May, 2007 changes (including DIM Weight Pricing)…
Who is affected?
Everyone who ships via USPS
When do changes take place? Changes
were proposed in 3/06 and are scheduled to go into effect in May, 2007. There is little published information about
the changes so far. To
find what’s available, Google the phrase USPS DIM
weight. Here are pages from
USPS.com with specific rates:
Is this just another USPS rate increase? No, this is
the first time the USPS has set their rate structure to take account of the
size of packages for “standard” sized packages rather than setting rates
strictly based on weight. Previously,
only packages large enough to qualify as “large” (combined girth plus length of
over 84”) were charged a higher rate due to their size. The 2007 rate change does raise rates, but it
also imposes higher rates for priority mail packages that are over 1
cubic foot in size (roughly the size of the white plastic mail bins used by
USPS).
What are the changes?
1.
Priority mail 1# rate (the same for all all
2.
Priority mail flat rate boxes (2 sizes, free from USPS) – Increasing from $8.10 to
$8.80.
3.
All other priority mail –
Priority packages going to zones 5 – 8 (roughly over 800 miles from the sender) that are
over 1 cubic foot in size will be charged based on whichever yields the higher
rate – their actual weight or their dimensional weight.
To determine
whether the package is over 1 cubic foot, round length, height, and width to
the nearest whole inch (5 ¼” is 5”; 4 ¾” is 5”). Multiply L x H x W. If the result is over 1728, the package is
subject to DIM weight pricing. See next
section.
Take
the cubic inches you got in the section above and divide by 194. The result is the DIM weight of the
package. Round this up to the next whole
number, and that is the number of pounds you must pay postage on.
4. Balloon rate
for oversized boxes (priority mail going to zones 1 – 4 and parcel
post to all zones) –
Currently
any light weight box classified as a “large package” (girth plus length of 84”
– 108”) is charged at the 15# rate even if it weighs only a pound or two. This will go up to 20# in May. This means that you could have to pay the 20#
rate for a 1# or 2# package.
Here
is an example of a large package 5# package from zip 98021 to 75206 now and in
May:
Priority rate Parcel post
Standard size 11.60 9.11
Lg (84” –
108”) 23.70 18.43
In May 30.30 21.13
Oversize (109” – 130”) N/A 97.82
5.
First class boxes – Currently first class mail (1 – 13 ounces) is charged by
weight. In May rates for first class
envelopes over ¼” thick and all first class boxes will go up substantially
(just about doubling for 1, 2, and 3 ounces and increasing by lower percentages
for higher weights).
What to do to manage the impact of these changes:
==Use the smallest safe box.
==Buy adjustable boxes with
scored tops.
==If
you use flat rate shipping, adjust the shipping prices in your listings before
the changes go into effect.
==When
you’re buying, give serious consideration to whether to buy a light weight item
if it will require a box over 1 cubic foot in size.
Carol Hearn,
Author of Powerseller Shipping
Tips and Tricks
WanderingCreekAntiques.com