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USPS Shipping Calculator
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acread
moderator


Posts: 11986

PostPosted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It can't be her shipping matrix going into action. Because it gave multiple shipping costs. The shipping matrix gives you only one alternative, that's it. So on the original one she would not have see the 3 separate shipping methods and their values.

I think she probably accidentally added the same thing twice and didn't notice the quantity was 2 instead of 1 and got results for 10 lb order weight.
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katzzskloset



Posts: 181

PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi and thank you for the test. I have in my matrix $7.95. I am wondering why for you it was seven and change and for me it was $4.95. Is it because I myself was trying to by my own product.?
I think I will stick with the matrix as I can recoup part of the shipping insurance and conf#. Thanks again all for your help. When they allow insurance and conf# to be added to shipping then I will use it.
Barbara
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acread
moderator


Posts: 11986

PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

katzzskloset wrote:
Hi and thank you for the test. I have in my matrix $7.95. I am wondering why for you it was seven and change and for me it was $4.95. Is it because I myself was trying to by my own product.?
I think I will stick with the matrix as I can recoup part of the shipping insurance and conf#. Thanks again all for your help. When they allow insurance and conf# to be added to shipping then I will use it.
Barbara

You still have your Shipping Calculator on. When the shipping calculator is on the shipping matrix only acts as backup method. So you see 4.95 not 7.95. (Your calculator works fine)


You know you can just add the insurance etc into the price. Or increase the weight of the product to compensate for the extra charges.


But if you decided to use the matrix instead of the calculator you better disable the calculator.

And remember if you ship to any foreign countries you need to fill out the shipping matrix for all those destinations.
Make sure to fill out the whole matrix. Any box you don't enter a number will be taken as $0.
And the last column is not shipping cost but the rate it increases beyond that weight.
And when the USPS changes its rates you'll need to change the all numbers in your shipping matrix manually (which happens twice yearly).
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katzzskloset



Posts: 181

PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you so much for all your help. I guess its the blonde moment again Laughing Maybe I will do that increase the weight or the price. I am really not even sure about the numbers I put in the matrix, they could be under or over and I don;t want to overcharge as that is not good for business. Maybe I should go to the zip finder and do it that way by pounds to the USA for the farthest zone away from me and for Canada by the weight. This is a great place, just a lil bit confusing Laughing . You have been very kind and I truely appreciate your help.
barbara
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sher2x4-landing



Posts: 34

PostPosted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I need a little help with this.

I have the shipping calculator ON.
I have chosen both national and international options.
I ran a test and I am satisfied with the results.

Now to get the Back-Up matrix right for the possible 3 second timeout:

I am using the small pound chart is set to ON.
Items are being entered with the ounce conversions provided (thank you!)

In the Matrix
Do I want to use the pound numbers for setting prices in pounds?
OR
Do I want to pretend and use each pound number to mirror the calculator?

If I grasped the philosophy, I think I want to pull the pound numbers for amounts and make sure that I have a number that is greater than ZERO.

That higher is better than not at all or lower and that as a backup I can adjust in the invoice later.

Did I get that?

I'm really not sure about the conversation of 2x the amount happening so really want to get this right. Hope you can clear this up if I have really missed this conversation.

thanks in advance,

Sher
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acread
moderator


Posts: 11986

PostPosted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 5:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

sher2x4-landing wrote:
In the Matrix
Do I want to use the pound numbers for setting prices in pounds?
OR
Do I want to pretend and use each pound number to mirror the calculator?

If I grasped the philosophy, I think I want to pull the pound numbers for amounts and make sure that I have a number that is greater than ZERO.

The units of all weights you use need to be in pounds. Because the shipping calculator deals with the weights in pounds (eCrater probably converts and submits it in the exact form USPS needs. But eCrater does that based on the assumption that the weights you entered for products is in pounds not in ounces or item count etc) You cannot do a shipping matrix manipulation in any way when you have your shipping calculator on. One or the other will give you nonesense.

So you enter the actual weight of your products in units of pounds.

In the shipping matrix you can never mirror your USPS calculated shipping values because most of the time it is not sensitive enough. But if you tried to mirror it the better for you. Since your main shipping cost is calculated by the calculator I'm guessing your backup should match it (as much as possible).

So in the shipping matrix you enter how many dollors it costs to ship a package that weight the number of pound written at the top in bold to the destination written on the left. You do not enter dollar signs inside the boxes just the number.
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sher2x4-landing



Posts: 34

PostPosted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smile Thank you ACread... I got it!
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

acread wrote:
In the shipping matrix you can never mirror your USPS calculated shipping values because most of the time it is not sensitive enough. But if you tried to mirror it the better for you. Since your main shipping cost is calculated by the calculator I'm guessing your backup should match it (as much as possible).

