Gross weight is easily defined as the total weight, including the contents of the package and everything associated with that package. Net weight for instance would only take into consideration the weight of the contents and would leave out the weight of the packaging and anything else pertaining to the package.
Gross weight is the more common method of weighing as it relates to cargo trucking or freight shipping. There are several reasons that a shipper would want to determine the weight of the container separately from the weight of the container and there are a couple of methods to obtain the weight of each.
Dimensional weight is used for freight and shipping purposes because it is a technique that factors shipping charges for the shipment. When factoring the dimensional weight, a weighing scale is typically utilized. It determines the weight of the shipping container only.
A weighbridge is utilized for weighing freight trucks plus their shipments because some roads are equipped to handle a specific amount of weight. Therefore, there are check points that truckers must go through to determine their freight is not over the weight limits.
Freight companies will know what shipments need to weigh and the regulations required for shipping to specific areas. They will typically charge a flat rate for shipping that will cover their expenses regardless if gross weight or dimensional weight is used to factor the shipping charges.