FedEx "adjustments" for sending boxes with "Too much air in them" aka "Dimensional Weight Pricing"

[pc_liquidators]

FedEx out of all of them, promotes sensational 2 Day costs. But, when the package gets delivered, you do not realize "adjustments" until you get your Ebay invoice. I recently shipped a laptop, $28.60. Great. Looking at final invoice, $78.19. Miraculously, the dimension weight and box size grew like a sprout from 7.3125 (according to FedEx store that accepted it) to 12.0 and from 15x13x7 to 17x14x8. (I am SURE of the dimensions I input).

Pressing a FedEx employee HARD on the issue, the rep finally relented and told me, since I padded the item well, "the size was not appropriate for the weight". (But she thinks they made a mistake on the dimensions making it larger than it was). So senders get penalized for shipping larger padded boxes. She called it an "Air Box tax". - I AM NOT KIDDING. I laughed when she said it, but it is sad. "Dimensional Weight Pricing" is something that Ebay will not discuss but the FedEx website does. She told me, people that extra pad to prevent damage end up paying more due to shipping "excessive air". I guess you are supposed to stuff a fragile item into the smallest box invalidating insurance claims due to damage. This way they are more in line with the rates they quote on their website, much higher than the Ebay "negotiated" prices.

Heed the warning my friends. Hasn't happened to you, yet. It will and you will remember this message. Google: "FedEx Dimensional Weight Pricing". Something not declared when you select FedEx as shipper in Ebay, but I imagine it is buried deeply somewhere that can be quoted if challenged.

I asked for an Ebay agent through Contact Us to dispute this and the automated system told me there was no one available. Lol. The dumpster fire keeps burning on and the flame gets hotter every day.

[cosmo2tan]

Fedex i known for doing this.  If the package is not weighed correctly and measures correctly they will put a charge like that on it. We got one for $694.00 for something that was 1/2" off. .

[droneboost]

When using FedEx, trim your box as small as possible and use minimal protection will be ok. Their rule is weight vs dimension. They will charge to the more expensive side in measurement whenever possible. No need to put big bubble pad into the box. Otherwise, your dimension costing would seriously out-costing your actual weightless of your package and they will charge the costing on the dimension instead. Not the weight.

[lja440]

One of the many reasons I will never use FedEx

[orangehound]

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@pc_liquidators wrote:

So senders get penalized for shipping larger padded boxes.

"FedEx Dimensional Weight Pricing". Something not declared when you select FedEx as shipper in Ebay, but I imagine it is buried deeply somewhere that can be quoted if challenged.

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Every major domestic shipper (USPS, FedEx, UPS) charges dimensional weights, although the USPS dimensional charges are waived if the package is under 1 cubic foot.    It is not a secret.

Your billing weight is the higher of (a) scale weight and (b) dimensional weight ... and the dimensions are measured based on size of the external container, not whatever you put inside.

Overall it is more complicated to ship with FedEx than USPS, and sellers need to orient themselves to the complexities of FedEx shipping before encountering a surprise charge.

[pc_liquidators]

Seriously? Minimal protection? You put in a 1200 laptop and no need to pad it? For real? SMH!

[pc_liquidators]

sellers need to orient themselves to the complexities of FedEx shipping before encountering a surprise charge.

Care to point to me where sellers can read this training offered on Ebay to orient themselves? You enter your weight and dimensions within the ebay shipping page and quoted a price. You create a label. FedEx receives it and they then "recalculate". Your comment is pure fantasy. Furthermore, majority of small/casual sellers (aka non Chinese drop shippers) have NO idea how shipping works. Loop back to the first sentence in this paragraph.

[pc_liquidators]

Followup to my post:

>>15x13x7 to 17x14x8. (I am SURE of the dimensions I input).

I pushed it up to a FedEx supervisor, they claimed, even though I found I had picture PROOF the box was stamped with the dimensions on it, they could not "prove" it and made no adjustment to my cost. The rep was nice enough to recommend I go back to Ebay because they negotiated the pricing with FedEx and they are responsible to issue me an adjustment. LOL.

Does FedEx realize that Amazon working to launch their own delivery service and the proliferation of drones will only further damage their reputation and profits?

Does Ebay realize that AliExpress is exploding and on path to clean their clocks out along with Facebook Marketplace and other special sites allowing people to bypass this hot mess?

[a_c_green]

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@lja440 wrote:

One of the many reasons I will never use FedEx

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Well, that, plus you work for the USPS. 😁

I picked up #2 son from his part-time job at McDonalds one day. He hops in the car after a busy shift and says, "Hey, could we stop by Taco Bell on the way home?"

I stare at him, sitting there in full McDonald's regalia, complete with official McDonald's cap, and immediately come to a realization. "Lose the hat. If you show up on the Taco Bell monitors looking like that, you'll be viral before you've even finished your Chalupa™."

[lja440]

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@pc_liquidators wrote:

Seriously? Minimal protection? You put in a 1200 laptop and no need to pad it? For real? SMH!

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Indeed. I would NEVER ship out anything withough adequate protections.

When I was shipping troop care packages I padded with products. Book, magazines, the local newspaper, socks, washcloths. And tested all for any shift or rattle. I even tossed a few down the steps  and reopened to check for damage.  Nothing in these has any real value (books, snacks and toiletries) , still I took the time. 

Anything I sell gets a good sturdy mailer and however much padding the item needs if that puts me into dimmenional weight then so be it. I'd rather spend a few more dollars than lose the item to breakage and the whole of the shipping expenses.

[lja440]

I have had problems with FedEx dating back before I worked for USPS. I live in a rural area, the FedEx terminal is well over an hour away from my home and 40 minutes more from my work.  

I am consatntly finding FedEx packages at the mailboxes. In fact they routinely hang too heavy packages from mailbox flags in my area bending or breaking them off.  I fell hard when I stepped on a FedEx package buried in the snow partway up a uncleared sidewalk  when I was running a package to the porch. My chin came down onto the package in my hands and for over a week it looked like I had a goatee. 

I want to note that we do not have the same problems with UPS in the area.