How to work out your cubic conversion factor

Next time you are using Temando don’t freak out when  you read the term cubic conversion factor, it is not a form of quantum physics or a theory of universal creation! No, it is far simpler than that, though the term does sound highly complex. 

Temando has revolutionised the courier and shipping industry. They have brought almost every carrier together under one portal. Even better than that, they have added extra functionality so that you can streamline your logistics, no matter whether you are a sole operator or a multinational, a private individual or a government department. Temando is for everyone. Since they launched they have made a huge impact across the board, helping companies save money and time when it comes to couriering. 

Not only are Temando the best service provider, but they are also dedicated to ensuring that all of their customers get the best possible outcome each and every time. As a progressive and ambitious company, they know that making sure their customers are satisfied is the key to business and they have made sure that they not only provide the best service but also have a comprehensive FAQ so that their customers can find out virtually anything about the process. 

When you are dealing with something as specialised as couriering there are bound to be terms that most people do not understand. Cubic conversion factor is one of them, but never fear, Temando are not going to let their customers get confused by this term. No, they will make sure that all their customers understand exactly what this means so that they can get on with confirming their carrier and getting their goods shipped. 

So what is a cubic conversion factor precisely? Well, a Cubic Conversion Factor is a number which assesses the "weight" of the space that a package takes up. The cubic conversion factor is used in calculation of volumetric weight. The volumetric weight is used to ensure that light weight consignments are charged based on the space that they occupy rather than their actual weight, as if they only went by weight then someone could theoretically decide to ship a truck full of polystyrene for only a few dollars. 

It is a way of making sure that the pricing for goods is fair by taking into account the massive differences in mass between objects and materials. It means that a ball of lead and a ball of polystyrene that weight the same amount will not cost the same amount to ship as the polystyrene ball will be hundreds of times bigger than the lead ball. 

Importantly the cubic conversion factor differs from carrier to carrier, as carriers will charge on whatever is the greater between deadweight and cubic weight. Some possible cubic conversion factors include 167, 200, 250, 333, 400 and 1000. While the chargeable weight will always be calculated accurately by the Temando system behind the scenes, the Approx. Cubic Weight displayed on the quote page will be based on the carrier’s factor.