Changes are coming! UPS and FedEx, as of next Monday, August 18th, are changing the way they measure. Everything is going to round up and yes, that means you may pay more.
Measuring basics:
- Always measure outer package dimensions.
- Dimensions printed on the bottom of a box are inner dimensions. Outer dims are typically a bit larger and yes, it does/can/will make a difference on shipping rates.
- Packages can get crushed or skewed in transit which can bump out dimensions and result in unexpected cost adjustments; use sturdy packing materials to minimize this possibility.
FedEx is changing their rounding logic as of August 18th (link).
Old: Dimensions of one-half inch or greater are rounded up to the next whole number; dimensions less than one-half inch are rounded down.
New: Effective August 18, 2025, FedEx will round every fraction of an inch/centimeter up to the next-higher inch/centimeter.
UPS is changing their rounding logic as of August 18th (link).
Old: For each dimension, measure at the longest point, rounding each measurement to the nearest whole number (for example, 1.00 to 1.49 will be considered 1, and 1.50 to 1.99 will be considered 2).
New: Effective August 18, 2025, when determining the dimensions of a package, UPS will round all fractional measurements of any package dimension up to the next whole inch, including length, width and height. For example, if the length of a package is 11.1 inches, that package will be deemed to have a length of 12 inches.
UPS is also changing the Large Package Surcharge & the Domestic Additional Handling Surcharge effective August 17, 2025. These surcharges will no longer be based on length + girth, but on cubic volume instead. You can review a summary on eBay's update here and on the UPS website here.
USPS is not making changes at this time. USPS rounding logic is different for standard weighted packages vs packages rated by cubic volume.
USPS DMM 604.7.1.3 Rounding Numerical Values
For these standards:
- Round off requires increasing by 1 the last digit to be kept if the digit to its right, which is not to be kept, is 5 or greater. If that digit is 4 or less, the last digit kept is unchanged (e.g., 3.376 rounded off to two decimal places is 3.38, 3.374 is 3.37).
- Round up requires increasing by 1 the last digit to be kept if there are any digits to its right, regardless of significance (e.g., rounding up either 3.3701 or 3.379 to two decimal places yields 3.38).
- Round down requires eliminating any digits to the right of the last number to be kept (e.g., rounding down either 3.371 or 3.379 to two decimal places yields 3.37).
USPS DMM 223.1.3.3 Determining Cubic Tier Measurements for Rectangular and Nonrectangular Parcels
Follow these steps to determine the cubic tier measurement for rectangular and nonrectangular parcels:
a. Measure the length, width, and height at each dimension’s maximum point, in inches. Round down (see 604.7.0) each measurement to the nearest 1/4 inch. For example, 6-1/8" x 5-7/8" x 6-3/8" is rounded down to 6" x 5-3/4" x 6-1/4".
b. Multiply the length by the width by the height and divide by 1728. For example: 6" x 5-3/4" x 6-1/4" = 215.6 divided by 1728 = 0.125 (This piece exceeds 0.10 - Tier 1 threshold). It is calculated at Tier 2 - 0.101 to 0.20.
Standard Rectangular:
USPS DMM 223.1.4.2 Determining Dimensional Weight for Rectangular Parcels
Follow these steps to determine the dimensional weight for a rectangular parcel:
a. Measure the length, width, and height in inches. Round off each measurement to the nearest whole inch.
b. Multiply the length by the width by the height.
c. If the result exceeds 1,728 cubic inches, divide the result by 166 and round up to the next whole number to determine the dimensional weight in pounds.
d. If the dimensional weight exceeds 70 pounds, the customer pays the 70-pound price.
USPS DMM 223.1.4.3 Determining Dimensional Weight for Nonrectangular Parcels
Follow these steps to determine the dimensional weight for a nonrectangular parcel:
a. Measure the length, width, and height in inches at their extreme dimensions. Round off (see 604.7.0) each measurement to the nearest whole inch.
b. Multiply the length by the width by the height.
c. Multiply the result by an adjustment factor of 0.785.
d. If the final result exceeds 1,728 cubic inches, divide the result by 166 and round up (see 604.7.0) to the next whole number to determine the dimensional weight in pounds.
e. If the dimensional weight exceeds 70 pounds, the customer pays the 70-pound price.
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Note: eBay listing form does not accept decimals; always round up on the listing form. eBay label page does accept decimals and you can use them for more exact USPS rates.
Bottom line: Always enter accurate outer dimensions and eBay's shipping calculator will do the work for you. If your package is 'borderline', round up to avoid unexpected cost adjustments.
