USPS Zones

[wastingtime101]

Clearing up confusion posted by @imac7065 and @ghost-star as the other discussion is old and locked.

USPS zones are like a bullseye. The center of a bullseye, the "from" zip code, is based on the first 3 digits of the zip code. From there zones are determined by how many miles away the "to" zip code lands, again based on the first 3 digits. Zip codes are not in any specific zone. Zone is determined by the distance between 2 zip codes.

This is why shipping from a different zip code where the first 3 digits are different can result in a cost adjustment.

It doesn't matter if the post office where you drop off packages is across the street from your house. The line has to be drawn somewhere and that line is drawn based on the first 3 digits of the zip.

While shipping from a different zip will not always affect the zone, it definitely can.

• Enter your first 3 digits here to produce a USPS zone chart: https://postcalc.usps.com/DomesticZoneChart
• Once you generate that chart, check to see where your "to" zip code lands.
• Now generate a new zone chart from the different zip where you're dropping off packages. Check to see where your "to" zip code lands now.

How to deal:

Ship from the same zip code that's printed on your label. You can have different "ship from" and "return" addresses. Your return address being your home or business, and your ship from being the post office where you're shipping. Just click 'edit' next to the return address before generating the label and you'll see a field to edit the ship from address.

If you use calculated shipping on your listings, you'll also want to update the zip code on your listings. Update it in the location field at the bottom so it matches the post office where you're shipping.

[ghost-star]

..........

[imac7065]

What is posted here is not true (at least not where I am) .... 1) my zip code starts with 333... I drop off in a post office that starts 330.... I have spoken to more than 5 employees of both stores (my actual PO and the one I drop off at) To a person they have said "It doesn't matter where you drop off because they all go to the same sorting facility" .... so no, this "three digits" thing is not the cause. Could that be the mythical zone no one can tell me about? Maybe? No idea. no idea of the credentials of the person I am replying to either... I can only tell you what my 25 years of experience, and the experience of 3 postal supervisors and 5-10 postal employees (tellers, sorters, and delivery workers) have all expressed to me. I ship 500-1500 parels a week... the issue with charges only happens in the circumstances I listed earlier, which is less than .01% of all items I ship

[wastingtime101]

You don't have to take my word for it. I gave you the steps on how you can verify everything I said and how you can deal with the situation @imac7065 .

It doesn't matter if the packages go to the same sort facility. USPS rates are based on where the package is dropped off.

I'll do the work for you and pull up the USPS zone chart. In this (very small) sampling from the zone chart you can see in black and white that while most ship to zips land in the same zone shipping from 330 and 333, several do not.

Direct from USPS:

See how shipping to a zip code beginning with 035 is considered zone 6 when you ship from a zip code beginning with 333?

See how shipping to a zip code beginning with 035 is considered zone 7 when you ship from a zip code beginning with 330?

You can also verify this using the eBay Shipping Calculator or the USPS Shipping Calculator. Find a package where you were charged an adjustment. Enter the package weight / dim / ship to zip / ship from zip. Note the different rates when you change the ship from zip.

This is how it works. The info I provided is accurate, whether you want to believe it or not. You are welcome to not believe me, and you will continue to see cost adjustments.