Gross Weight and Net Weight: Key Differences, Calculations & More
When shipping goods, domestic or international, you must provide the exact weight of your consignment to the carrier company. This is directly related to the shipping costs and also helps ensure that the vehicle carrying your goods is not overloaded.
Two kinds of weights come into play in this regard— gross weight and net weight. As a business, it is crucial for you to know their key differences, how they are calculated, and the formula for the same.
Keep reading this net weight vs gross weight guide for a detailed insight.
Net Weight: Overview
Net weight is the total weight of the goods without including the packaging weight. In simpler words, it’s just the weight of the product itself without any external factors that may contribute to its weight.
So, let’s say you are transporting carrots. The weight of the carrots, excluding the packaging materials, will be considered the net weight.
Now, the concept of net weight tends to vary across industries. In manufacturing, it helps assess the amount of raw materials used for a specific product. While in retail, it indicates the quantity of products customers receive, excluding the packaging.
In logistics, net weight determines the cargo’s weight before it is packed for transportation. This helps carriers determine the shipping costs and ensures compliance with the weight regulations.
Gross Weight: Overview
The gross weight of a product refers to its total weight, including its immediate packaging and any additional packaging that may be used during transportation. These may include protective fillings, boxes, palettes, crates, and other protective materials.
A consignment’s gross weight plays an essential role during the shipping process. It helps ensure that a vessel (trucks, ships, aeroplanes, etc.) is not overloaded and determines the maximum cargo it can safely carry while adhering to international shipping regulations.
Gross Weight and Net Weight: Importance in Logistics
Following are some of the reasons why net weight and gross weight are essential in logistics:
Determining Shipping Price
Finding the accurate net weight and gross weight for consignments is crucial to determining their justified shipping prices. Otherwise, customers may end up paying more, which can lead to dissatisfaction and potential legal issues.
Complying With Regulations
Several nations have strict regulations regarding the weight measurements of certain products. Companies must comply with these regulations to avoid product recalls, penalties, and reputational damage.
Transportation Efficiency
Carrier companies can optimise their transportation operations by properly measuring and documenting the cargo’s gross weight. They can track the exact weight of their shipments and load their vehicles to their full capacity without exceeding the legal weight limits.
Gross Weight vs Net Weight: The Calculation Process
Check out how to calculate net weight and gross weight along with their respective formulas:
Net Weight
In order to calculate the net weight, first measure the product’s total weight (with its packaging materials or container). Hereafter, you need to find out the weight of the packaging materials or container, which is the tare weight.
Subtract the tare weight from the total weight to get the net weight.
Formula:
Net Weight = Total Weight – Tare Weight
Gross Weight
Add the product’s net weight to its packaging weight to find the gross weight. Depending on the mode of transportation, you may also need to add the weight of the transportation vessel.
Here are a few examples:
- Road Transport: Gross weight will be equal to the truck’s weight, added to the net weight and tare weight.
- Water Transport: Gross weight equals the sum of the net weight and tare weight.
- Air Transport: Gross weight includes the sum of the weight of the aeroplane, the people onboard, and fuel.
Formula:
Gross weight = Net Weight + Tare Weight + Container Weight (if applicable)
Difference Between Gross & Net Weight: Highlighting the Key Differences
Find the key differences between gross weight vs net weight in the table below:
| Parameters | Net Weight | Gross Weight |
| Includes | Weight of the products only | Weight of the product, packaging, and accessories |
| Determines | Weight of consignment before packing | The total consignment weight |
| Constancy | The calculation method is constant in all cases | The calculation method tends to differ based on the transportation type |
| Units | Kilograms or Pounds | Metric Tons |
| Tare Weight | Excludes tare weight | Includes tare weight |
Now that you have a clear idea of net weight vs gross weight, you can fill in the accurate product details when shipping your goods. However, most businesses end up paying a higher price for transporting their cargo as the carrier usually has only a specific set of vehicles to cater to the client’s needs.
Porter allows you to choose from a wide range of vehicles according to the dimensions of your consignment. Thus, you can select a truck that is just right for the size and weight of your cargo, enabling you to maximise space usage.
What’s more, you only pay for the time and distance for which you avail our service.
Try out Porter today and get the most cost-effective shipping solutions for your business!
