What is a Regional rate box?

[vikingsandpintos]

Still a newbie here...lol...   What or when would I use the regional rate A or B boxes? I see they have the boxes available thru the USPS, but haven't seen an option for those when figuring out shipping. I couldn't find anything about them on the USPS site, other than they are available. Could someone explain what they are or how to use them?

Also, seems like I saw a chart somewhere about zones, but can't find it, and don't really understand them. Any direction or links/charts would be appreciated!

I am in Michigan, if it helps to know regions or zones. Thanks!

[posting*master · Accepted solution]

USPS sets up postage rates by zones which are basically like a target with yourself in the middle; ZIP Codes within 30 miles of you are Zone 1, those 500-600 miles are Zone 5, the west coast is Zone 8,  etc.  You can generate your own personal 1-page Zone chart here:

https://postcalc.usps.com/Zonecharts/

And a colorful map here:

http://apps.endicia.com/zonemap

Services like Priority Mail set their prices by weight and distance, with specific prices for each weight/Zone combination.

The Regional boxes, very badly named, are priced just by zone, without regard to their specific weight. The USPS price chart has a separate little chart for the Regional rates, but the rates for the "A" boxes just happen to be the same as the regular online rate for 2 pounds, and the B boxes ship at the 4-pound rate.  The maximum weight for the A boxes is 15 pounds; B is 20 pounds.

So if you have 10 pounds of stuff that will fit in an A box, you can ship it at the 2-pound rate and save a bundle.

Online chats with eBay shipping "team" staff revealed that they had only a dim understanding of the Regional boxes, and could not be persuaded that it would be useful to have them as an option in the eBay shipping calculator. So you must fudge it by setting up calculated shipping for either 2 or 4 pounds, but that will mess up calculated international shipping.  eBay shipping labels do offer the Regional A and B box options.

You can see the Regional rates on page 11 and the regular online rates on page 9:

http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/notice123.pdf

[vikingsandpintos]

Thank you, lots of good info!

I printed out most of it, just having trouble with the color chart, but I will get it.

And the zones are finally making sense... I thought before the zones were "Fixed", such as the west coast was 8, ect, and I was in zone 4 or whatever....  Now I get it, where ever the package is sent from is zone 1, and where it is going to varies what zone it is depending on distance. So if I was in California, I would be shipping FROM zone 1, and the east coast may be zone 8.

It's nice when that light bulb goes on, and things make sense! lol  Thank you for the help 

[flyerfandan999]

Regional flat rate boxes (RFRB) are IMO a Seller's best friend.

If you generally choose to list with free shipping, the RFRB ensure that you can ship via USPS at the lowest possible cost.

If you generally choose to list with calculated shipping, you can list items with shipping priced at USPS Priority rates but quite often can do actual shipping at RFRB rates and score additional profit.

[2larry]

I think you can see the Regional Rate box option after the sale when printing the shipping label.  This is a problem.  If you know an item fits in a regional A or B box, you wouldn't have to weigh or measure the box if you have the regional choice when listing and using the postage calculator.  That means you have to actually find a box, weigh and measure it to use the postage calculator for regular priority mail.  Much less work if you could just use regional choices when listing.  I have used fixed price for postage with my best guess for average shipping cost and taken a chance that I wouldn't lose any money on postage, but it seems like too many times someone on the west coast would buy the item and I would lose money.  Just don't know why regional can't be a choice when listing.

[posting*master]

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@2larry wrote:

I think you can see the Regional Rate box option after the sale when printing the shipping label.  This is a problem.  If you know an item fits in a regional A or B box, you wouldn't have to weigh or measure the box if ....

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Yes, the Regional boxes are available in the eBay shipping label options.  

If you know that you are going to use a Regional A box, then just set up calculated shipping for a 2-pound box.

[nadyabe1]

I still Dont get the regional box C as an option on myshipping calculator, is it available?

[buyselljack2016]

C  box rate has been discontinued

[buyselljack2016]

In addition to the "regional" boxes I also use the "padded flat rate envelope".

As it is the same rate to any "Zip code" it allows me to offer it as "free shipping"  by rolling that cost into my listing price.

I do not sell international other than Canada, so "regional", and "padded" do not create any issues for me.

[fillyourclosetsfrommystore]

These prices don't show up as an option on the new shipping label format. How can I get them back? Are they still on the classic label version? and can we still get that back again?

Thanks.

[kh-stanley1]

Hi everyone,

Due to the length of time that has passed since this thread began, we have locked it from future replies. If this is still an issue that warrants discussion, don't hesitate to begin a new thread here.

Thanks.