diff --git a/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/misc.py b/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/misc.py
index fdf9f34..d928b01 100644
--- a/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/misc.py
+++ b/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/misc.py
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@ def convert_units(
     value: float, unit: str, unit_conversions: Dict[str, float]
 ) -> Optional[float]:
     """Convert a given value and unit into a different unit.
+    Round the returned value to 2 significant decimals
     If unrecognized unit, return None"""
     try:
         conversion = unit_conversions[unit]
     except KeyError:
         logging.error("unrecognized unit: %s", unit)
         return None
-    return value * conversion
+    return round(value * conversion, 2)
diff --git a/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/parse_xml.py b/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/parse_xml.py
index 1cab2d8..2367c9a 100644
--- a/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/parse_xml.py
+++ b/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/parse_xml.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ they refer to the same thing.
 import logging
 import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 
-from typing import Dict
+from typing import Dict, Optional
 
 FIELDS_MAPPING = {
     "Material": "materials",
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def iter_parse(root: ET.Element) -> Dict[str, str]:
     return spec_dict
 
 
-def parse_raw_specs(raw_specs: str) -> Dict[str, str]:
+def parse_raw_specs(raw_specs: str) -> Optional[Dict[str, str]]:
     """Parse a raw specifications XML string into a dictionary.
     This involves first recursively parsing the XML tree and then renaming
     the key values"""
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def parse_raw_specs(raw_specs: str) -> Dict[str, str]:
         xml_root = ET.fromstring(raw_specs)
     except ET.ParseError:
         logging.error("error parsing xml string: \n%s", raw_specs)
-        return {}
+        return None
 
     parsed = iter_parse(xml_root)
     specs_dict = {
diff --git a/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/weight.py b/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/weight.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3035e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pipeline/beam_etl/helpers/weight.py
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+"""Functions to parse the weigth string into a dictionary that represents
+the weight in g
+"""
+
+import logging
+from typing import Optional
+import re
+
+from helpers.misc import convert_units
+
+
+UNIT_CONVERSIONS = {"pounds": 453.592, "ounces": 28.3495, "g": 1, "kg": 1000}
+
+
+def parse_weight(weight: Optional[str]) -> Optional[float]:
+    """Parse a weigth string into a dictionary representing the weight unit and
+    value"""
+    if weight is None:
+        return None
+    expr = r"(?P<value>\d*[.,]?\d*)\s+(?P<unit>[a-zA-Z]*)"
+
+    # strip is needed to prevent the regex from lazily
+    # matching just from the first whitespace separator,
+    # this could happen because the number part in the
+    # expression is technically all optional, to avoid
+    # an expression too complex and unreadable
+    if match := re.search(expr, weight.strip()):
+        match_value = match.group("value")
+        try:
+            value = float(match_value)
+        except ValueError:
+            logging.error("could not parse value `%s` as a float for a weight")
+            return None
+        unit = match.group("unit").lower()
+        return convert_units(value, unit, unit_conversions=UNIT_CONVERSIONS)
+
+    return None
+
+
+def dimensional_weight(
+    height: Optional[float], width: Optional[float], depth: Optional[float]
+) -> Optional[float]:
+    """The dimensional weight (in kg) is calculated as:
+    Length * Height * Width (in cm) / 5000.
+    We'll return it in g here"""
+    if None in [height, width, depth]:
+        return None
+    dimensional_weight_kg = height * width * depth / 5000
+    return convert_units(
+        value=dimensional_weight_kg, unit="kg", unit_conversions=UNIT_CONVERSIONS
+    )
diff --git a/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_convert_units.py b/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_convert_units.py
index cee3f4e..8798e8d 100644
--- a/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_convert_units.py
+++ b/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_convert_units.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Test the `convert_units`"""
 
 from helpers.dimensions import UNIT_CONVERSIONS as dimension_unit_conversions
+from helpers.weight import UNIT_CONVERSIONS as weight_unit_conversions
 from helpers.misc import convert_units
 
 
@@ -21,4 +22,29 @@ def test_units_to_cm_cm():
 
 def test_units_to_cm_unrecognized():
     """Test `convert_units` to cm from unrecognized unit"""
-    assert convert_units(0.5, "yard", dimension_unit_conversions) is None
+    assert convert_units(0.5, "yards", dimension_unit_conversions) is None
+
+
+def test_units_to_g_pounds():
+    """Test `convert_units` to g from pounds"""
+    assert convert_units(0.5, "pounds", weight_unit_conversions) == 226.8
+
+
+def test_units_to_g_ounces():
+    """Test `convert_units` to g from ounces"""
+    assert convert_units(0.5, "ounces", weight_unit_conversions) == 14.17
+
+
+def test_units_to_g_g():
+    """Test `convert_units` to g from g"""
+    assert convert_units(0.5, "g", weight_unit_conversions) == 0.5
+
+
+def test_units_to_g_kg():
+    """Test `convert_units` to g from kg"""
+    assert convert_units(0.5, "kg", weight_unit_conversions) == 500
+
+
+def test_units_to_g_unrecognized():
+    """Test `convert_units` to g from unrecognized unit"""
+    assert convert_units(0.5, "mg", weight_unit_conversions) is None
diff --git a/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_parse_xml.py b/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_parse_xml.py
index 2a276cb..e8639d4 100644
--- a/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_parse_xml.py
+++ b/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_parse_xml.py
@@ -150,4 +150,4 @@ def test_parse_raw_specs4():
 def test_malformed_xml():
     """Test al maformed xml string"""
     xml_str = "<div>foo"
-    assert parse_raw_specs(xml_str) == {}
+    assert parse_raw_specs(xml_str) is None
diff --git a/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_weight.py b/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_weight.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa87b5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pipeline/beam_etl/tests/test_weight.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+"""Test the `parse_weight`  and `dimensional_weight`"""
+
+from helpers.weight import parse_weight, dimensional_weight
+
+
+def test_parse_weight_none():
+    """Test None value"""
+    assert parse_weight(None) is None
+
+
+def test_parse_weight():
+    """Test one value from the sample file"""
+    assert parse_weight("0.65 pounds") == 294.83
+
+
+def test_parse_weight_only_decimals():
+    """Test a value with only decimals specified"""
+    assert parse_weight(".28 pounds") == 127.01
+
+
+def test_parse_weight_no_decimals():
+    """Test a value without decimals"""
+    assert parse_weight("44 pounds") == 19958.05
+
+
+def test_parse_weight_ounces():
+    """Test a value with ounces"""
+    assert parse_weight("0.65 ounces") == 18.43
+
+
+def test_parse_weight_unrecognized():
+    """Test a value where the unit is not recognized"""
+    assert parse_weight("0.65 mg") is None
+
+
+def test_dimensional_weight():
+    """Test the dimensional weight calculation"""
+    assert dimensional_weight(height=1, width=2, depth=3) == 1.2
+
+
+def test_dimensional_weight_none():
+    """Test the dimensional weight calculation where there may be nones in the
+    input"""
+
+    assert dimensional_weight(height=None, width=2, depth=3) is None
+    assert dimensional_weight(height=1, width=None, depth=3) is None
+    assert dimensional_weight(height=1, width=2, depth=None) is None
+
+    assert dimensional_weight(height=None, width=None, depth=3) is None
+    assert dimensional_weight(height=1, width=None, depth=None) is None
+    assert dimensional_weight(height=None, width=2, depth=None) is None
+
+    assert dimensional_weight(height=None, width=None, depth=None) is None