Shipping is a rip-off.

[RyanT]

Just like everything else, right? Big surprise. I've been annoyed lately at the rising cost of shipping but this one is just ridiculous. I've shipped a few packages recently through SYR. (Great service and I'm very happy to support ProExotics. My gripe has nothing at all to do with them, it's FedEx.)

I checked my online bank statement yesterday and there was a $12.71 charge from ProShipping on there. I inquired with SYR to find out what that was all about. The guy who responded and said he would investigate was very helpful from beginning to end. And again, I fully understand this is "policy", I'm not blaming anyone but corporate greed (Occupy Wall Street! haha). Here's what he told me...


"In the future, please be sure to measure the outside of the sealed package. The measurements shown on the box indicate the internal size. FedEx measures the outside of the package, and they round up to the nearest inch. FedEx then calculates "dimensional weight" with this formula -- W x H x L / 166 -- and rounds up to the nearest pound. This dimensional weight determines the cost of your Priority Overnight shipment. When you enter inaccurate information into the Book a Shipment pages, the additional fees can be significant.

Here are the details:
Order date: Oct. 3, 2011
Entered dimensions: 6*8*10 inches
Dimensional weight: 3 lbs
Measured dimensions: 7*10*12 inches
Dimensional weight: 6 lbs
Additional fee: $12.71"


I estimate I've shipped at least 500 times over the years and this has never happened to me before. The measurements I entered were completely accurate. When I took the package to the FedEx hub, it did weigh in at 1.15 lbs. (2.4 oz. over what I entered.) However, I did not enter it as 3 lbs. like it says. And due to "dimensional weight", my 1lb. tiny box becomes a 6lb. package. The crazy math method they use as their "policy" to rip you off is actually pretty amusing.

[MasonC2K]

Total ripoff indeed.

[kitedemon]

I have been shipping stuff all over the world for many many years. Shipping is a convoluted complex and frustrating exercise. I don't ship reptiles often so i can't comment really on that. I live in Canada and I would love to understand why a pair of 120 lb boxes from the US takes 10 days and costs 500$ when I have shipped the same two boxes from england for 115$ and it arrives over night express? There is no logic or sense to it at all.

[adamjeffery]

shipping costs today are all bogus. based on corporate greed and gas prices. fed ex and ups are doing crazy better than the usps which btw has the cheapest shipping costs. but guess who uses fed ex and ups the most to transport their packages?...any guesses....usps
so how can the cheapest company use the most expensive company's to fly their packages around? thats right ....we pay for it....in over inflated prices!
adam jeffery

[Robyn@SYR]

Hey Ryan, thanks for your support of PE. It has been a tough couple of weeks, but we appreciate your support.

As for shipping...



I think it is pretty amazing that you can drop off a package in Butt Knuckle Montana at 5:30 pm and have that package safely delivered to the top floor of the Empire State Building by 10:30am the next morning. The logistics of that are incredible. Any domestic address, to any other domestic address, in a day.

Add to that we are shipping live reptiles, and they make it healthy and safe. That is super amazing. If FedEx charged $100 for a small reptile box, that would still be an amazing accomplishment.

Fortunately, they don't charge $100 for a small box

Ryan, I understand the confusion and frustration, but I think you are missing the nature of shipping costs.

MOST reptile packages are small, and light. The most common box sizes we see are the 12x9x6 and 15x11x7. They often weigh less than 2 pounds.

But dimensional weight is used by every shipper and freight service. UPS and FedEx calculate it the same way. You posted the equation above.

Dim weight for a 1 pound 12x9x6 box- 4 pounds
Dim weight for a 1 pound 15x11x7 box- 7 pounds

FedEx (and UPS, and Delta) charge you actual weight OR dimensional weight, whichever is greater. This is covered in detail in the FedEx TOS, and also a number of times in the Get Help section of ShipYourReptiles.com.

Obviously it costs FedEx more money to move a HEAVIER package, but it also costs more money to move a LARGER package. That is the dimensional weight.

