Shipping Labels not charging correctly for Advantage Ground larger packages

[AlacartCreations]

Been selling for over 13 years on Etsy.

Just recently started noticing that we were getting charged for adjustments for USPS Ground Advantage labels.

Our packages vary in size, but apparently when things are over a certain dimension, they charge dimensional weight instead of actual weight.

For example:

We have a pkg that is 22"x22"x4". The actual weight on the package is 4lbs 6oz (box, item wrapped in multiple layers of bubble wrap, kraft paper, extra padding for safety, etc.)

Etsy charged $10.04 for the label, using the dimensions/weight (we weigh each package individually).

Just got an adjustment charge from USPS for an additional $4.41.
The reason they gave is that for those dimensions, the dimensional weight is 12lbs and they go by that instead of the actual weight.

I have no issue if that is how they are going to charge it. My problem is that if I am using Etsy Shipping to print my labels, shouldn't the price actually reflect what I am going to need to pay?

A phone call with USPS Customer Service about this explained why it was adjusted, and that even though my weight was technically accurate, they charged by dimensional weight at that package size.

Two phone calls with Etsy Customer Service about the shipping were fruitless.

The first one took the information and I explained what USPS had said and that my concern was that I had several similar sized/weighted packages to send out (ahead of schedule, but still want to get them on their way).
After about 30 minutes or so, he finally said he understood my issue and was going to talk to his colleagues to get more help and email me the answer.

The answer: "they had reviewed the information and concluded that I must have entered the weight incorrectly since USPS had charged for more weight"....

A 2nd rep said she understood what happened with the first rep and that the solution was to use calculated shipping, and kept insisting on that, even though as I pointed out I would still be entering the same dimensions/weight so what would be the difference in how the price was calculated?

Neither could seem to understand (admittedly there did seem to be a language barrier) that if I am putting in all the information correctly, then Etsy should be charging me correctly for shipping.

Either the program needs to account for dimensions of a certain size to automatically be calculated for a set "dimensional weight" (a set formula that USPS uses, which they emailed to me) or there should be a warning that at this size it is dimensional weight and I need to adjust my weight to account for that.

Currently I have 9 "adjustments" in the month of February, ranging from $1.70 to $6.30.
All Ground Advantage.

All with "larger" dimensions (20x15x6, 22x22x4, 28x28x3, etc).

Part of my problem is that this seems to be a very recent development, and seems to be something with whatever algorithm/program is used to calculate shipping prices on Etsy.

My issue with that is twofold - one I don't want to have a bunch of adjustments down the road but the other is that I calculate shipping based off of mock shipping labels. Put in the Dimensions/Weight going to the same state and decide what to charge for shipping based on that.
I want to be able to know that what I am charging is correct.

Is anyone else having this issue?

Any advice or is it possible for an Etsy Mod to let me know if there is an issue, or can escalate this to be reviewed as a possible issue?

[SugarTaffySoap]

@AlacartCreations  Are your listings set at cubic pricing? 

[AlacartCreations]

We don't use any calculated pricing but set the prices for each listing ourselves, so I don't think that would be the issue.

When we go to print the labels, we enter the weight and the dimensions manually.

While we do have some profiles saved, we always double check everything since we weigh each package individually to make sure we are being as accurate as possible.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@AlacartCreations  Oops I retract. I spoke in error.

[hopeandjoystudios]

22x22x4 is over a cubic foot. Dimensional weight pricing has been in effect  for 2-3 years now?

[hopeandjoystudios]

If over a cubic foot..LxWxH is over 1728 cubic inches your package is charged starting at the 12 pound rate. It could weigh 1 pound. It doesn't matter as it is considered oversized.  There is also an overlength charge of $4 if any measurement is over I think 22 inches and a $15 surcharge if it is over I think 30"? Or over 2 cubic feet.

[AlacartCreations]

Yes!

However, except when I buy the label through Etsy, it isn't calculating the price correctly!

Up until recently, it was calculating things accurately. Charging the extra for anything over X", etc. 

But now I am getting an adjustment charge even though I put in all the dimensions/weight correctly.

Shouldn't it be taking the dimensional weight pricing into account when calculating the price Etsy is charging me for the label?

[hopeandjoystudios]

Yes it should be charging you the correct amount that you enter weight/dimensions and service for. My GUESS is they are finally trying to fiddle around and reset FC/Parcel to be Ground Advantage like it changed to BE last JULY ( sorry for the caps..it is just ridiculous) and they mucked something up. I'd buy my labels on PS until they get their act together. It is super easy to set up and their customer service is so good it makes you teary eyed.

