UPS XML giving Odd Results

I have the UPS and the USPS Modules installed. The USPS part seems to be working just fine. UPS is just whacky. I could not even make it give me these results if I tried.

1. It is not respecting my origin zip. This is a NY zip but shipments to locations in NY get charged more than locations in IL or CA. CA gets the cheapest rates! Opposite from what it should be. I know the zip is correctly entered in since USPS Priority Mail rates look fine.
2. The rates are very high for small weights. Under a pound is being charged like $16.00 for UPS Ground. I have selected residential, $2.00 handling fee and 10% of freight additional charge but all that together on a package of one pound ought to be under $10.00.
   My developer told me to contact UPS but before I do I wanted to see if anyone has a similar problem or suggestions on ways to fix this one.
   Thanks,
   Ray

What is the Ship from?

What is the Sip To?

What is the exact weight?

What are you expecting the shipping charges to be?

Hi Ajeh,
Thank you for your interest. I will answer your questions presently but I just noticed something else which will bear on this. Only UPS ground is working poorly, the others ie 3day, 2day, overnite all vary properly. They get larger the further from Highland NY you get but ground charges more for Highland than , Cicero IL or Santa Monica CA.
Here are the details you asked for.
12528 is the home zip.

The 3 ship to addresses are
12528
60804
and 90401

The current test is on 1.7 pounds

As to what exactly I expect, I'm not comparing to any rate chart yet. My main concern is that it is clearly wrong since the prices are varying incorrectly ie going down the further from my location rather than going up. I also think the ground rates are exaggerated. On a test I did at .22 lbs the NY price was $14.89 but we ship items under a pound to NY locations regularly and I know that is high. Priority Mail was $5.60 and that ususally tracks UPS rates closely with PM usually being a bit higher.

Peace,
Ray

I do not have a UPS account to test this on the UPS site, but if I compare shipping 1.7lbs with regular UPS and UPSXML I get these rates for shipping from 12528:

Ship to 12528
United Parcel Service (1 x 1.44lbs) (3 Day Select) $19.39
United Parcel Service (1 x 1.44lbs) (Ground) $15.34

Ship to 44026
United Parcel Service (1 x 1.44lbs) (Ground) $13.68
United Parcel Service XML (1 pkg x 1.44 lbs total) (UPS Ground, ETA: June 20, 2014) $10.47

Ship to 33136
United Parcel Service (1 x 1.44lbs) (Ground) $14.50
United Parcel Service XML (1 pkg x 1.44 lbs total) (UPS Ground, ETA: June 24, 2014) $12.22

Both UPS and UPSXML do follow the same pattern on the shipping cost ... you might check what your costs are with UPS for your account for various addresses ...

Your shipping from and to 12528 was the highest of the 3 locations. That can't be right. Can it?
In our case I know the xml is just wrong on ground. Should I reach out to UPS on this? Our rates are not being reflected properly.

Ask UPS for some quotes for 1.7lbs sent from your Zip Code to other Zip Codes for your account ...

Then post back what they say the rates should be ...

Wow this is totally weird.
We've checked rates on UPS world ship and on the UPS website logged in with our ID
Here are the world ship results. I find it hard to believe the local rates are so high.
12528 1lb-$12.89 2lbs-$13.53

60804 1lb-$10.83 2lbs-$11.77

90401 1lb-$11.41 2lbs-$12.67

I got similar results from the website. Here is something else freaky.
When I put in 20 pounds it all changes and goes back to something I would expect.
Local is cheapest, a little further a bit more and West Coast much higher.
I've emailed UPS for some explanation but I'll stop blaming the xml till I know more.....
Thanks for walking me through it.
Peace,
Ray

Rather an interesting issue, but I do find that happening with a lot of Zip Codes ...

Let us know what UPS has to say ...

I'm sort of embarrassed to report that I was comparing apples to oranges.
The zips I chose for CA and IL were for highly populated urban or suburban locations.
The NY Zips I chose were for less populated spots which get an additional Delivery Area Surcharge.
On the lower weight shipments the DAS was enough to make shipping in zone 2 more expensive than shipping to zone 5 or 8.
Though it took a couple of days to reach my rep, she was gracious in helping me tease this out.

Thanks very much for the update on getting this information from UPS to explain this issue, that is of great help to everyone! :smile: