What is a Surcharge?
Every now and again, we find a parcel that isn’t quite what we expected. It could be larger than declared, for example, or heavier, or it could be packaged incorrectly and require repackaging.
The quotes we provide on our site are based on the parcel details you provide during the booking process. Therefore, if we find that the package weighs or measures more than originally declared, or we have to take the time to repackage the item, the sender hasn’t paid the actual delivery cost.
For this reason, we may issue an additional charge to the sender to cover the extra cost.
There are several different reasons your parcel could incur an additional charge. Below we’ve explained what each of them means, as well as how you can prevent incurring additional charges in the future.
Types of Charges
Weight/Dimensions Discrepancy
This is where the declared weight or dimensions and the actual measurements differ. The actual cost is therefore higher than the price quoted when you booked.
Volumetric Weight
Volumetric weight (also known as dimensional weight) is a calculation of your parcel's effective weight based on its volume -- e.g. its length multiplied by its width and height.
DHL uses a formula to calculate the volumetric weight for every piece in a shipment:
- Centimeters/Kilograms: Length x Width x Height / 5000 per Piece
- Inches/Pounds: Length x Width x Height / 139 per Piece
Why does volumetric weight matter?
Say you're sending an iPhone to France. Imagine that, when you come to package this item, you opt for a box far larger than the iPhone's volume justifies -- say, the box to a 48" TV.
Though the actual weight of that parcel might be less than a kilogram, it can't simply be added to the other small items of the same weight bracket, because it's so much larger.
Therefore, the volumetric weight of the parcel is helpful for the courier, in that it makes sorting much more accurate.
Could I be charged if I don't factor in volumetric weight when booking a delivery?
There is a possibility that we will add a surcharge to parcels the volumetric weight of which exceeds the declared weight.
This is because parcels that haven't been properly declared take longer to be sorted, and often have to be taken care of manually. This, in turn, slows down the processing of others parcels on the sorting line and takes up the time of depot staff. The charge, therefore, is to compensate for the loss of productivity the misdeclaration caused.
What is volumetric weight?
Volumetric weight (also known as dimensional weight) is a calculation of your parcel's effective weight based on its volume e.g. - it's length multiplied by it's width and height.
DHL uses a formula to calculate the volumetric weight for every piece in a shipment:
- Centimeters/Kilograms: Length x Width x Height / 5000 per Piece
- Inches/Pounds: Length x Width x Height / 139 per Piece
Why does volumetric weight matter?
Say you're sending an iPhone to France. Imagine that, when you come to package this item, you opt for a box far larger than the iPhone's volume justifies - say, the box to a 48" TV.
Though the actual weight of that parcel might be less than a kilogram, it can't simply be added to the other small items of the same weight bracket, because it's so much larger.
Therefore, the volumetric weight of the parcel is helpful for the courier, in that it makes sorting much more accurate.
Could I be charged if I don't factor in volumetric weight when booking a delivery?
There is a possibility that we will add a surcharge to parcels the volumetric weight of which exceeds the declared weight.
This is because misdeclared parcels take longer to be sorted, and often have to be taken care of manually. This in turn slows down the processing of others parcels on the sorting line, and takes up the time of depot staff. The charge, therefore, is to compensate the loss of productivity the misdeclaration caused.
Preventing Future Charges
Keeping yourself from being hit with future charges is simple enough - it just takes a few double-checks on your part before you book your parcel for delivery.
So, before you send, check the following:
- The actual weight of your parcel
- The dimensions (length, width, and height) of your parcel
- Our packaging guidelines
Disputing an Underpayment Charge
If you've been issued an underpayment charge that you have sufficient evidence to dispute, please complete the form below to confirm the declared measurements of your parcel along with any supporting evidence. We will then investigate your query and get back to you as soon as we've heard back.