How to Choose the Right Shipping Box Size
The right shipping box protects your product and keeps your carrier bill down. Too big and you pay for air (and risk damage from movement); too small and the box bursts or crushes. Here's how to size it properly.
1. Measure by internal dimensions
Boxes are ordered by internal dimensions (length × width × height), because that's the space your product actually gets. External dimensions include the board thickness — useful for pallet planning, not for fitting your product. Always confirm which one a supplier quotes; at FUMERO we list internal dimensions.
2. Leave room for protection
Add clearance for void fill or wrap on every side:
- Light items (apparel, accessories): ~2–3 cm total.
- Fragile items (glass, electronics): ~5 cm per side of cushioning.
A snug product with a thin protective layer travels far better than a loose product in a big box.
3. Avoid oversized boxes — dimensional weight
Carriers bill the greater of actual weight and dimensional (volumetric) weight. Volumetric weight is calculated from the box size:
length (cm) × width (cm) × height (cm) ÷ 5000 = volumetric kg
A light but bulky parcel is charged on its size, not its scale weight. Choosing a box that fits the product closely is often the single biggest lever on your shipping cost.
4. Match board strength to weight and stacking
- Single-wall corrugated: most e-commerce parcels up to a few kg.
- Double-wall: heavier goods, long transit, or stacking on a pallet.
If boxes will be stacked, board grade and correct sizing matter even more — an oversized box loses stacking strength.
Boxes at FUMERO
FUMERO boxes come in a range of capacities and materials, with variants for capacity, material, colour, dimensions and pack size. Prices are ex-VAT with quantity-break discounts, charged in EUR across the EU. Heavy or pallet orders are automatically offered a freight option, quoted after the order.
Need a size that isn't listed, or help matching a box to your product? Browse boxes or contact us with your product dimensions and weight.