A weight discrepancy is when a carrier bills a higher weight than you declared, usually after re-weighing or re-measuring the parcel at a hub. Catch it by recording actual and volumetric weight at booking (with photos), comparing every invoice line against your booking data, and disputing within the carrier's window with that evidence.
Why discrepancies happen
- Volumetric weight ignored at booking. The parcel is light but large, and the carrier bills on size. Check it with our volumetric weight calculator.
- Packaging bulge. A box measured flat and packed round measures bigger at the hub.
- Wrong declared dimensions from the client, copied without checking.
- Machine errors. Automated scanners and scales at hubs can mis-read.
- Different divisor or slab from the one in your rate agreement.
What it costs
Illustration: an agency ships 3,000 parcels a month. If one in ten is billed a single 0.5 kg slab higher, at ₹30 per slab, that's ₹9,000 a month, or over ₹1 lakh a year, before you've noticed a single case.
Prevent it at booking
- Weigh every parcel on a calibrated scale and measure at the widest points.
- Record both actual and volumetric weight on the booking.
- Photograph the parcel on the scale, and with a tape measure along each side, for high-value lanes.
- Standardise box sizes for regular clients.
Catch it on every invoice
- Match every carrier invoice line to its booking by AWB number.
- Flag lines where billed weight is higher than your recorded chargeable weight.
- Check the divisor, slab rounding and surcharges (fuel, COD, ODA) against your rate card.
- Total the difference by carrier each month. It tells you where to negotiate.
Dispute it with evidence
- Raise the dispute inside the carrier's dispute window; late disputes are usually rejected.
- Attach the booking record, photos of weight and dimensions, and the product's packed size.
- Keep a log of every dispute and its outcome, and chase credits on the next invoice.
Passing charges to clients
If a client declared the wrong weight, pass the difference on, with the carrier's evidence. Put the rule in your client agreement so it's never a surprise.
How Hyper Route helps
Hyper Route shows your true margin on every shipment, client and route, and catches carrier overbilling automatically. See profit and overbilling checks.