Parcel Select why doesn't it tell you there's a surcharge when you pay for shipping?

[clothedinglory]

So I packed up a teddy bear in a large box, measured the length + girth and it came to 104" total, way under the 130" allowed for Parcel Select according to the USPS website.  The total of my shipping was around $18.00 from LA to Dallas. It wold have been around $45 if I had shipped it PM.

However, just to be sure, I took it to the post office clerk.  Big mistake, according to my daughter as the clerk informed me the box was too big and he would have to charge me a $22. 00 surcharge!  He then  told me I could go home and cut the box down and it would be fine.  I didn't opt for that as it wasn't worth the extra hassle. Soo I relucantly paid the extra $22.

So, what I don't understand is why the eBay shipping system accepted all my measurements, plus weight, and yet there was no message telling me there was a surcharge!  Cost for Parcel Selet showed $18.00 which I paid.

My daughter told me that she never takes a package up to the counter and that I should not have either. She said she has sent plenty of packages Parcel Post—in boxes bigger than mine—and they've never been sent back, nor has she (or buyer) ever been stuck  for extra postage.

Is she correct?  Did I blow it by taking it up to the counter?  I just don't understand why we don't get told about this "surcharge" when we calculate the shipping!

[sam9876]

What were the dimensions of the package? 

Weight?

Origin zip code?

Destination zip code?

[mr_lincoln]

@clothedinglory  Need all the package dimensions ... I think last year I had a big one that they added what they called their "balloon" rate meaning in perhaps one dimension it was too big.  Now, the 130 you mentioned, isn't that actually for Priority Mail Large Package and not Parcel Select?  I thought Parcel Select went to 184 inches Girth + Length ... but I could be wrong.

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

When you set up a listing, you must specify weight and dimensions as well as the class of mail so that the shipping calculator can do its job. If the information is not accurate, then the calculation will not be accurate.

Parcel Select and Retail Ground have 3 "limits" that determine the cost -- 84 inches length plus girth, 108 inches L+G and 130 inches maximum L+G. USPS publishes the corresponding rates online:

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm

Any PS/RG package over 84 inches L+G and weighing under 20 lbs. is charged at 20 lbs. Over 108 inches is "oversize." Over 130 inches cannot be sent via USPS.
(Retail Ground is not available to Zones 1 through 4 except hazmat and specialized contents.)

PO clerks know retail rates -- Parcel Select is not a retail rate; it is for online prepaid labels only.

Priority Mail has a different means of calculating volume called "dimensional weight" -- it applies only to Zones 5 through 9.

~~C~~

[buyselljack2016]

84", and 108" are the magic #'s. 108 + to 130" adds a surcharge to any package

[couldabeenworse]

So, what I don't understand is why the eBay shipping system accepted all my measurements, plus weight, and yet there was no message telling me there was a surcharge!  Cost for Parcel Selet showed $18.00 which I paid.

You needed to select "Large Package".  Why in the world this isn't automatically changed for you when you enter the dimensions is a mystery.   There is no valid excuse for eBay or USPS to allow you to purchase standard box postage for a large box shipment.

In the end, you probably paid the correct postage at the post office - the 20lb rate, even though your package was lighter than that.

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

I am guessing that the package weighed under 20 lbs. Since 104 inches is greater than 84 inches, then the correct Parcel Select rate is the zoned balloon rate for 20 lbs. I doubt you could have trimmed so many inches to get to 84 inches or less.

There is no Parcel Select rate of exactly $18.00. The closest possibility is $17.88 for 5 lbs. to Zone 7 for a package measuring up to 84 inches L+G. The balloon rate (20 lbs.) to Zone 7 is $48.25. Does this sound about right? (I didn't bother to look up zip codes -- but this is a likely comparison.)

~~C~~

[partial*eclipse]

Dallas to LA is Zone 6.  Parcel Select postage would be $17.50 for 6 pounds and $41.18 for 20 pounds.

 The shipping calculator on the label preparation page will calculate the correct rates for Ballon or Oversize packages if you enter correct dimensions, even if you select regular package rather than Large package.

[myboardid]

Everyone has explained it well  - but I would add that, for $22, I would have taken the package home and repacked it!  A teddy bear can be squished! 

