Returns and DIM Analysis This is another useful application. When a customer returns a product, the shipping cost can be significant if the item is bulky. Scenario: Original shipment: 5 lb actual weight / 40 lb DIM weight Return: comes back in the same bulky package The company must consider forward shipping + return shipping together. If there are 1,000 returns per month, the DIM-related cost can become very large. That’s why return packaging optimization is important. By reducing package size for returns, companies can lower the overall shipping expense.