[hopeandjoystudios]

UPS also has dimensional weight shipping prices but larger packages are generally cheaper to ship UPSGround...especially to a further zone. I have seen a $60 difference in price for a large package from me in TN to the west coast for usps parcel versus ups ground..Priority was even more.

[AlacartCreations]

We have seen that same thing, which is why we are usually choosing Ground Advantage. Being in Texas, we are pretty central to both sides of the country, so it isn't too bad.

However it should still be calculating the dimensional weight and charging me the correct amount.

[hopeandjoystudios]

If your item size in your listing is under oversized and it is calculated it going in an under oversized box and you ship it in an oversized box you will be short..BUT yes etsy labels should charge you for an oversized box if you're adding 22x22x4 as the size when you buy the label. I use Pirateship.  Maybe an Etsy label error if you are adding oversized dimensions and it is not charging for an oversized label? If you use shipping profiles check those to make sure nothing has changed/glitched.

[hopeandjoystudios]

Seriously if that is the issue I would switch to using PS for labels. Make sure you are charging enough too..for a 22x22x4 6-7 pound package $10 seems low even for parcel/ ground advantage. 

[AlacartCreations]

We are not using calculated shipping at all, since many of our customers buy multiples of items and that changes the size of package we need to use.

So we manually set shipping prices for our items (we do use some shipping profiles) but we do not have dimensions/weights entered anywhere.

That is something we do when we go to ship the item. Each order is packaged and then weighed. We then enter the dimensions and weight manually at the time we are purchasing the label.

It wasn't an issue in the past, but just started apparently sometime in December as far as I can tell.

[BagmakerSupply]

@AlacartCreations: USPS has used dimensional weight for quite some time, but the rate differences are more pronounced since Ground Advantage, and the zone differences are also greater. The oversize surcharge can also have a large impact.

USPS also has a program where they "photograph" each package and label as they get scanned and make some rate adjustments based on that. We have been able to challenge each one as apparently the system mismatched the label and the box.

[AlacartCreations]

I talked with USPS about the orders today (there were 9 of them just this month we got adjusted for) and they said that every one was adjusted due to the dimensional weight.

My issue is that Etsy used to calculate that correctly, but apparently something happened and now it isn't. 

We were definitely impacted by the oversize surcharge, since some of our items ship in packages that are 22x22x4, 28x28x3, etc. We are used to having the extra $4, plus other charges. But those were always charged correctly at the time we purchased the label. 

[hopeandjoystudios]

It also could be the USPS is robotically measuring your 22x22x4 box as over 22".

[hopeandjoystudios]

I went to PS and entered your 22x22x4 and 6 pounds 8 oz on a package I need to mail tomorrow to CO ( which is a ways but not furthest zone for me) and it was $15 something. Here is Etsy's own shipping calculator> Etsy Shipping Calculator: Get Rates for Labels You Buy on Etsy Enter your info there and see what it says you should be charged. If it is more than they are charging via ELs that is an issue.

[AlacartCreations]

Thank you for that link!

I will definitely use that to see if things are being calculated correctly!

[SugarTaffySoap]

@AlacartCreations  Mine are fixed prices too. I did a test for a 4lb 22x22x4 label to Washington and it came to $20.91. Yet when I did the same for North Carolina it came to $13.58.  I know usps postage went up but it does seem high. 

[CarysHouseAntiques]

We have received 4 adjustments in the last few days. In each adjustment an extra pound (or more) was added and my account was charged. I have disputed each as they are erroneous and recreated each package with photos of the scale showing the actual weight. Either the scale they are using is in desperate need of recalibration or something else is going on. 

All small packages, 3 less than a pound but over $30.00 in adjustment fees. Really have better things I could be doing with the time spent disputing these charges yet if I don't, it will only continue, I'm sure. If I am getting multiple adjustments all of the sudden I imagine many others are too. USPS is likely taking a chance that most shop owners will not bother to dispute an adjustment,especially if it's $2.00 or less even though they are erroneous.  

[NotTooShabbyBL]

I have gotten a dozen or so shipping adjustments in the last couple weeks on items sent in December. Mine are calculated shipping, all items are the same size and weight. I offer priority and ground advantage, all of these adjustments are for ground! $1-2 each. Ugh

[SinfulEchos]

Yes, however we have had the opposite problem of Etsy wayyy overcharging our international customers causing so many problems. Their customer service is an absolute joke. Nobody seems to know anything more than what a user would know.