Hey UPS, 'dimensional weight' is not a thing.

[tb-player]

Like many of you, I ship everything with Pirate Ship. And consistently, about a week after I ship, I receive a notice from Pirate Ship, along with a PayPal charge, stating that UPS has cameras that estimate the size of my shipping package. Almost always, they see it as slightly bigger. As a result, they adjust the 'dimensional weight' of my package and charge me for the difference.

Most recently, I shipped a bass using a standard Uline box that has the dimensions printed on the box (18x7x52). I weighed the shipment at 23lb 9.9oz and printed a label. A week later, I received a notice that UPS thinks the package is 19x8x52 and as a result, has changed the 'dimensional weight' to 49lb. They proceeded to take another $10 out of my PayPal account via Pirate Ship.

Of course, with this notice comes the ability to dispute the charge. And I always do, noting that I have photos of the box, the dimensions and the weight on the scale. And with every single dispute, they reverse the charges and refund my money (about 2 weeks later). So it ends well, but the whole process is a giant waste of time.

I'm still trying to figure out who thought 'dimensional weight' is a valid method of measurement. What if I was shipping feathers in one box and anvils in another box of the exact same size? Would they want me to pay the same amount? It's so silly.

Or maybe I'm missing something and there is some genius, common-core math involved that makes this all make sense?

I know I'm not the only one. Someone please enlighten me.

 

[BGroovy]

I always overstate mine slightly, and then they charge me $1 every single time for an adjustment. Super weird

 

[silky smoove]

Dimensional weight is a valid unit of measure, just not in this application. We use it in civil engineering for things that have a known AND uniform weight per the specified dimension. For instance, asphalt has a dimensional weight of 156 pounds per cubic foot. It works great in that context since there is a known unit weight, and a quantifiable and measurable dimension, in this case volume (LxWxD). It could work for the cardboard shipping box itself and the air inside of it but obviously has zero bearing on what's inside of said box, and as such it is indeed useless in this context.

 

[Aloe]

dimensional weight is a valid measure for transport companies.

you have a truck that can carry 3 tonnes. it doesn't mean, it will fit 300 packages weighting 10 kg each, because it's also limited by volume.

or imagine a parcel that weights 100g, but takes space of one cubic meter. does it take the same space in the trunk as an envelope that also weights 100g and should cost the same?

so, essentially for transport companies a 'dimensional weight' is one metric for weight and size which is eventually used to plan the load of trucks and other cargo spaces.

 

[FRoss6788]

It is a thing, USPS uses it as well.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

How much overall?
Those ULine boxes are perfect - they're the "sweet spot" for box size - even 53" x 8" starts getting up there;
That's the great thing about PirateShip - you can play with the parameters and see how it affects the costs.
IME, the weight on a bass isn't going to change the price.

I think like everything else these days; you dispute it - no response. Repeat " "
It becomes more of a hassle to deal with and turns into a game of diminishing returns,
so you give up.


Now you know no matter what you do
They gonna cheat and rob you
Then they'll give you a bill
That'll get your senses reelin'
And if you do not pay
They got computer collectors
That'll get you so crazy
'Til your head'll go through the ceilin'
Yes it will!

 

[porkynuggets]

It's just a way for them to gouge the customer for more money. A lot of people won't bother disputing

 

[Dana R Gregory]

UPS tried to pull this stunt on me when I shipped through Reverb. Reverb wanted to bill me extra and I refused. I then told them that I took my package to a UPS store where it was measured and weighed and accepted. If there is a dispute then deal with the UPS store. They dropped the charge. Now if I sell something is is local pickup only.

 

[Wasnex]

(18x7x52). I weighed the shipment at 23lb 9.9oz and printed a label. A week later, I received a notice that UPS thinks the package is 19x8x52

Pretty sure dimensional weight is a thing. AFAIK they charge whichever is higher, actual weight or dimensional weight.
My perception is the accuracy of the readers are not perfect and the tolerances they use are too tight. This example overestimates the box by 1" in two dimensions. Seems the tolerance should be bigger than the average error.

My guess is a lot of people don't challenge, so it's essentially free money for UPS. You might call this diversifying their revenue stream. Basically it's a way to generate new income without actually adding value. IME this sort of business practice is not unusual.

 

[bassfran]

I have never had this happen. Maybe because I always round up and slightly overestimate. (PirateShip is great.)

