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UPS has updated their policy...

peachstategeckos said:
So where can I get these prepaid lables? Especially when all the UPS employees around here don't think your allowed to ship herps. What can I do to get them without being turned down because it's for animals?
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I shipped about a week ago; the people at ups didn’t believe me either so I had this printed out https://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/guidelines/animals.html to show them. Just take that there and show them that it’s clearly on their site. Though I don’t know about trying to ship at a UPS store they gave me a hard time so I went to a UPS and had not one problem there. Just depends where you go and who will listen, even if they are suppose to work together as a whole.
 
Did you call the 1-800 # for ups and talk to someone over there???? I would'nt go through any local employees, you have to talk to a district manager or a phone rep. As far as getting labels, talk to the incentive dept. by calling the 1-800# and have a phone rep. transfer your call to them( incentive dept.)
 
shipping

So, the prepaid labels can be used to ship anywhere for that 1 price?
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I was told that they are good everywhere except here in California because the origin and destination States are the same.

Also, remember that The UPS Stores are independently owned franchises, and therefore have their own liability issues in regard to shipping live animals.
 
yea

I went to a hub also and they still wouldn't believe me and I didn't have the printer hooked up to my comp so I couldn't print out the email I got to show them. Thanks for the number, I'll try to call and see what I can find out. I also learned that at the UPS stores they charge 10% more anyway since it's a franchise.
 
also..

..where can I get the 1-800 number? I went to the website and couldn't find anything..maybe it's right in front of me I'm just over looking it. :)
 
Golden Gate Geckos said:
It recently cost me over $60 to ship a gecko to Upstate NY, when it used to cost me $41. The reason is that UPS has changed their dimensional weight criteria. My standard box (14x10x10) had a dimensional weight of 3 lbs. before January 1st, and now has a DW of 8 lbs!!! When I did the same dimensions with Fed-Ex, they were abut the same... DHL was slightly cheaper. Basically, the calculation for determining dimensional weight (DW) when shipping with UPS is: W x L x H / 194.

I was in an absolute panic, so I called my UPS rep. What I was told is, that if I can get my box size to a DW of 5 lbs. or less, I can buy pre-paid shipping labels in lots of 25 for $26.28 each, 50 for $24.91, etc., that are good for 15 months. Now, this sounds like it would work for me, but I need to get all new boxes now! So, I did a lot of math, and I'm on a quest for boxes that have a total of 970 cubic inches or less.

Superior Enterprises' smallest shipping box (12x9x6) has a DW of 4 lbs. Other 'ideal' box sizes that have a dimensional weight of 5 lbs. are:
12x10x8
12x12x6
10x10x9

Any suggestions anyone?
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All this talk made me wonder so I had the wife pull out the last UPS bill (01/08/05) and sure enough they got me with the dimensional weight change. Looks like I will have to find some new boxes, I'm also going to have to decide if I want to change my shipping policy to actual cost based on location, or a higher flat fee for shipping. As it stands now I lost $3.00 on that last 2 geckos shipped ($45 flat fee for shipping, actual cost was $48 combined shipping for 2 geckos same address) and that doesn't take into account box/heat pack and deli cups. Used to be that with a flat fee it all worked itself out on supplies so they were included in the fee.

I suppose the only other alternative is to not be as liberal when allowing people to negotiate prices as the "cost of doing business" has now gone up and needs to be accounted for somewhere..... :bawling:
 
I know what you mean, I had told a customer the price for shipping before the new year and the dimensional changes. I went to ship the leo after I had gotten the money from them and the shipping price was $20 more! Man was I surprised. I then decided either lose money or try another shipping company.
Now we've got to get the all the reptile buyers out there to understand shipping isn't $30 anymore and that they will have to be willing to pay for higher shipping cost.
 
I just ordered some new boxes from Superior Enterprise (12X9X6) as well as new deli cups (6.75X2.5) I will see when they come in how they fit.

I used to be able to ship up to 4 geckos per box, with the new boxes looks like it will only be 2 per box. I'll have to play with them when they arrive to see about heat pack placement as well as padding but I think it will work out. I suppose anyone ordering more than 2 will just have to choose between bigger box or multiple smaller boxes.

I would get the Fed-Ex account, and still may, and get certified for reptiles through them. The only thing I didn't like about Fed-Ex was the clause that stated shipments of reptiles could only be to business addresses when the majority of the herps I ship go to residential addresses.
 
My shipping weights are usually 2lbs. Granted I don't think I have shipped more then a few Leos at a time, the largest being a shipment of 6 juvies, but I insulate, add heat packs and ship for around $29.00 through UPS. Am I about to get a rude awakening I wonder? Maybe I am just lucky with my box size and small order sizes!
 
ummm...

