I always enjoy comparing products in the marketplace and I had the opportunity to review a new product called vMeasure. They have been marketing their products aggressively in the United States and a few of our readers have sent in requests to get my opinion. I contacted the company Visai Labs to do an interview.
Here is a picture of their unit.
As you can see, it is a two-headed pallet dimensioner which if you are a reader of this site, you know we don’t think too much of those systems. The reasons are simple. Freight is 4 sided and as a result, you can’t measure what you can’t see. Even when perfectly presented on a scale, you are limited to about 60% visibility.
Why is this a problem?
One of the first questions I like to ask Shippers who are looking for a pallet dimensioner to offset Carrier charges is what do their Carriers use. After all, if the Carrier has the best equipment, and the most accurate, then you need to make sure yours is going to work as well. That is why we don’t recommend two headed Dimensioners. Carriers use equipment that can see 100% of the freight. So if your freight isn’t perfect, then the Carrier will measure it larger in cubic feet than your two headed unit, and then you will still get rebills. Fight like you might, when you say you are using a 2 Headed unit, they will not budge.
Another question a shipper should ask any potential vendor is how many LTL Carriers utilize their equipment? Then ask which ones. When you ask vMeasure, the answer you will get is zero. The reason is simple. You can’t measure what you can’t see and vMeasure is not certified by any governing body as legal for trade. So, if you are a shipper, and you are charging your customers freight, it isn’t even legal to use a non-Legal for trade product.
So, what do you do if you are looking for an affordable solution?
FreightSnap would be my choice. Their XL unit is pictured below and it also comes in a 4 sensor set up for freight that is more normal sized.
Why do I like FreightSnap?
- It is used by 25 different LTL Carriers across the United States including some of the largest Carriers like Estes Express, Dayton Freight, RoadRunner, Oak Harbor and many others.
- It is not only certified “Legal For Trader” in the United States, but also worldwide in every country.
- Any Carrier that used FreightSnap will automatically honor your Dimensions if you have one. And we all know that freight moves in transit, so it is a good idea to have your own “Certified” dimensions.
- The unit can fit anywhere. Over a scale, a wrapper, in a corner, or in the center of a dock.
- It is extremely fast doing a dimension in less than a second.
- It is affordable. There are 4 main vendor suppliers in the U.S. that are certified worldwide, and FreightSnap is by far the best deal.
In my view, the two-headed units have trouble with black shrink wrap, protrusions, and blind spots which in the end, will cost you money and accuracy. Until another product comes on the market with the features, certifications, support, and value of FreightSnap, they will continue to be my #1 recommendation. If you are looking for a cheap way to estimate size and cube, vMeasure is fine, but if you want accuracy and a product a Carrier will accept, you need a triple certified product like FreightSnap.
