Calculated shipping for USPS Retail Ground is calculating incorrectly over 1 cubic foot

[orangehound]

I am hoping that one of the eBay employees who monitor these boards can pass on an error to whomever does the USPS calculations after the 6/23/2019 adjustment.

The USPS Retail Ground service does not use dimensional weights like Priority Mail and Parcel Select.  It does have the oversize rates, but not dimensional weights.  As a result, the shipping quotes are wrong if a package's size is quoted as more than 1 cubic foot, but less than 84" girth x length.

I got this confirmed by a postmaster after noticing that Notice 123 clearly shows that Retail Ground does not have dimensional weights applied to it.

brian@ebay 

[dhbookds]

Nope......... this is what happened:

Effective the change in June

Parcel and Priority went to dimensional weight

Retail did not go to dim weight.........hence the larger packages are cheaper to be mailed.  BUT you cannot print retail-anywhere on line, it is ONLY available at the PO.......

You CAN use retail in the listing........because it's possible to go to the PO and buy/pay retail..... 

IF you use retail in the listing and then mail parcel.......you are going to get soaked in price for a larger item because retail doesn't charge by dim weight, but parcel does. 

[theresak]

Let me add the issue I am running into.  

Based on the new dim rates on Priority - this has been a nightmare.  What the calculator does NOT do  - if I have Retail Ground selected BUT the buyer ends up being in zones 1 thru 4 based on my location (zip 473xx) it still calculates Retail ground when it SHOULD NOT .  If I list Priority and Retail as a choice - no one picks Priority because of cost because the size of my pkgs sends it into dim weight (25 lbs rate) and I really can't downsize my boxing as I ship fragile/breakable items.

Anyway - the calculator does NOT recognize the zones 1 thru 4 to kick it to Priority Only.  If I list Priority and Retail - it will still show both - when it should ONLY show Priority if buyer is in zones 1 to 4.

Which means I am losing $5 to $10 per package - even with adjusting my handling charge to try to cover those zone 1 to 4 shipments.  For a few pkgs I was able to get them to override and ship ground because of a lithium-ion battery in a tablet.  Then the next week - NO - you can't ship ground has to be Priority.  I know many have said to put an alcohol swab in or perfume and mark the ORM-D to get it to go Ground when it shouldn't.  

The perfect solution would be for the calculator to recognize the zone and NOT show a price for Retail Ground.  Any other suggestions??  Thanks for listening!

[dtexley3]

@theresak You are tagging onto a message string that is a couple months old.  I recommend you start a new thread with your situation to get more attention/responses.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@theresak wrote: ... if I have Retail Ground selected BUT the buyer ends up being in zones 1 thru 4 based on my location (zip 473xx) it still calculates Retail ground when it SHOULD NOT . ...Any other suggestions??  Thanks for listening!

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In order to charge Retail Ground prices for Zones 5 - 9 and Priority Mail prices for Zones 1 - 4, you need to set up shipping tables in your Site Preferences which will charge the appropriate price based on where your buyer lives.

[specialtreasurez]

Oh, I have been complaining. At least 10 phone calls with no satisfactory answers. I'm relieved to see that I am not the only one dealing with this. I was wondering why there wasn't a big ebay seller out cry over this shipping fiasco.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Because there is no fiasco.  The shipping calculator is showing the correct prices for both Retail Ground and Parcel Select Ground.  

For packages over 1 cubic foot, the price for Parcel Select Ground will be higher because of the dimensional rate.  Retail Ground is not subject to the dimensional rate.  

eBay sells labels only for Parcel Select Ground, not for Retail Ground, because postage  for Retail Ground can only be purchased at the Post Office.  When you look at pricing on usps.com you'll see prices for Retail Ground so it will be lower than the eBay price (for Parcel Select Ground) for packages over 1 cubic foot.

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