Flipkart seller guide
Flipkart Shipping Fee: Weight Slab, Volumetric Weight and Zones
Quick answerThe Shipping Details columns of the Flipkart settlement report show what Flipkart recorded for a parcel: Dead Weight, Length*Breadth*Height in cm, Volumetric Weight, Chargeable Weight Source, Chargeable Weight Type, Chargeable Wt. Slab and Shipping Zone. In all 53 rows where our file had a box size, Volumetric Weight was length × breadth × height ÷ 5000. Zone mattered too: National returns cost us more than Zonal ones. The fee itself comes from Flipkart's rate card, so use these columns to check it.
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The Shipping Details columns
In our month these columns were filled on the 53 customer return rows, the only rows where we paid a shipping charge. Forward Shipping Fee was ₹0 on every sale row of our low-priced products, so those rows had NA in Shipping Details.
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Dead Weight (kgs) | The weight of the packed parcel on a scale |
| Length*Breadth*Height | The box size in cm, for example 15.00*15.00*5.00 |
| Volumetric Weight (kgs) | Weight worked out from the box size |
| Chargeable Weight Source | Who measured it: System measured weight or Seller provided weight |
| Chargeable Weight Type | Whether the dead or the volumetric weight was used |
| Chargeable Wt. Slab (In Kgs) | The weight band the fee was taken for, such as 0.0-0.5 |
| Shipping Zone | How far the parcel travelled, such as Zonal or National |
Volumetric weight: length × breadth × height ÷ 5000
We checked every row that had a box size. In all 53, Volumetric Weight was the box size in cm multiplied together and divided by 5000, rounded to two decimals. A 27 × 19 × 3 cm box gives 1,539 ÷ 5000 = 0.31 kg.
A light item in a roomy box weighs more on paper than on the scale. One of our parcels weighed 0.12 kg but its 15 × 15 × 5 cm box gave 0.22 kg. Where Flipkart charges on the higher of the two weights, a smaller box costs less.
What the zone did to our return fees
The same 15 × 15 × 5 cm box going National was charged ₹110 once and ₹175 on other returns. So weight and zone do not explain every fee; the rate card in Seller Hub has the full rules. Use these columns to spot a fee that looks out of line, then check it there.
| Shipping Zone | Reverse Shipping Fee seen | Returns |
|---|---|---|
| National | ₹175 most often, also ₹170, ₹110 and ₹230 | 36 |
| Zonal | ₹139 most often, also ₹134, ₹189 and ₹217.19 | 17 |
Lower the weight Flipkart charges for
- Use the smallest box that protects the product. Volumetric weight drops with every centimetre you take off.
- Weigh a packed parcel of each SKU and keep the number. If Flipkart's dead weight is much higher, that note and a photo of the parcel on the scale are your proof for a dispute with Seller Support.
Track shipping costs per product
The free Flipkart seller dashboard reads every settlement row and shows return charges per SKU on the Returns & RTO tab, so a product whose box costs too much to bring back stands out.
Frequently asked questions
How does Flipkart calculate volumetric weight?
In all 53 rows of our settlement that had a box size, it was length × breadth × height in cm divided by 5000.
What does System measured weight mean?
Flipkart measured the parcel itself. Seller provided weight means the weight came from your listing or your entry. 52 of our 53 rows were system measured.
Why was I charged a higher slab than my parcel weighs?
Check the volumetric weight: a big box for a light item can push the parcel into a higher slab. If both weights look wrong, raise it with Seller Support with photos.
Do I pay forward shipping on Flipkart?
It depends on your products and the rate card. On our low-priced products the Shipping Fee column was ₹0 on every sale row in one month.