shipping costs may vary.
Methods for Adding Weight
Depending on your warehouse workflow, you can add weight to an order using three primary methods:
| Method | Description/Action |
| Pulled from Product Data | ShipHero automatically pulls the weight entered in the product catalog. To use this, enable Use the total product weight as the weight of the order on the My Account > Settings > App Settings page. |
| Pushed from Connected Scales | Digital scales connected to your workstation send the weight directly to the Packing App as items are added to the shipment. |
| Entered Manually | Packers manually type the weight into the Package Screen before finalizing the shipment and printing the label. |
Using Product Data to Calculate Package Weight
To use saved product weights for packing, go to the My Account > Settings > App Settings page and enable the Use the total product weight as the weight of the order setting.
When this is enabled, the system uses the following formula to calculate the total package weight:
Total Weight = (Product Weight x Quantity Packed) + Shipping Box Weight
Best Practices for Weight Management
- Update Product Weights: Ensure every SKU in your catalog has an accurate weight. You can use the Bulk Edit CSV tool to update multiple products simultaneously.
- Audit Box Weights: Shipping cost discrepancies often occur when the weight of the packaging is ignored. Review your Shipping Boxes and ensure every box size has an accurate Empty Weight assigned.
- Use First Article Inspection: Record weights and dimensions as soon as products are received at the warehouse. Detailed instructions can be found here.
- Weight Discrepancy Detection: Notify a Packer of potential weight discrepancies based on historical shipment data. More information on Weight Discrepancy Detection can be found here.
Technical Safeguards
ShipHero includes built-in safeguards to maintain operational efficiency:
- Minimum Weight Limits: To prevent label generation errors, ShipHero enforces a minimum weight of 0.01 oz, as carriers will not accept a package weighing zero.
- Automatic Recalculation: If a packer removes an item or changes the shipping box size, the system instantly recalculates the total weight.
- Universal Units: ShipHero stores weight in ounces (oz) internally for high precision. You may view or enter weights in pounds (lbs), kilograms (kg), or grams (g) based on your specific account preferences.