 

[Low Down Brown]

If I remember correctly, dimensional weights only apply to packages sent to Cthulhu. But logistics tend to blur in the void, so I'd look that up just to be sure.

 

[roccobass]

Man, this is getting so crazy

This is the second time I've heard of this. I just bought some cabinets from a supplier back east. Turns out UPS was giving him guff and trying to charge him extra on the 15 inch cabinet shipping box saying he was one inch over on the height. He called me and asked me to measure the box. I did and I also sent him a photo of the tape measure on the box. He actually came in about a quarter inch UNDER what he said to UPS.

I too offered to take it to a UPS store and let an employee there do the measurements. He said he'll get back to me if UPS didn't relent.

 

[CochinoBass]

For shippers dimensional weight is a real thing because even of you ship one feather in a 48x48x48 box, that is 48x48x48 area that they cannot get another box into. They weigh the package, so if you did ship an anvil in that same 48x48x48 box the weight charge would be higher than the dimensional charge, so they would use that. Weight or dimension, whichever is higher. As to their after the fact charges based on cameras, I've never heard of that, but I dont doubt it, AI cameras are everywhere, we use them in the automotive factory I work in to find defects in parts.

 

[RGerhart]

On a side note: my wife used to work for Pearson and travel to different school districts, teaching teachers about common core mathematics. It gets a bad rap, mostly because my generation and the previous generations were taught the old way of doing things. If you actually spend some time with common core, it makes sense, and it actually teaches kids that there are multiple ways to find correct answers, and it teaches them to use proof for the answers.

 

[Holdsg]

the cabal know they have us, so this is their way of confirming that...

 

[newwavefrank]

Like many of you, I ship everything with Pirate Ship. And consistently, about a week after I ship, I receive a notice from Pirate Ship, along with a PayPal charge, stating that UPS has cameras that estimate the size of my shipping package. Almost always, they see it as slightly bigger. As a result, they adjust the 'dimensional weight' of my package and charge me for the difference.

Most recently, I shipped a bass using a standard Uline box that has the dimensions printed on the box (18x7x52). I weighed the shipment at 23lb 9.9oz and printed a label. A week later, I received a notice that UPS thinks the package is 19x8x52 and as a result, has changed the 'dimensional weight' to 49lb. They proceeded to take another $10 out of my PayPal account via Pirate Ship.

Of course, with this notice comes the ability to dispute the charge. And I always do, noting that I have photos of the box, the dimensions and the weight on the scale. And with every single dispute, they reverse the charges and refund my money (about 2 weeks later). So it ends well, but the whole process is a giant waste of time.

I'm still trying to figure out who thought 'dimensional weight' is a valid method of measurement. What if I was shipping feathers in one box and anvils in another box of the exact same size? Would they want me to pay the same amount? It's so silly.

Or maybe I'm missing something and there is some genius, common-core math involved that makes this all make sense?

I know I'm not the only one. Someone please enlighten me.

UPS needs to make a minimum amount to ship a truck full of boxes. You are basically paying for the dimensions (up to a certain weight) If it is exceptionally heavy (full of anvils) you will pay more. The same size box weighing 1 lb, 5 lbs, 10 lbs and 15 lbs will all cost the same because they occupy the same space. "shipping feathers" is actually what started this whole thing. Amazon was shipping things like, for example, a sheet of decals and using maybe a 10 x 12 x 8 box. They were filling ups trucks and there was not enough being billed to cover the cost of sending the truck. FWIW I also get my shipping dims modified after the fact. I just learned to round everything up.

 

[Norm Nelson]

UPS is doing this as a matter of policy. It's dishonest. They recently tried to charge us double the cost of the shipment for "tariffs and fees" for an international shipment that was completely duty free and had the documents to prove it, and we had to jump through hoops to get them to admit they were wrong and we still haven't received the shipment, weeks later. But every time they can wait out a customer or make them just pay and have them not fight it they win.

 

[tpaul]

If I remember correctly, dimensional weights only apply to packages sent to Cthulhu. But logistics tend to blur in the void, so I'd look that up just to be sure.

It applies more generally now that Cthulhu runs the Postal Service.

 

[Thumpin6string]

I've been shipping for years and have never had that happen. I've been using Pirateship.com for over 2 years with no problems. I'd complain to Pirateship and UPS too. They have nothing stating they can add charges without my permission. Especially not bogus ones.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Dimensional weight is fine if you pay when you ship. Charging after the fact is a bunch of bull.