UPS rates estimating too low

i am running 1.3.9h. i am having issues not only with the UPS module but the UPS XML module as well.

the problem seems to be the fuel surcharges and the residential surcharges not being included in the shipping estimator. i have seen other posts about the surcharges not being included in estimates but i haven't actually seen a fix for it.

My shipping settings are:
Pickup Method: Customer Counter
Packaging Type: Customer Packaging
Quote Type: Residential

My tare is set at 15:3 (i may need to adjust this as my base estimates (without surcharges) are still coming in just slightly lower than actual shipping costs).

i have tried this with two addresses using UPS 3 Day Select shipping method.

Shipment 1:
Ship from 34673
Ship to 95120
Pkg weight 12 lbs

Shipping Estimator: $55.88
UPS Website: $70.79 (includes $8.14 fuel charge and $2.75 residential charge)

Shipment 2:
Ship from 34673
Ship to 60714
Pkg weight 12 lbs

Shipping Estimator: $33.67
UPS Website: $41.98 (includes $4.83 fuel charge and $2.75 residential charge)

i can certainly add a $2.75 handling charge to make up for the residential surcharge (although i don't understand why i have it set to residential and the surcharge is not included), but the fuel surcharge is a variable and i don't know how to recoup that cost in my shipping estimates.

i have COWOA installed if you want to see the rates yourself - www . orchidlakecandles . com - my originating zip is 34673.

help please?

wendy

I too have found that for 2-day and 3-day the amounts were wildly off, yet for Ground - it's 100% correct.

Contacting UPS yields nothing, as they say I need to contact my 'UPS account rep' - who doesn't return calls!!! sigh

Short term, I just turned off our 2-day/3-day options, but I'd be curious to know why it's not picking up the right category/field from the look-up.

I know it's there, somewhere, as I can do a 'detailed time/cost' from the ups site, and it comes up right. I've tried modifying each option in the Zen XML screen but nothing gets remotely close to the actual price.

Anyone?!? anyone?

:frusty:

i am going to have to remove UPS shipping as well if I can get this figured out. =[ I was having the same problem with Fedex shipping which I ended up removing.

Could you go to your Zen Cart Admin and in the Tools ... Developers Tool Kit ... in the bottom input box enter:
+Daily

What comes up on that? :unsure:

i get this:

Searching 1302 files ... for: +Daily

/home/olc/public_html/includes/modules/shipping/ups.php

Line #303 : $this->_upsRateCode = 'Regular+Daily+Pickup';

Match Lines found: 1

just a thought... i currently have UPS XML active on the site though i have both UPS modules installed.

So far, I am not reproducing the price difference you are reporting ...

What settings are you using on ups.com when testing the prices?

Do both the default UPS and UPS XML come up with the same prices for you? :unsure:

i've found the problem. apparently if the box is larger than 12x12x12 they tack on extra fees - even though those dimensions do not come close to the measurements listed for a large package.

if i plug all of the above information into the UPS website with box dimensions of 12x12x12 then the Zen Cart shipping estimator price is spot on - $55.88. However, the box i am actually shipping in is 14x14x14. those dimensions apparently jack the rate up to $70.79.

according to the UPS website though, my box isn't big enough to incur Large Package surcharges (Large Package Surcharge: A Large Package Surcharge will be applied to each UPS package when its length plus girth [(2 x width) + (2 x height)] combined exceeds 130 inches (330cm), but does not exceed the maximum UPS size of 165 inches (419cm).) My package only equals 70 inches.

so my problem seems to lie with box size. which is not always this large, i just happened to have a large order that needed this size box.

Well poop!

Still doesn't answer why the Ground works fine, but 2-day and 3-day are jacked... Yes - I checked the +Daily and it's there, right.

any thoughts on where to start?

OK - using that line of thought...

it IS the dimensional weight that's throwing it off - our box is 8" cube (9x9x9 for shipping) and even though we ship one or two pounds, the fezzes are not small - just mostly air - hence the 8" cube.

so for 1 pound, it's charging for 5 pounds and with:

no dimension: (what Zen is passing I gather)

2-day: 22.49
3-day: 17.35

8x cube (4 lbs billable)

2-day: 32.54
3-day: 23.56

9x cube (5 lb billable) :shocking:

2-day: 35.82
3-day: 25.76

So... is there a way to pass dimension?

Any thoughts about this, or do I just turn off those? I'd like to be able to offer them to our clients, but not if 'we' are going to take a hit every time someone wants faster shipping. sigh

i believe you are right. it is not just a weight issue... it is a dimensional weight issue.

when i plugged in my shipping data (12 lbs in a 14x14x14 box) the UPS website actually told me I was being billed for 17 lbs. but if i enter the same weight in a 12x12x12 box it tells me i am only being billed for 12 lbs.

wow. thats not right. my package is 12 lbs!!! not 17!!!

(L x W x H) / 166 = Dimensional weight.

If you left off entering the weight and just put in the 12x cube - it comes up with 11 pounds.

13 cube = 14 pounds....

According to the UPS pdf, it will charge entered weight or dimensional weight, whichever is greater. Oh boy!

I'm waiting to see what happens with the two packages I just sent... I left off the dimensions during the shipping entry and went strictly by weight. staring at the sky innocently

... either that, or I start listing a 12 ounce fez as 5 pounds. :wacko: