One app for all your study abroad needs
The basic difference between gross weight and net weight is that gross weight is the total weight of the product, including the packaging or any other component, whereas net weight is the weight of the actual product, irrespective of any other component. These two terms are highly recognized when comes to the shipping, manufacturing, and trading industries. It is important to understand the difference between gross weight and net weight as the 2 terms affect pricing and transportation costs. Let’s look at both terms more broadly.
Table of Contents
What is Gross weight?
Gross weight is simply the weight of the product or goods, along with the weight of the packaging or any other inclusive component. To calculate the gross weight, it is important to understand what tare weight is; it is the weight of the empty container in which the product will be shipped. For example, the weight of the empty bottles in which the juices will be kept. Now, if n number of cartons are used to carry those juice bottles, then the weight of empty cartons will also be included in the tare weight.
The definition of gross weight slightly varies depending on the mode of transportation.
- Air Transport: Here, the gross weight includes the net weight, tare weight, weight of the aircraft, fuel, passengers, and crew.
- Road/ Rail Transport: The gross weight for road/ rail transport is inclusive of net weight, tare weight, and vehicle weight.
- Waterway Transport: The net weight plus the tare weight is just included in the waterway transport.
Calculation of Gross weight
To get the gross weight, one should,
- Calculate the net weight of the product
- Calculate the tare weight of the product
- Calculate any other components’ weight used to ship the product
- Apply the formula: Gross Weight = Net Weight + Tare Weight + Other Components Weight
What is Net weight?
Net weight, on the other hand, solely represents the weight of the product. No packaging weight, transport weight, or any other weight is included in the net weight. For example, the weight of the juices will be calculated as the net weight without the bottle weight. The net weight represents the true weight of your item.
Calculation of Net Weight
To calculate the net weight, one should,
- Get the gross weight: Weigh the overall product with packaging
- Get the tare weight: Remove the packaging and weigh all the packaging that will be involved in the shipment of the product
- Apply the formula: Net Weight = Gross Weight – Tare Weight
Difference Between Gross Weight and Net Weight
The major difference between gross weight and net weight is in terms of cost, calculation unit and others. Check the table below for details:
| Components | Net Weight | Gross Weight |
| Weight | Product/ Goods Weight only | Product Weight plus packaging plus any other component weight used |
| Cost | Only the product cost is known | Overall shipping cost is known |
| Consistency of Formula | Be it any mode of transport, the calculation doesn’t change | Calculation varies with different modes of transportation |
| Calculation Unit | Kilograms or Pounds | Metric ton or metric tons |
| Tare Weight | Tare weight is excluded | Tare weight is included |
Sample Question
A shipping container carries 200 units of a product, with each unit weighing 5 kg. Additionally, the packaging, and wooden pallet, used for transportation weigh a total of 80 kg.
Gross Weight = (200 units × 5 kg) + 80 kg = 1080 kg
Net Weight = 200 units × 5 kg = 1000 kg
Here, the gross weight is 1080 kg, while the net weight, representing the actual product weight, is 1000kg.
Application of Gross Weight and Net Weight in Daily Life
Let us consider shipping electronics as a real-time example. So the net weight will be only the electronic item. The packaging, including the cartons and the styrofoam, will be added to the gross weight.
Now, this helps in understanding the shipping cost.
FAQs
Gross weight = Net Weight + Tare Weight, you won’t be able to know the gross weight without the tare weight.
The shipping charge is calculated through the gross weight. The weight of the product, packaging, plus other components are also considered while calculating the shipping charge.
No, it varies depending on the transportation type.
RELATED POSTS
This was all about the “Difference between gross weight and net weight.”. For more such informative blogs, check out our Study Material Section, you can learn more about us by visiting our Indian exams page.