The parcel's real scale weight — the other half of the billing calculation. Freight is charged on whichever is greater: dead weight or volumetric.
PP
Pure Parcel Editorial
October 22, 2026 · 4 min read
In 45 seconds
Dead (Actual) Weight: The parcel's real scale weight — the other half of the billing calculation.
Why you care: Know both numbers for your SKUs.
In practice: Cast-iron pan: 4.8 kg actual, 1.9 kg volumetric → billed at 4.8 kg. Same box of foam cushions → billed volumetric.
Every Indian courier, inside your store. An order comes in,
we quote every connected carrier on the order page — you book the best rate, hyperlocal or national.
Dead (Actual) Weight — The parcel's real scale weight — the other half of the billing calculation. Freight is charged on whichever is greater: dead weight or volumetric.
Why it matters to your store
Know both numbers for your SKUs. Sellers get surprised at billing when a product sits near the volumetric crossover and packaging changes push it over.
This is the vocabulary every courier invoice, NDR report and rate card is written in — learn it once, save money forever.
Cast-iron pan: 4.8 kg actual, 1.9 kg volumetric → billed at 4.8 kg. Same box of foam cushions → billed volumetric.
The bottom line
Shipping jargon is really just the billing manual in disguise — every term on this list maps to a line
on an invoice or a lever on your margins. Pure Parcel is built so you rarely have to think about it:
statuses normalise, bills reconcile, and quotes already include the surcharges.
Ship every courier without leaving your store
Pure Parcel is the multi-courier layer for Indian stores — hyperlocal and national carriers in one booking flow.
Porter, Borzo & national carriers, on the order page
Live rate comparison on every order
Your own courier accounts or ours — your rates apply
Carrier rate & platform fee shown as separate lines
COD collection & tracking built in
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