Calculated shipping for USPS Retail Ground is calculating incorrectly over 1 cubic foot

[orangehound]

I am hoping that one of the eBay employees who monitor these boards can pass on an error to whomever does the USPS calculations after the 6/23/2019 adjustment.

The USPS Retail Ground service does not use dimensional weights like Priority Mail and Parcel Select.  It does have the oversize rates, but not dimensional weights.  As a result, the shipping quotes are wrong if a package's size is quoted as more than 1 cubic foot, but less than 84" girth x length.

I got this confirmed by a postmaster after noticing that Notice 123 clearly shows that Retail Ground does not have dimensional weights applied to it.

brian@ebay 

[berserkerplanet]

eBay employees don't monitor these boards (or if they do, they go to extraordinary lengths to hide that fact)

You had me concerned, but I don't see what you are talking about. The calculator is NOT using dimensional weight for retail ground.

Are you sure you didn't misread the page and are focusing on the Parcel Select option that also appears at the top of the list?  https://www.ebay.com/shp/Calculator

(ignore the timestamp on that page - the numbers were generated moments ago. The page just hasn't been reloaded sine that timestamp)

[orangehound]

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@berserkerplanet wrote:

eBay employees don't monitor these boards (or if they do, they go to extraordinary lengths to hide that fact)

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That's why I tagged Brian T.

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You had me concerned, but I don't see what you are talking about. The calculator is NOT using dimensional weight for retail ground.

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I was referring to the in-listing calculator, and not the tool that you referenced.  If I have calculated shipping on my listing with Retail Ground, it is showing Parcel Select dimensional rates to customers.

[berserkerplanet · Accepted solution]

Usually, the estimating calculator, the in listing calculator, and the checkout calculator behave exactly the same, and I've tried to get clarification on whether they are one in the same in the past with no success.

I just revised one of mine, and still not seeing it. In that listing, Retail Ground is providing rates based solely on weight.

Did you add your Retail Ground options after the 23rd or were they already in the listing(s)?

I was thinking maybe along the lines of problems that occurred in the past with FedEx in some listings where settings changes (like passing discount to buyers) wouldn't "take" on existing listings unless they were revised, and maybe a small sacrifice made, but that can't be it.

You are saying the calculator is using dimensional weight in both Parcel Select and Retail Ground as if the coders just applied the same changes to both, but I'm seeing both behave correctly and distinctly differently with Retail Ground NOT using dimensional weight.

A mystery at this point.

[3eyedfishcatcher]

Funny thing is that I spoke with my local post master and he said that they are not charging dimensional weights for priority mail packages unless they are really large. I mentioned the box sizes eBay used as examples in their update message and he said those should be going out based off of their weight and not dimensional weights. His wife also sells items on eBay and he is aware of their final value fee on shipping. He suggested that eBay is doing this to double the weight and increase the shipping cost just to get a additional increase in their final value fee. 

[orangehound]

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@berserkerplanet wrote:

I just revised one of mine, and still not seeing it. In that listing, Retail Ground is providing rates based solely on weight.

Did you add your Retail Ground options after the 23rd or were they already in the listing(s)?

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Hmmmph ... it seems to be working now.   I was having problems on Monday 6/24 ... but today (Wed 6/26) it is working.  Oh well ... never mind.  🙂

[berserkerplanet]

Ah, sounds like things were glitching during (the assumed) rollout of the shipping calculator(s) on Monday.

Glad to know at least that part of the infrastructure isn't broken (although I'd be curious to see whether actual buyer checkout goes as planned - no reports of anything so far, but ya never know.

Also going to be interesting to see how POs and USPS in general handle the likely upsurge in Retail Ground at the counter, and the HAZMAT only restriction for Z1-4 (will they ignore it, will they allow a single included alcohol wipe to make a shipment ORM-D and eligible, will Bob an Ethel work out their differences?)

[berserkerplanet]

>>he said that they are not charging dimensional weights for priority mail packages unless they are really large.

If your Postmaster said that he is so wrong it hurts, doesn't understand the USPS DMM or Notice123 at all, and needs "coaching".


>>I mentioned the box sizes eBay used as examples in their update message and he said those should be going
>>out based off of their weight and not dimensional weights.

If that refers to the examples in the announcement PDF file (which eBay analyzed correctly), and your Postmaster said that, he is again so wrong it hurts, doesn't understand the USPS DMM or Notice123 at all, and needs "coaching".


Maybe he was conflating Parcel Select and USPS Retail Ground with Priority Mail?

