The Evidence Checklist for a Weight Dispute

A weight dispute is decided on evidence, and the evidence has to exist before the parcel leaves. Once it is gone, you are arguing about a memory.

Capture at dispatch

Photograph 1 — the parcel on the scale. The sealed parcel, the scale display and the AWB label all legible in one frame. One frame matters: separate photos of a scale and a label prove nothing about each other.

Photograph 2 — the dimensions. A tape measure held against the sealed box for each dimension. One clear photo showing all three is fine if it is readable.

Recorded, not photographed: the AWB, the dispatch date, your declared weight and dimensions, and the SKU.

When a notice arrives

Check it before you contest it. Three questions:

1. Is the carrier’s weight higher than your chargeable weight — not your dead weight? If you were already billed volumetrically, a higher raw reading may still be below what you paid.
2. Does the difference cross a slab boundary on your card? If both weights price identically, the correct charge is zero.
3. Is the reading physically plausible? Anything above the network’s parcel limit is a unit error.

Many notices fail one of these, and pointing that out is faster than an evidence exchange.

Submitting

Keep it factual and short:

AWB 1234567890, dispatched 12 Aug. Declared 0.55 kg, 28×22×6 cm. Carrier reading 1.80 kg. Attached: parcel on calibrated scale showing 0.55 kg with AWB visible; tape measure against all three dimensions. Requesting the recorded scan data for this AWB.

Asking for the scan data is the useful part. It moves the question from your word against theirs to a specific record someone can check.

Watch the clock

Most platforms auto-accept an unactioned discrepancy after a set number of days. After that it is settled and the money is gone. Put the deadline in a calendar the day the notice lands.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need photographs for every parcel?

No. For high-value parcels, bulky parcels and any SKU that has been disputed before. That covers nearly every dispute you will actually face.

What if I have no evidence?

Check the three questions above — plausibility, chargeable weight and slab crossing. A notice can be wrong on its own terms without any photograph.

How long do disputes take to resolve?

Typically one to three weeks once evidence is submitted, depending on carrier.