[mr_lincoln]

@clothedinglory  Actually you have made a really good point with the extreme deficiency with eBay's shipping calculator and it should start at the time of listing.  eBay SHOULD flag any package size entered as being out of spec for a selected shipping method AND NOT LET THE METHOD BE SELECTED.  @duchess-at-speakeasy posted a great breakdown of sizes for various USPS limits and I have (tongue in cheek) some info to share with a gaff I made recently.  And yes, anyone wishing to say "oh, Mr Lincoln, you should know better!" are welcome to post it as I deserve it from the mistake.  However, this bring out my point about eBay flagging package size issues at the time of listing.  I set up a listing with a size of 51" x 6" x 5" ... that fails all USPS girth+length package sizes comming in at a whopping total of 163" (pic with red blocks) ... errrnt.  eBay SHOULD HAVE BLOCKED ME FROM USING USPS, or as you have pointed out ... SHOW THE BALLOON RATE or whatever the USPS calls it.  Buyer obviously was NOT CHARGED for the larger out of spec package per the pic.  So, the item was purchased and I packed it up and the next pic with green blocks shows I switched to FedEx and will wind up eating almost 8 bucks because of my mstake that IMHO eBay should have caught for me as my valued business partner ... 

So to recap:

1. eBay should block shipping methods AT THE TIME OF LISTING that fail the spec

2. short of blocking the shipping methods ebay should show the higher shipping rate AT THE TIME OF LISTING if a package is out of spec

3. eBay should generate the higher shipping rate for the Buyer AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE or when they use the Calculator so they are charged the correct amount of shipping

4. eBay should work on being a better partner in the area of oversize packages as described here

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

Yes, any dimension of 12 inches or more triggers the correct postage calculation -- just as it does on the USPS website. At one time, offering both Parcel Select and Priority Mail did cause a calculation glitch, but I think eBay resolved that issue. Oh, and the extra $22 paid by the OP was to bring the grand total to the full retail rate (Retail Ground) since PO clerks can't sell Parcel Select. ~~C~~

[partial*eclipse]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

@clothedinglory  Actually you have made a really good point with the extreme deficiency with eBay's shipping calculator ...  I set up a listing with a size of 51" x 6" x 5" ... that fails all USPS girth+length package sizes comming in at a whopping total of 163" ...

1. eBay should block shipping methods AT THE TIME OF LISTING that fail the spec...

---

@mr_lincoln

The length-plus-girth of a package that is 51 x 6 x 5 is 51 + (6 + 5 + 6 + 5) = 73 inches.  Not Balloon rate, not dimensional weight (volume is 51 x 6 x 5 = 1530 cubic inches).

The USPS shipping calculator in your images is working perfectly.   If you enter package dimensions that actually DO exceed the limits for the chosen service, you  get little dashes instead of prices.

[lemarcheaupuces]

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@clothedinglory wrote:

So I packed up a teddy bear in a large box, measured the length + girth and it came to 104" total, way under the 130" allowed for Parcel Select according to the USPS website.  The total of my shipping was around $18.00 from LA to Dallas. It wold have been around $45 if I had shipped it PM.

However, just to be sure, I took it to the post office clerk.  Big mistake, according to my daughter as the clerk informed me the box was too big and he would have to charge me a $22. 00 surcharge!  He then  told me I could go home and cut the box down and it would be fine.  I didn't opt for that as it wasn't worth the extra hassle. Soo I relucantly paid the extra $22.

So, what I don't understand is why the eBay shipping system accepted all my measurements, plus weight, and yet there was no message telling me there was a surcharge!  Cost for Parcel Selet showed $18.00 which I paid.

My daughter told me that she never takes a package up to the counter and that I should not have either. She said she has sent plenty of packages Parcel Post—in boxes bigger than mine—and they've never been sent back, nor has she (or buyer) ever been stuck  for extra postage.

Is she correct?  Did I blow it by taking it up to the counter?  I just don't understand why we don't get told about this "surcharge" when we calculate the shipping!

---

104" is very close to 108".

long ago at the PO some guy brought several oversized boxes.

the customer raised hell when the teller said the boxes were oversized.

when you measured did you round up?

because if it 40 something inch, it has to be rounded up to 41".

same for the girth, for each side.

it is what happened to the customer mentioned above.

then again could be the weight too.

i was charged once for too large but too light.

i am surprised that if you entered all measurements and weight, Ebay didn't charge you the accurate charge.

[clothedinglory]

I already stated the measurements.  And origin (LA) and destination  (Dallas).

Weight was not the issue (it was very light) according to the clerk.  It was the size of the box even though as I already stated, my daughter has shipped PS boxes bigger than that and it was fine.  Plus it fit into the PS guidelines on the USPS web site.

I think she is right. I should have just put it in the bin and not gone up to the counter.  Lesson learned.

[clothedinglory]

It was 104" combined girth and length.