“Metrologist” module deals with item weight to help you to calculate shipping cost more precisely. This is particularly important when item weight cannot be directly gotfrom Taobao.

As known, Alibaba.com limited obtaining some data through its API including “exact item weight” (for details see our forum of 19.01.2018 https://forum.otcommerce.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50239).However, by that time statistics that summarized the data on weight of about 9 millionof goodshad been gathered, which helped to implement improved version of “Metrologist” module.


Item weight calculated with “Metrologist” module is shown on item page and taken into consideration while calculating shipping cost.

Module price is 220$. It is available right after payment and request to support (ticket).


“Metrologist” module is a paid add-on for your business development! It is provided in Top and Standard versions of OT Commerce Box.

Contact OT managers in your Skype-chat to buy module and follow instructions provided.

Besides, manager will answer questions on module functionality and will help with payment.

See price-list http://en.otcommerce.com/prices-and-promo#2 for module price.

How it works?

“Metrologist” module deals with statistics on item weight. It collects data on item weight for each category of catalog and automatically calculates average item weight for a product category.

“Metrologist” module accounts for both accumulated (i.e. previously analyzed) data on item weights and those ones that can be specified manually (for example, while placing an order for your buyer).

Thus, if item weight specified manually is known it willalways be used when shipping cost of this item is calculated.

What weight will be finally displayed?

“Metrologist” module gives the priority to interests of an agent and sets the following order in which item weight is selected (the order of selection of (2) and (3) can be changed using settings), since there are a lot of weight sources.

  1. Item weight specified manually by OT Box agent
  2. Real item weight stated by trade provider (Taobao, 1688.com, etc.). If accurate item weight stated by a trade provider is available it is the one which will be used. If no, then the weight from (3) will be used.
  3. Approximate item weight calculated with “Metrologist” module. Weight is calculated for each product category based on data ofitem weightsfor this category. When the approximate weight is found it is assigned by default to all items within this category which do not get weight from (1) or (2).
  4. 1 kg is a standard weight for unknown items. If the weight is not known it can be either specified by default (1 kg) or ignored(0 kg will be used).

Thus, you can get item weight that most closely approximates realitywith “Metrologist” module.

Data on actual item weight enables you to improve accuracy of weight calculation for other items of the same category and increase loyalty of customers as well, as they see how much shipping will actually cost.