This has happened to me the last THREE times that I've used PirateShip. They say UPS is charging them so in turn they charge me. I'm about to stop using them. I use a Freight scale and measure the boxes before anyone asks.
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Hey UPS, 'dimensional weight' is not a thing.
- Thread starter tb-player
- Start date
It has nothing to do with pirate ship. It has to do with UPS scanners. If they scan different than what you entered when you bought the label, you get charged. It doesn't matter where you bought the label
Scanner-scamming is a real thing, those devices are calibrated to round UP, never to round DOWN.
However dimensional weight is LEGIT, there is only so much room in the cargo bay! They're going to put a whole 'nother jet online because of your one big box?
However dimensional weight is LEGIT, there is only so much room in the cargo bay! They're going to put a whole 'nother jet online because of your one big box?
I wonder if the box dimensions listed on the box are the inside dimensions? I’ve bought boxes with dimensions printed on the outside of the box but when I measured it, the box was slightly larger.
Also, if you pad the sides of the box so that it puffs out a bit, they will take the width including the puffed out sides.
Also, if you pad the sides of the box so that it puffs out a bit, they will take the width including the puffed out sides.
I hadn't had it happen until a few weeks ago when I sent a flat rate box. Obviously I appealed, but good lord.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
IMO it becomes a much more compelling metric when shipping by air. If you’ve ever seen the modular containers FedEx and UPS use it doesn’t seem all that unreasonable, IME. I had to explain this to customers pretty frequently back when I was a FedEx courier.
The math goes like this:
Rate + $10 > rate. UPS gets extra $10. No further calculations done.
Rate + $10 > rate. UPS gets extra $10. No further calculations done.
I had my "dimensional weight" removed when I sold a Mesa Subway cab. I explained that I measured accurately and even added an ounce to the weight to compensate for any scale discrepancy. I got a stock corporate response and then replied that this seems scammy from my perspective. Its been a while but I think it was Reverb that paid me back to save some face and take care of a loyal customer.
Alkali Ike
Gold Supporting Member
- Jan 1, 2011
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Always round up, never down. If a measured dimension is 20 1/4" you have to enter it as 21". What's printed on the boxes isn't always exactly correct. If the corner to corner edge measures 20" but there's bulge in the middle of the box so it actually measures 20.5" at the widest point, ya gotta go with 21".
Roland GR 88
Commercial User
Everything I ship is charged using dimensional weight. It’s not a scam. It’s about volume not weight as mentioned earlier.
If we’re going to continue to shop from the comfort of our couches which we are at levels that increase every year we have to expect that costs of labour, trucks, planes and the fuel they run on will be borne by the consumer and those that serve them.
I can remember when the only gear available from a catalog was from Carvin and living as I do in Canada meant it might as well be have come from the moon.
It’s a great time to be a musician. Some of you have no idea.
If we’re going to continue to shop from the comfort of our couches which we are at levels that increase every year we have to expect that costs of labour, trucks, planes and the fuel they run on will be borne by the consumer and those that serve them.
I can remember when the only gear available from a catalog was from Carvin and living as I do in Canada meant it might as well be have come from the moon.
It’s a great time to be a musician. Some of you have no idea.
Are you measuring on the edge but it's bowed somewhat making the actual spatial dimensions a bit larger?
Did you actually measure the box? 99% of the time the measurements printed on the underside of a box are the INTERIOR dimensions so you can know if your product will fit. The exterior dimensions are hihgher. If you filled out the shipper using the printed dimensions my guess is that they are right and you DO owe them money.
Also - all shipping companies use weight AND size as a composite dimension to calculate shipping charges. It isn't a scam. It's how it is done. They have very accurate weighing and measuring equipment that does all the measuring on a conveyor system. If you saw it in action you would not be inclined to call them wrong.
Also - all shipping companies use weight AND size as a composite dimension to calculate shipping charges. It isn't a scam. It's how it is done. They have very accurate weighing and measuring equipment that does all the measuring on a conveyor system. If you saw it in action you would not be inclined to call them wrong.
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Wow. This is all very interesting. I guess I learned something new today. I still don’t think it’s accurate in this application, but it makes more sense now. Thanks to all smarter than me. 
I've used Pirate Ship / UPS about 50x for basses now. About 1 out of 5 get this treatment. I have been billed an extra $20-$30 which I successfully disputed with Pirate Ship and one time was even refunded as my package was "smaller" than input. Twice recently I have been charged 1 penny of which Pirate Ship billed my paypal $1 and put 99 cents credit on my account.
If *any* area of the package exceeds your measurement you can get billed. If the box gets damaged and now one corner sticks out an extra half inch that gets applied to the total dimension (length, width etcetera)
If *any* area of the package exceeds your measurement you can get billed. If the box gets damaged and now one corner sticks out an extra half inch that gets applied to the total dimension (length, width etcetera)
I've used many U-Line boxes in the past. Despite the dimensions being printed on the U-Line boxes, they actually measure slightly over the printed specs. UPS rounds up those slight overages then charges accordingly. A 52" printed length that physically measures 52 1/4" with a tape measure, then becomes 53", and so on. When I shipped UPS the max box size was 108" (L-W-D combined). Anything over 108" automatically triggered an upcharge.
My solution: Chop down the box length a little so the combined dimensional size fell well below 108". It's extra work but in my case, it saved me about $20 per unit, or $60-80 per month at the time.
Hey U-Line...why not make the boxes physically slightly less than 108".
Like the poster above me mentioned, the dimensions printed on the box are not the actual exterior measurements. I believe that they might be the interior dimensions of the box. Because guitar packages are large and relatively lightweight, you're paying for the volume, and they've recently gotten much more strict about charging for the exact dimensions of the box. The unfortunate thing is that they actually charge you extra as a penalty for not paying the right amount initially, so it is best to avoid under-measuring in case they ever stop waiving the extra charges when appealed (which I'm sure they will one day). Of course, the measurements could slightly change if, for example, the box gets damaged during shipping, in which case the appeal should be considered legitimate.
There's a separate calculation for whether or not a package is considered a "large package", which is over 130" using the formula Length + (2 * Weight) + (2 * Height). So your 19x8x52 package was 52 + 16 + 36 = 104" by that measure and not a "large package". You actually need a pretty hefty box to hit the "large package" surcharge.
There's a separate calculation for whether or not a package is considered a "large package", which is over 130" using the formula Length + (2 * Weight) + (2 * Height). So your 19x8x52 package was 52 + 16 + 36 = 104" by that measure and not a "large package". You actually need a pretty hefty box to hit the "large package" surcharge.
Interesting. I’ve never had that issue. But I always round up. Even if the printed size is on a box, I still round up. The cost difference is negligible.
I’ve shipped a lot of items via Pirate Ship. Recently I shipped a Hartke KB15 Bass Combo in its original box. The box still had the original UPS label from Sweetwater with the size and weight so I used those figures.
Sure enough they came back with dimensions that were 2” greater in one direction and 1” larger in another direction. They charged me an additional $17.46.
I disputed it based on the previous label. I won and will receive a refund.
Doing this has to be costing them some money but they’re probably coming out ahead with a lot of people not disputing the additional charges.
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UPS SUCKS. They are the kings of tagging you with overage charges for any number of reasons after the package has arrived at its destination.
The last time I shipped anything was several years ago when I sold three basses on Reverb. I boxed them and added probably 2" to each dimension. The price was the same as the actual measurements as far as I can remember, but there was no chance of getting charged more.