Light packages that are larger (like typical reptile shipments) occupy more space in the truck, and on the plane. There is finite room in each, obviously, and that is why all shipping services account for this dimensional weight issue.

FedEx and UPS scan and audit packages going through the system. Their conveyor belts have a scale system, as well as a 17 laser visual system to audit the packages. When they find a package that is larger than the label indicates, they charge the customer the difference.

If you book direct at FedEx.com, they do this and charge you directly. When you book with ShipYourReptiles, they still do it, but they charge SYR instead. Then we have to shake it out of the bill, and charge the customer.

It isn't a "gotcha" type charge, nothing like that.

You can enter a 7x10x12 package as 1 pound. Ok. But our system and the FedEx system look at the dim weight of that package, and it is, according to the industry forumula- 5.06 pounds. That is AWFULLY close to 5 pounds, but it is always rounded up to the nearest whole pound, so 6 pounds. If you enter those dims and 1 pound, it bills at 6 pounds. If you enter it as 4 pounds, it bills as 6 pounds. If you enter it as 7 pounds, aha, it bills at 7 pounds. Whichever is greater.

We didn't charge adjustments on these types of issues at first. But that was costing thousands of dollars out of pocket. If you didn't pay the $12 dimensional weight adjustment, we still HAD to.

It really became a problem because we found some customers taking extreme advantage. A number of folks entered everything at 1x1x1 and 1 pound. Got the cheapest rate possible. But wouldn't you know it, they weren't shipping a 1 inch square box. We were eating adjustments of $100 or more in those cases. Again and again.

We try to educate folks on dim weights on our site. In the booking process, in the Get Help section, by email and by phone. We get questions on it every day. I am sorry if it wasn't clear to you. I hope that this makes more sense.

Thanks!


Oh, and Adam, there is a reason that the US Postal service is bankrupt. It is a subsidized service that the country supports. It is like the whole $5000 toilet seat deal for Nasa. US Postal charges inexpensive fees to delivery packages because "it has always been that way". It costs them more to deliver a package than they are charging. FedEx isn't getting "crazy rich" off of the US Postal business, US Postal is just losing their butts in shipping/delivery, which is the very nature of their business. That is insane, indeed, but not for the reasons you mentioned.

[wolfy-hound]

You could always drive the package to the destination yourself. *grins*

[RyanT]

Very informative, Robyn. I admit, I was completely ignorant to basically ANY of those details. Definitely puts it into a different perspective. The service is invaluable and I'm sure we all take for granted exactly what goes into it. It's just surprising to, out of nowhere, be hit with an extra charge. Because actually, I'm quite positive the same oversight I made on this particular package has probably been made MANY times, since it really comes down to a matter of millimeters and grams. I'm glad I'm aware now though that that's the system they use. Definitely will come in handy in the future.

Thanks for your knowledge on the subject and providing the service. No matter what, it does save us all money at the end of the day. Hope everything is going as well as it possibly can be for you guys right now. Take care.

[snake lab]

Almost every package i ship that i do online ends up costing me a little more because of the same issues but i chalk it up to par for the course. I would think ups fees shojldnt waiver because of fuel surcharges cause they pay for their fuel a year in advance but it is what it is. I like using syr because it is so super smooth and easy. Syr has made it so much better then back in the day. My hat is tipped for you huys at syr you guys rock. Over the years ive shipped with everyone including the dreaded usps( i know big mistake) and even d when those guys were around. Shipping fedex with syr is the only way to ship and if i get hit with alittle extra at times im ok with it. I try and be as efficient as i can with sizes and weights but for the service i get for what i pay for its alot better then dropping off at the hub and paying them there.

[DemmBalls]

Thanks Robyn! Very informative!

[snakesRkewl]

So basically if you round up as the instructions inform you to do, there should be no issue.

If it's barely over a pound you call it 2 pounds, if it's barely over 6 inches you call it 7 inches, that way you never occur a charge.