What counts as a light add-on
A light add-on is an item under 200 g that you add to a parcel to use space the weight step has already paid for. The grid above shows socks, underwear, phone cases, keychains and caps from the product library. Weights below are estimates from our 27 October 2026 fact sheet, not measurements, and prices are hypothetical examples converted at LitBuy's display rate of ¥1 ≈ €0.158, which is higher than a typical bank rate.
| Add-on | Example price | Item in € | Est. weight | Fit in a 0.30 kg gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phone case | ¥30 | €4.74 | 0.08 kg | 3 |
| Socks or underwear | ¥20 | €3.16 | 0.10 kg | 3 |
| Jewelry piece | ¥40 | €6.32 | 0.10 kg | 3 |
| Baseball cap | ¥45 | €7.11 | 0.15 kg | 2 |
| Light scarf | ¥50 | €7.90 | 0.15 kg | 2 |
Anything near 0.10 kg is a filler; three of them equal one polo.
How the weight-step maths works
LitBuy's estimator for Germany on LIT-Economy-DHL-DE showed all-in prices of €23.08 at 500 g, €30.42 at 1,000 g and €45.09 at 2,000 g on 27 October 2026. Anything between two steps pays the upper one. So a parcel of 0.60 kg and one of 1.00 kg both cost €30.42, and the weight in between is free. The step from 500 g to 1,000 g adds €7.34, and from 1,000 g to 2,000 g adds €14.67.
The useful number is therefore headroom: next step minus current estimated weight. A 0.70 kg pair of jeans has 0.30 kg of headroom, one 0.60 kg pair of slides has 0.40 kg, and a boxed pair of shoes at an estimated 1.30 kg has 0.70 kg before the 2,000 g step.
| Parcel so far | Est. weight | Next step | Headroom | Socks (0.10) | Cases (0.08) | Caps (0.15) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One tee | 0.25 kg | 0.5 kg | 0.25 kg | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Tee + cap | 0.40 kg | 0.5 kg | 0.10 kg | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Slides | 0.60 kg | 1 kg | 0.40 kg | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| Jeans | 0.70 kg | 1 kg | 0.30 kg | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Jeans + tee | 0.95 kg | 1 kg | 0.05 kg | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Boxed shoes | 1.30 kg | 2 kg | 0.70 kg | 7 | 8 | 4 |
Count headroom, not items: the step is paid whether you fill it or not.
Worked example: fill the gap, or cross the step
Start with the hypothetical ¥180 pair of jeans (est. 0.70 kg). Alone it lands at €58.86 on the 1,000 g step. Adding three pairs of ¥20 socks reaches an estimated 1.00 kg, exactly on the step, so postage does not change.
Jeans plus three pairs of socks: fills the 1,000 g step
Jeans and socks: ¥240 × 0.158€37.92
Est. 1.00 kg, 1,000 g step, all-in€30.42
One parcel, four items€68.34
The three socks add only €9.48 over the jeans alone (¥60 × 0.158). Now take a different parcel: jeans, a ¥60 tee (0.25 kg) and one pair of socks is an estimated 1.05 kg, which falls in the 2,000 g step.
Jeans, tee and socks: crosses into the 2,000 g step
Items: ¥260 × 0.158€41.08
Est. 1.05 kg, 2,000 g step, all-in€45.09
One parcel, three items€86.17
Without the socks the same parcel would be 0.95 kg at €68.34. The pair of socks then costs the €3.16 item price plus €14.67 more postage, which is €17.83 for one pair. The lesson is simple: a filler that fits is nearly free, a filler that tips the parcel is the most expensive thing in it. The same logic applies to a cheap tee. For rows under €10 see the budget page.
Pay the filler's price only when it stays under the step.
Why you should leave a margin
Estimated weights are planning numbers. Real items vary with size and fabric, and LitBuy packs the parcel in material that is not in our figures; LitBuy does not publish a packing weight in what we read. After packing, LitBuy recalculates on the chargeable weight, refunds an overpayment to your LitBuy account or asks for the difference (help centre and estimator notes, 19 and 27 Oct 2026). For a parcel that sits at 1.00 kg on paper, the safe plan is one filler fewer, or ask about the ¥20 rehearsal parcel described in the combine-parcels guide. Volumetric weight also counts if the box is large: most DHL tax-free lines divide length × width × height in cm by 8000, but a small soft item rarely changes that.
If the maths ends on the line, remove one filler.
UK and US: the same trick with other prices
The UK cheapest line, FF-Royalmail-GB-1, was £11.06 at 500 g and £16.83 at 1 kg (27 Oct 2026, no prepayment), so crossing 1 kg is a bigger jump than the 500 g step: £28.38 at 2 kg, £11.55 more than 1 kg. On ZF-GOFO-US-1 the US prices were $25.55, $41.17 and $72.41 for 500 g, 1 kg and 2 kg. The headroom method is identical in every market; only the step prices change.
Find the step that applies to your country first, then add fillers.
Where to find fillers and what to check
Fillers are easy to find: look at accessories for caps and belts, phone cases for model-specific cases, and jewelry for rings and chains. Check the model name on a case, the size of a cap and the material of any metal piece. The landed price calculator sums an item and a line in euros. No LitBuy account? Send the row to us via the WhatsApp QR on the contact page: one delivered price, photos before dispatch, pay per order.
Pick fillers by weight first, then by taste.
FAQ
How light is a light add-on for LitBuy shipping?
In this library an add-on is anything under 200 g. Our planning weights, which are estimates and not measured, are 0.08 kg for a phone case, 0.10 kg for socks, underwear or a jewelry piece, and 0.15 kg for a cap, scarf or earbuds. Three pairs of socks together are about 0.30 kg, the same as one polo.
Does an add-on cost anything in shipping?
Not when the parcel stays inside its weight step. LitBuy's estimator priced the 1,000 g step at €30.42 all-in for Germany on 27 October 2026, whether the parcel weighs 0.70 kg or 1.00 kg. A 0.30 kg gap is free to fill. Past 1,000 g the price jumps to the 2,000 g step at €45.09, which is €14.67 more.
How do I know how much room is left in a weight step?
Add the estimated weights of everything in the parcel and subtract from the next step: 0.5, 1 or 2 kg. Jeans at 0.70 kg leave 0.30 kg below 1 kg. Packing material is not in our estimates, and LitBuy recalculates on the chargeable weight after packing, so leave a margin of roughly one light item.
Are underwear and socks allowed in LitBuy parcels?
Nothing in the restricted-item clause we read on 27 October 2026 names socks or underwear; it covers tobacco, alcohol, knives, some foods, seeds, magnetic parts and goods that infringe trademarks. Liquids, creams and batteries need care. Check the row, keep the declared value truthful, and ask LitBuy support when a listing is unclear.
Is it worth ordering add-ons alone if they are only ¥20?
No. A ¥20 pair of socks costs €3.16, but alone to Germany it needs the 500 g step at €23.08, which makes €26.24. Combined into a parcel with spare room it costs only €3.16. Add-ons make sense as riders on bigger orders or in a batch of several light items.
Can a keychain or a charm go in the same parcel as clothing?
Yes, within the usual limits. LitBuy forwards several items in one parcel, and a metal keychain is small enough that its weight rarely matters. Our weight list has no figure for keychains, so check the listing and keep the total below the step. Avoid magnetic parts, which are on the restricted list.