Upcoming Dimensional Weight Changes for UPS & Fedex

[NancyC]

I thought I'd get a jump on what I believe will be a problem for us when UPS & Fedex start charging ALL packages using dimensional weight rating, instead of only those over a certain size. I can easily calculate the dimensional weight for all products and enter that as the product weight, BUT I currently offer customers a choice of USPS or UPS. And USPS packages will be way overcharged if I enter the dimensional weight only.

Also, currently we use only USPS for international shipments and these all go by the actual product weight only. And when you're shipping to Europe or Australia, each 1 lb. of weight over the first lb. can add $3-4 to the postage cost.

For example, a 5 lb. package measuring 18x12x12 for UPS at the end of this year will be calculated as length x width x height, then divide by 139. For the above package, this equals a dimensional weight of 18.64 lbs. (round to 19 lbs.).

If I enter 19 lbs., then all of my domestic UPS shipments will be correct, but my USPS packages will be WAY off. For Australia, a USPS Priority Mail shipment would cost $58.50 for a 5 lb. package. But at 19 lbs., that package would be $121.70! I will lose business like crazy if my website is quoting those rates.

How can I have a weight for UPS calculations and one for USPS on the same product? Unless 3dCart comes up with something to address this issue, I think everyone who ships with both UPS or Fedex AND USPS is going to have a problem. If not, this is either going to have to be a custom programming issue or I will have to operate a separate website for international customers, which would be costly for me and confusing for my customers who have bought from us for all these years on our one site.

Has anyone given any thought to this yet? Would love to hear some feedback and ideas. Thanks!

[onering]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the issue, but couldn't you just enter the package dimensions for each product? If you are using negotiated rates for each of your shipping methods, then it should calculate the correct shipping based on the actual and dimensional weight. We use FedEx, so I know that it works for this method at least. Do you have account credentials for each of your shipping carriers?

If you are packing more than one item into a box, then you might want to consider Advanced Shipping Manager. It really does so many things that the built in 3DCart shipping calculator can't do. We're using Kingwebmaster's ASM V2 module in conjunction with their multi-origin and bundled-item modules and it really has been the answer to just about every shipping issue that we've had.

[Epitaph]

My issue:
1. I have options that change the size of the box (no way to address this at the moment)
2. Need to increase the advanced option limit to at least 1200

[NancyC]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the issue, but couldn't you just enter the package dimensions for each product? If you are using negotiated rates for each of your shipping methods, then it should calculate the correct shipping based on the actual and dimensional weight. We use FedEx, so I know that it works for this method at least. Do you have account credentials for each of your shipping carriers?

If you are packing more than one item into a box, then you might want to consider Advanced Shipping Manager. It really does so many things that the built in 3DCart shipping calculator can't do. We're using Kingwebmaster's ASM V2 module in conjunction with their multi-origin and bundled-item modules and it really has been the answer to just about every shipping issue that we've had.

We do have the dimensions in for every product, but most of our orders are for multiple items so 3dCart drops the box size when transmitting the data to a carrier for a rate (or more accurately changes the size to 1" x 1" x 1"). When we ship just one item, this works perfectly, but since it doesn't work for every order, I need to find another method.

I have looked at the Advanced Shipping Manager a bit before, but the only thing I see that comes close to addressing the issue is their box size point system, i.e., a small box is 50 points, a medium is 75 points, and a large is 100. Then I could assign points to each product. My problem is we have a Halloween store so we sell things from as small as an eyeball, all the way up to life-size figures. We have well over 1,000 products and many ship in their own boxes, while everything else goes in an appropriate box. We probably use 30 different box sizes. I don't think I could make the point system work for us. Maybe I'm wrong. Do you think it would be that flexible?

[onering]

It sounds like you might be a candidate for the points system, but I'm not entirely certain since I don't use it myself. All I can say is to give Burt or Dan over at Kingwebmaster a call. You'd be surprised at how many "unique" shipping scenarios they have already planned and developed for.

We had what I thought was a very specific and unique shipping problem. After going back and forth with Burt for a couple of weeks, he happened to remember that they had already had developed an infrequently-used module that did exactly what we needed it to. I think it costs something like $10 extra, but it is invaluable in calculating accurate shipping costs for us.

[NancyC]

Thanks Onering. I did put in a call to them and am waiting for a call back. Hopefully it will work out! Glad to know they have happy customers.

[Pack Secure]

Onering: I have also been waiting for a call back, but they don't seem to call me back.