Shannon, I think you may be in for a rude awakening. UPS no longer charges for weight only... it's the dimensional weight of the box. They will charge you for weight only if the actual weight of the box exceeds the dimensional weight. If you want to calculate how much it will cost now, you can always go on to the UPS website and calculate the cost using a zip code that's very far from you. Here's the link: UPS Cost and Time Calculator
 
Shannan,
My boxes also weigh in at 2 or 3 lbs. What has changed is that we are being charged for dimensional weight as opposed to actual weight. My last bill had the charge for a 2 lb box (actual weight), then on the back it had an adjustment for dimensional weight which bumped up the fee to that of a 6 lb. box.
So, my original charge was 431.50 + 2.99 for their infamous Fuel surcharge; total $34.49. No biggie and well within my 445 flat fee for shipping. This was an east coast shipment so i cam out ahead, usually goes over with West Coast shipments, but I have found that by charging a flat $45 it all works out over the course of the year and usually takes care of cost of shipping supplies as well.

That changes now because on the back of the bill they made adjustments. By using their dimensional weight to charge the cost of the package went up to $43.50, they then add additional fuel surcharg (it is based on a percentage of the shipping cost) and added another $1.14. So now the cost went up to $47.63 for shipping. This is above the $45 flat fee I charge so I'm in the hole, on an east coast shipment, figure another$15 or so for West coast and I'm really in the hole on my shiping, And now, the shipping supplies cost needs to come out of the cost of the gecko.

It is quite the little quandry..... :cool:
 
Gecko_Den said:
Shannan,
My boxes also weigh in at 2 or 3 lbs. What has changed is that we are being charged for dimensional weight as opposed to actual weight. My last bill had the charge for a 2 lb box (actual weight), then on the back it had an adjustment for dimensional weight which bumped up the fee to that of a 6 lb. box.
So, my original charge was 431.50 + 2.99 for their infamous Fuel surcharge; total $34.49. No biggie and well within my 445 flat fee for shipping. This was an east coast shipment so i cam out ahead, usually goes over with West Coast shipments, but I have found that by charging a flat $45 it all works out over the course of the year and usually takes care of cost of shipping supplies as well.

That changes now because on the back of the bill they made adjustments. By using their dimensional weight to charge the cost of the package went up to $43.50, they then add additional fuel surcharg (it is based on a percentage of the shipping cost) and added another $1.14. So now the cost went up to $47.63 for shipping. This is above the $45 flat fee I charge so I'm in the hole, on an east coast shipment, figure another$15 or so for West coast and I'm really in the hole on my shiping, And now, the shipping supplies cost needs to come out of the cost of the gecko.

It is quite the little quandry..... :cool:
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"So, my original charge was 431.50 + 2.99 for their infamous Fuel surcharge;"

Should have read $31.50, not 431.50, stupid shift key..... :)
 
Gecko_Den said:
"So, my original charge was 431.50 + 2.99 for their infamous Fuel surcharge;"

Should have read $31.50, not 431.50, stupid shift key..... :)
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"No biggie and well within my 445 flat fee for shipping."

Grrrr, should have read "$45 flat fee".... :hot:
 
Good lord, I need to proof read before I hit "post"!

Too many spelling and grammar errors to fix, I'm sure you can figure out what I was saying...... :raspberry
 
I've shipped out three boxes so far in the new year and my bill hasnt reflected any "Adjustments" so far....They did try to get me for an additional $10.00 because I didn't press hard enough to print the whole way through on my account number on one slip....
Shoot, I guess I will have to up my shipping charge. I hate doing that, but I can't eat those type of charges when selling a normal or two. I am going to look for better boxes too...
 
new info for UPS shippers

Well, I found out something interesting. It seems that for those that do their own shipments using the 'old' UPS software, they can still ship their packages at the 'old' rates! Only those of us that go through our UPS accounts online to create shipments, and those that go to a counter to ship packages for us, will be charged the 'new' rates. It appears that the updated software is the key here. Unfortunately, I go online through my account to create shipments from my own computer using their software, and therefore am one of those subject to the higher rates. Grrrr!
 
Marcia,
I just walk up to the counter, fill out the form, and ship away. I double checked my bill. I had an "adjustment" of $1.58 that isn't explainable anywhere. My boxes aren't that small either. But I am still only getting charged by weight. My shipments cost anywhere from 23-31.00
This worries me. I can see ups sending me an adjusted bill for all the packages I have shipped out....
When my rates go up I'll just have to adjust...sigh..
 
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