How does UPS handle incorrectly specified weight/size?

[Ignoramus8679]

Consider these two scenarios when something is shipped via UPS:

1) I mistakenly specify weight and size as less than what it weighs.
2) I mistakenly specify weight and size as more than what it weighs.

What does UPS do? If the item is heavier, do they just charge the
extra amount that would be due? Or is there a penalty charge?

Conversely, if the item is lighter, do they give a refund?

The reason for my question is that given how muc I ship, it is very
inconvenient to weigh and size stuff before printing a label/pick
ticket. So, to me, if there is no penalty for being wrong, I would
love to continue guesstimating weight and size, it would save me a few
minutes per item.

i

[googler]

On Jan 7, 11:14 am, Ignoramus8679 <ignoramus8...@NOSPAM.8679.invalid>
wrote:

Don't know about lighter (so you would want a refund), but my driver
told me they weigh some packages (basically he said those that "feel"
heavier than stated, or some at random) and if they weigh more my
account is just charged the higher amount. No penalty he knows of, and
the one time I remember that happening there didn't seem to be any
penalty or increased charge on my account. I've shipped a lot with
them, and the scale is right next to the computer where we generate
the labels, so it really doesn't add more than seconds to processing
each item.

I guess some people who ship randomly don't have a scale and guess at
a package weight when they contact UPS to set up a home pickup. So
they are probably used to reweighing and changing the charges as
appropriate. All automated, easily done by UPS, so sounds like no big
deal.

[PeterD]

On 1/7/2012 11:14 AM, Ignoramus8679 wrote:
> Consider these two scenarios when something is shipped via UPS:
>
> 1) I mistakenly specify weight and size as less than what it weighs.
> 2) I mistakenly specify weight and size as more than what it weighs.
>
> What does UPS do? If the item is heavier, do they just charge the
> extra amount that would be due? Or is there a penalty charge?

Assuming you have a UPS account, you will receive a bill for the
shipment, and that bill will be updated with new shipping charges. They
always charge more in the second bill, so that you are out of pocket if
you base your shipping rate on their initial 'estimate'. Usually the
ding you for fuel charge, weight adjustments, and residential surcharge
(even if it is a business, they do the residential for anything outside
a major business!) This is why I rarely ship using UPS!

(If you don't have a UPS account and are using their retail store to
ship, then the store needs to weigh it...)

>
> Conversely, if the item is lighter, do they give a refund?

I've never, ever seen UPS give a refund.

>
> The reason for my question is that given how muc I ship, it is very
> inconvenient to weigh and size stuff before printing a label/pick
> ticket. So, to me, if there is no penalty for being wrong, I would
> love to continue guesstimating weight and size, it would save me a few
> minutes per item.
>
> i

UPS always checks the weights. It is automatic, the package goes over an
automated scale at the distribution center, and they scan the bar code
for shipper/payer/package info, and adjust the charges as desired. It is
automatic. It always happens. If you have not noticed this on your
bills, then probably you're overestimating the weights.

I always pack, weigh the package then generate all the labels and affix
them.

--
I'm never going to grow up.

[Ignoramus8679]

On 2012-01-07, googler <googler...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Jan 7, 11:14?am, Ignoramus8679 <ignoramus8...@NOSPAM.8679.invalid>

This is nice. Still, the question remains of what if I specified a
higher weight. Maybe, then, I should just specify 1 lb, 5x5x5 box size
regardless of what I ship, and wait to be charged for the proper
weight.

i

[PeterD]

On 1/7/2012 11:50 AM, Ignoramus8679 wrote:

>
> This is nice. Still, the question remains of what if I specified a
> higher weight. Maybe, then, I should just specify 1 lb, 5x5x5 box size
> regardless of what I ship, and wait to be charged for the proper
> weight.
>
> i

I think the risk of under stating the weight is that they (UPS) may
think you are trying to take advantage of them. What then might happen
is that they may decide to audit your shipments which might cause
shipping delays.

