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When the postal clerk starts measuring your box, you know you're in trouble.   Those dimensional inputs can drive up shipping costs big time. I've been told a number of times by Postal clerks that it isn't the weight that factors most into the shipping cost -- it's the size of the container. How much space the box is going to take up in the truck or plane or whatever is the major factor in determining shipping cost.

Nothing really new here - cost of shipping USPS has been determined by the combination of weight, box dimensions, and zones(truck vs. plane) variables for quite a while. Rates go up and you either factor that in to your sales or eat the loss, and get over it...unless you just want to P&M and hand-wring.

Best bets are to use the USPS rate calculator on-line to determine in advance what you will be paying to ship something.  Other best bet is to use the flat rate boxes particularly when you are shipping something that is heavy. 

Proper packing and materials to use is another topic altogether.

Maybe they're combating shipping abuse (or maybe shipping laziness?).

There's nothing quite like my wife getting a couple of practically weightless ladies' blouses she ordered on line, in a box big enough to hold at least three (3)  Lionel Polar Express sets! 

With a small handful of weightless padding material thrown in for good measure. 

The reason is simple, with the growth of shipping because of on-line retailing, shippers need to utilize every inch of cargo space. Weight plays a factor of course because a truck or airplane has weight limits, but space is an even bigger factor,it is a lot more limiting that weight carrying capacity unless you are shipping lead or gold With every cubic inch a package takes up, there is less for another package and loss of revenue (it is kind of similar to lingering at a restaurant during peak times, the longer you stay the less people they can seat that night, less revenue, unless of course while you linger you are buying (overpriced) liquor.  Whether an item weighs 5 ounces or 5 pounds, a 5 oz item in a 50 cubic inch box costs them more than a 5lb box in 30 cubic inches in lost revenue opportunity.

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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