So in the shipping matrix you enter how many dollors it costs to ship a package that weight the number of pound written at the top in bold to the destination written on the left.


The USPS Shipping Calculator is sensitive to distance (USPS slices the distance up into zones 1-8 ). The shipping matrix has no sensitivity to distance within the US. So anyone using the matrix should be careful not to underestimate the amount to the most distant zone (even tho that might make your shipping look high). The risk is entering the amount for zone 1-2-3 (say 4-pounds at $5.64, $5.50 or $7.62), then finding out the order is going to zone-8 ($14.03). I suppose you could estimate an average, then hope the orders are distributed across the zones same as your average.

Seller's located in the middle of the US may have an advantage in that the only locations being zone-8 would be AK, HI, PR and possibly the APO/FPO zip codes. From where I am, in Florida, the entire west coast is zone-8.
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TheConsignmentBarn



Posts: 55

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:27 am    Post subject: USPS Checkout Reply with quote

It's been awhile since I checked the forums ... I also had trouble with the USPS checkout system - especially when customers used Google ... I got tired of eating shipping costs so I disabled USPS Shipping as well as stopped accepting Google Checkout ... If they would come up with an automated shipping system the same as what eBay uses then I would consider it ... It has to be a system that works equally well with PayPal and Google ... I never understood the shipping matrix so I don't use it either ... Just my $.02
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bdskeystonecorner



Posts: 101

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The only issue I had with the calculator was that you can only put even numbers in for the weight. Maybe I am missing something but I had a couple of items with odd number weights and it showed up as Free shipping, maybe someone can give more info on that. But I do like the calculator because the matrix had be pounding my head against the wall trying to understand it,LOL!
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zickit



Posts: 21857

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bdskeystonecorner wrote:
The only issue I had with the calculator was that you can only put even numbers in for the weight. Maybe I am missing something but I had a couple of items with odd number weights and it showed up as Free shipping, maybe someone can give more info on that. But I do like the calculator because the matrix had be pounding my head against the wall trying to understand it,LOL!


You enter the weight of the ready to ship item on the listing. That is the weight that the calculator uses.
You still NEED the Shipping matrix completed as that is the backup for the calculator used when the USPS site does not reply with an price fast enough.
If you don't fill it out - that's when the shopper gets charged zero because your matrix says zero.
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acread
moderator


Posts: 11986

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bdskeystonecorner wrote:
The only issue I had with the calculator was that you can only put even numbers in for the weight. Maybe I am missing something but I had a couple of items with odd number weights and it showed up as Free shipping, maybe someone can give more info on that. But I do like the calculator because the matrix had be pounding my head against the wall trying to understand it,LOL!

You enter the weight of each product in their individual listings in the "Weight" field.

You use positive numbers.

You do not enter weight units (so no g, kg, lb, pound, oz, ounce, etc in the box. Just the number)

You convert everything to units of pound. That is if you have a 1 pound 2 ounce item, you convert the 2 ounces to pound weight and add it to one. (each pound is 16 ounces, so to convert 2 ounces to pounds you divide 2 by 16. Which is 0.125) So you enter 1.125 in the Weight field in that products product info page.
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electric-fragrance-oil-warmers



Posts: 6

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:50 pm    Post subject: NO ship charges OR FREE SHIPPING items charged 4 shipping Reply with quote

Hi,
I was thrilled when I found the usps calc had been added, but started having problems.
I thought I'd found the problem when I came looking in the forums, but just more confused now.

First, let me say I understand how the usps ship tool works and I see that in ecrater, if for some odd reason the server times out at usps point, it defaults to the matrix
OK. My last 2 orders:
4 electric oil warmers w/total weight 7 lbs but she was charged NO SHIPPING! I came here to find answer and see it defaults to matrix-which I have not configured, therefore= free shipping.

next order:

for 2 35watt halogen bulbs for the electric oil warmers [sold at 2 for one price] and FREE SHIPPING. I do have it set on that item for free ship, but they were charged for the weight I had entered- MUST enter a weight - I had weight set at 0.25 so they were charged less than 2$. WHY WERE THEY CHARGED ANYTHING?? - IF the usps server had timed out again, and it defaulted to matrix, it still should have been free shipping!

HELP!

and thanks in advance
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zickit



Posts: 21857

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can not mix USPS calculatoor and fixed price or free shipping.
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electric-fragrance-oil-warmers



Posts: 6

PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't use any 'FIXED" shipping prices, but free is usually part of any usps ship tools.
I find the tool in ecrater a bit different than elsewhere, so I'll accept that reason as an explanation
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