I'm rather anal about shipping weights, but then my system works well
for me. (That and about 85% are done USPS flat rate, and the remaining
15% are Priority, which does require weighing.) I actually have a
(digital) scale that I got from the USPS, and it has worked well for me.

[googler]

> UPS always checks the weights. It is automatic, the package goes over an
> automated scale at the distribution center, and they scan the bar code
> for shipper/payer/package info, and adjust the charges as desired. It is
> automatic. It always happens. If you have not noticed this on your
> bills, then probably you're overestimating the weights.
>
> I always pack, weigh the package then generate all the labels and affix
> them.
>

I guess our distribution is different (or the driver doesn't know). Do
you have any experience with paying/affixing a label with too much
weight?

It might be an interesting experiment to try, maybe I'll do that and
see what happens. Overestimating by one pound will cost next to
nothing, on the type of items I ship, and worth the pocket change to
see if they correct it (ang refund). If so, good. If not, makes me
want to be vigilant on weighing.

[rjn]

PeterD <pet...@hipson.net> wrote: >

> I always pack, weigh the package then generate all the labels and affix
> them.

I always packed and weighed the parcel before listing it,
and included the parcel information in the listing.

You have to have that info eventually, so why not make
it a sales advantage. It also ensures that you do indeed
have a suitable carton for the item at hand (important
where the item types vary).

Buyers who care can run the data against the carrier quote
systems, and see that you're not using S&H as a profit center.

If I get back to selling on eBay, I'll continue doing this.
I wouldn't recommend it where frequent combined shipping
occurs, or you are offering "free" shipping.

But to return to the thread topic, what do USPS and FDX
do when the pkg is over the declared weight?

rjn

[Don Lancaster]

On 1/7/2012 12:31 PM, rjn wrote:
> PeterD<pet...@hipson.net> wrote:>
>

> I always packed and weighed the parcel before listing it,
> and included the parcel information in the listing.

The problem with that is that you may not know when or if the item will
sell. Nor whether it will be combined with other offers.
--
Many thanks,

Don Lancaster voice phone: (928)428-4073
Synergetics 3860 West First Street Box 809 Thatcher, AZ 85552
rss: http://www.tinaja.com/whtnu.xml email: d...@tinaja.com

Please visit my GURU's LAIR web site at http://www.tinaja.com

[rjn]

Don Lancaster <d...@tinaja.com> wrote: >

> > I always packed and weighed the parcel before listing it,
> > and included the parcel information in the listing.
>
> The problem with that is that you may not know when or if the item will
> sell.

If your items aren't moving, you're selling the wrong stuff
in the wrong way to the wrong people, or so I've read here :)

But sure, I sell to move the items out, now. If you have a
different pricing / dwell time / relist strategy, then listing
the packing data might not make sense.

> Nor whether it will be combined with other offers.

I mentioned that.

rjn

[PeterD]

No experience in specifying too much weight. My guess they won't refund.
I try to get weights as accurate as possible.

[FrediFizzx]

"Ignoramus8679" <ignora...@NOSPAM.8679.invalid> wrote in message
news:fsCdnU_iieXw8pXS...@giganews.com...

Our shipping person told me that there is a penalty for overweight and / or
oversize for Fedex if they catch it. Don't know about UPS. Get a computer
with a scale and the label printer hooked up with the shipping software,
then all you have to worry about is putting in the right sizes.

[BrotherBart]

On 1/7/2012 5:01 PM, Don Lancaster wrote:
> On 1/7/2012 12:31 PM, rjn wrote:
>> PeterD<pet...@hipson.net> wrote:>
>>
>
>> I always packed and weighed the parcel before listing it,
>> and included the parcel information in the listing.
>
> The problem with that is that you may not know when or if the item will
> sell. Nor whether it will be combined with other offers.

No kidding. Seems like the only stuff we had that didn't sell was the
stuff we packed ahead of time.