Your Checkout. Your Packing Rules.
No two warehouses pack alike. ShipperHQ lets you take full control of how products get boxed and rated at checkout — so your shipping math actually adds up.
Define box types with dimensions, weight limits, or quantity caps that reflect your real packaging inventory.- Account for items that ship separately, ship in multiple boxes, or ship in fixed-quantity master cases.
- Assign boxes and rules by product, carrier, or SKU – no developer required.
- Add packing material weight and shipping surcharges to your box details.
Pack Smarter. Spend Less.
Every inch in a box costs you money. ShipperHQ’s best-fit algorithm finds the most efficient way to pack orders so you can keep rates competitive and cut shipping costs.
- Reviews product dimensions, weight, quantity, box sizes, and packing rules to determine the most efficient configuration.
- Packs items into the fewest, smallest boxes possible to minimize dimensional weight charges.
- Prevents overcharges and undercharges that hurt margins or drive customers away.
- Cuts costs and reduces waste by feeding packing data for each order into your ecommerce platform – improving how your team fulfills in real life.
Handle Any Cart, No Matter How Complex
Whether you’re shipping kayaks or cutting boards, ShipperHQ ensures your calculated rates reflect the true cost of shipping – keeping your business profitable without hurting conversions.
- Support any shipping scenario — Ship parcel, LTL freight, and mixed carts.
- Deliver accurate rates for large, bulky, and multi-item orders — just like you do for small, single-SKU shipments.
- Get dimensional rates from 30+ parcel and LTL freight carriers, including UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL, and more.
- Assign freight classes to boxes for accurate pricing on oversized products.
- Use live, negotiated, or custom carrier rates — and test them directly in ShipperHQ to verify before going live.
“Our smaller item sales increased by 30% with Dimensional Packing. We could not be happier with the performance or support.”
Kevin Comerford, President, Mr. Shrinkwrap
“Before ShipperHQ, we were losing $1k/month on oversized shipments. Now our rates match how we actually ship — no overcharges, no guesswork.”
Ian Maclean, Owner, Hairpin Legs
“It’s saved our team hours every week and gives customers the right quote every time.”
Creed Ford, Director, Rudy’s BBQ
Shipping Insights
See how ShipperHQ packed each order to get rates and save time and money replicating this at fulfillment.
LTL Freight
Access instant LTL freight rates at checkout — streamline shipping processes of heavy, oversized goods, all while keeping shipping margins in check.
Address Validation
Protect your margins and sales with correct charges for residential and commercial shipments.
FAQs
Can I use dimensional packing if I don’t have all my product dimensions or box sizes yet?
Yes. ShipperHQ’s dimensional packing helps improve shipping rate accuracy even if you haven’t added all your product dimensions or box sizes yet. It uses carrier shipment limits, such as maximum weight per box, to calculate more accurate rates from the start.
For example, if a carrier has a 70 lb weight limit and the cart weighs 100 lbs, ShipperHQ will split the shipment into two boxes: one at 70 lbs and one at 30. This results in a realistic shipping rate, even without detailed packaging data.
As your data becomes more complete, you can add packing rules like identifying pre-packed items or marking products to ship separately. This helps fine-tune your setup without having to rebuild it from scratch.
How can I get accurate shipping rates using dimensional weight in my online store?
To get accurate rates, you need to factor in both the size and weight of each shipment. ShipperHQ applies dimensional weight logic at checkout by using product dimensions, box sizes, and carrier rules in real time.
This ensures your shipping rates reflect how carriers actually charge, not just the package weight. As a result, you can avoid undercharging or overcharging and make sure shipping fees align with your actual fulfillment costs.
Which types of products typically require dimensional packing for accurate rates?
Dimensional packing is especially useful for products that are large, bulky, or take up more space than their weight suggests. Carriers often charge for these items based on volumetric weight, not just actual weight.
It’s a good fit for industries shipping:
- Large, bulky items like kayaks, pillows, or oversized toys
- Products with predefined quantities such as wine bottles or canned goods, that must ship in specific pack sizes
- Items with special packing needs like furniture, light bulbs, or temperature-sensitive goods like ice cream
Does dimensional packing work if I’m using table rate shipping?
Yes. ShipperHQ’s dimensional packing feature calculates dimensional weight first, then applies your table rates. This makes rates more accurate for bulky or oversized items.
What packing rule options are available in ShipperHQ for how items are boxed and shipped?
ShipperHQ gives you full control over how items are packed with flexible configuration options, including:
- Largest Packing Algorithm: Automatically selects the largest available box for oversized items
- Pack Separately: Packs each item in its own box
- Master Packing Box: Uses a pre-packed box that ships on its own
- Ship SKUs Separately: Ensures each box contains only one SKU
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Pack in multiple fixed boxes: Splits a single SKU into set packages
Other capabilities include Dimensional Padding, which adjusts box volume to account for extra padding, and Packing Tolerance, which increases item volume to factor in packing materials or irregular shapes.
What impact does dimensional weight have on the pricing of a shipment?
Dimensional weight impacts how carriers price large or lightweight shipments. If dimensional weight is higher than the actual weight, carriers charge based on size, not the dead weight.
For example, a box of pillows might weigh 5 lbs but be rated as 20 lbs due to its size. Without dimensional packing, this cost is often underquoted at checkout, which can leave you covering the difference, hurting your margins.