Retail Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express do observe dimensional weight rating for all zones the same as the online counterparts for all pkgs over 1728 in³

Retail Ground shipments where weight is less than 20 pounds, and 84" < Length+Girth ≤ 108" is charged the zone based balloon rate and any shipment where 108" < L+G ≤ 130" is charged zone based oversized rates.

Similar general concept to dimensional weight but is not dimensional weight, and use of the term dimensional weight in regard to those is incorrect.


>>His wife also sells items on eBay and he is aware of their final value fee on shipping. He suggested that eBay is doing
>>this to double the weight and increase the shipping cost just to get a additional increase in their final value fee.

Hopefully his wife understands shipping better than he does and maybe she can coach him (unless he gets these ideas from her 🙂

Not saying eBay wouldn't jump at the chance to grab more final value fees, but his conspiracy theory is based on incorrect understanding of USPS rules and rates, so he needs to go back to the drawing board.

[tdebuys]

Probably stupid question but I'm taking care of very ill wife and don't have time to read all the USPS regs on the changes as they relate to size & weight... How can I deal with calculating the size to weight limitations so that the eBay calculator is close to correct.  I sold one item the other day cost me an additional $4.89 in shipping which wiped out almost all the profit on that particular item because I had it at a sale price.  I AM NOT Complaining just asking for someone that understands the situation that can give me a brief do and don't do reply.  Thanks folks...sorry to be a bother.   Just a general note will help..I'm not into beating on someone that tries to help even if they get it wrong.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@tdebuys wrote: ... don't have time to read all the USPS regs on the changes as they relate to size & weight...  .

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The new regulation is: If you are shipping via Priority Mail or Parcel Select Ground, and if the volume of your package is greater than 1 cubic foot (i.e., 1728 cubic inches) then your package will ship at the dimensional weight. The dimensional weight is figured by dividing the volume by 166. 

Measure your box.  If any of the dimensions is more than 12 inches, multiply the 3 dimensions together (length times width times height).  If the results is equal to or  less than 1728, then your package will not be charged a dimensional weight and you have nothing to worry about.

If the total is greater than 1728, then your package will be charged postage by its dimensions rather than its weight. 

For instance a box that is 12 by 12 by 13 inches has a volume of (12x12x13=) 1832 cubic inches. That's more than 1728, , so it will ship at its dimensional weight.  So in this example the weight is (1832/166=) 11.03 pounds, and the package will ship at the 12-pound rate because USPS always rounds up.

[rmtcshoppe]

Yes!  You are exactly correct and this is happening to us as well.  Since we had the size of the box listed in listing (13x13x12), the eBay shipping calculator charged the buyer DOUBLE what the USPS site charges when the exact weight and dimensions are put in.  This is now the 2nd issue we have had this week and will be calling eBay tomorrow.  I’m surprised more sellers haven’t been complaining! 

[rmtcshoppe]

There is a quick and easy fix but be careful that you don’t get charged a higher final value fee if you refund the buyer some shipping dollars.

If your buyer bought the item and selected USPS Parcel Select Ground and you have dimensions showing when you go to print the shipping label, DELETE THE DIMENSIONS!  

The rate will now recalculate based on weight and will now be correct and will match the charges you will see on USPS (minus the discount buyers get, of course).  Now, it will then be up to you if you want to refund the buyer the shipping differences they paid versus what you will pay.  We are going to refund a buyer that paid double what they should have, because the calculator is absolutely broken for USPS Retail Ground packages.  

[berserkerplanet]

Hard to make heads or tails of your post, but...

You can't print a Parcel Select label for pkg that incurs dimensional weight without using dimensions (shipping at actual weight) and then ship it at the PO counter as Retail Ground.

Wrong service on label, wrong postage paid, and you can't print USPS Retail Ground labels - it's a retail counter service only.

[liddlelaurie]

Today I spoke AGAIN with PayPal. They told me they are addressing the overcharging that is happening here on ebay along with people printing shipping directly through their site. Packages I can ship at the Post Office that are dimensionally large are half the cost to ship via ebay or paypal. BUT no ETA grrr! During my 1st round with PayPal they blamed it on USPS saying they are charging customers the wrong rate when they ship at their offices.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@liddlelaurie wrote: .... Packages I can ship at the Post Office that are dimensionally large are half the cost to ship via ebay or PayPal.,,,.

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The packages that you ship at the PO cost less because Retail Ground postage doesn't have a dimensional weight.  eBay and PayPal shipping labels are charging the correct rates for packages over 1 cubic foot that are shipped via Priority Mail or Parcel Select Ground.  If you think you have an example of an error, please   provide specific details, including package weight and dimensions, service used (e.g., Priority Mail?), both ZIP Codes, and both exact prices.