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Weight is a key factor in the daily operations of e-commerce and shipping businesses, as it often determines the amount of postage to be paid. You can improve the efficiency of your business results by using the best weighing system.
It’s no secret that packaging weight factors into transportation costs. The heavier the package, the more expensive it is to transport. Hence, you must charge customers accordingly to maintain a profit.
If the package weight exceeds your expectations, the cost of that excess will be reflected on your bill. Moreover, the package may even be rejected and returned because of the inaccurate weight reading.
Using an accurate scale to accurately measure the weight of products coming in and out of the factory helps businesses maintain profitability. This is even more vital for companies that rely on speed, accuracy, and efficiency to meet their goals.
Today, we’ll introduce the different types of scale systems for the types of packages you need to weigh. Consider choosing from each category’s top picks to ensure the best outcomes.
The Six Best Scales for Your Shipping Business
Help ensure smoother operations for your shipping business by picking out only quality models of the following scales:
Option #1: Transport Scales and Platform Scales
These are some of the most suitable scales for weighing smaller packages, counting applications, and automatic check weighing. Depending on the model, they’re available in different sizes and can come with all sorts of functions. While you can certainly avail of larger models of these scales, they tend to be designed smaller for workspace maximization.
Option #2: Postal Scales
Postal scales are the scales we often find in post office counters and many office settings. You can integrate these instruments into your mailing and transportation systems for more precise weighing and handling of packages.
These scales can handle all kinds of letters and packages while offering the flexibility of use. They’re available in electric-powered models, which can be used in tandem with software to provide a faster and more efficient letter or parcel posting service.
Option #3: Conveying Scales
Conveyor weighing scales are the best fit for businesses that rely on service speed and accuracy for profit. These scales can boost processing speed considerably while reducing the manual movement of products. Have them integrated into your computing, scanning, and printing systems to ensure even smoother operations.
Option #4: Floor Scales
A scale you can rely on for heavy-duty weighing is the floor scale. It’s built with a large platform that can weigh heavier products with high accuracy, making it perfect for weighing bulky goods.
Ideally, an electronic floor scale is installed in a central area of the warehouse and used in two ways. The operator can drive a forklift to carry the stacked goods to the scale for heavier goods. The operator may simply push the lighter batch onto the scale for weighing for lighter loads.
Option #5: Forklift Scales
As its name suggests, a forklift scale is a scale installed on a forklift that enables you to weigh and lift cargo using the said vehicle. Thus, you can collect real-time data to use for billing and inventory management.
You can also integrate these scales with in-cab instruments like barcode scanners, allowing for immediate acquisition of crucial freight data, which is then transmitted to the computer system along with weight data.
Option #6: Counting Scales
Digital counting scales are best for inventory control and accurately count large numbers of identical parts. They can weigh even the lightest pieces with close to 100% accuracy and even reduce operator errors.
Accessory and Scale Integration
You can integrate different kinds of scale accessories into these scales to boost their efficiency in various ways. In addition, most of these scales are compatible with most new applications, including custom software applications, so you are unlikely to have a problem incorporating them into an existing weighing system.
Going For a Postal Scale? Here’s How To Choose One
The postal scale is arguably the most versatile of the bunch, making it the best choice for businesses in general. That said, the scale you select has to have an accuracy of at least a tenth of an ounce to be effective for your business. That’s because a package weight that’s even a tenth of an ounce over the postage amount paid is reason enough for the post office to return the package.
The dimensions of your postal scale should also align with the size of available space you have and the types of packages you send. In general, a good model should be able to accurately weigh packages more than 50 pounds for minimal trips to the post office. In addition, it should have good readability, which means its weight display is well-lit and in a good location.
Lastly, consider the scale’s other characteristics to ensure it meets your requirements. Do you need additional features, or is the standard postal scale enough? Can you move the scale around comfortably? Is the scale electric- or battery-powered? These are some of the questions you might need to answer to find the most suitable postal scale for your needs.
You may also like: Make Sure You Follow These 5 Tips When Reducing Package Shipping Costs
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