UPS Shipping rates wrong at checkout + increase in rates?

[Tim_Akers]

Hello all,

Has anyone seen a pretty drastic increase in UPS shipping rates? We are seeing our rates increase 30-50% over the last two weeks with UPS specifically. 

Additionally, we are seeing issues where the rate at Checkout shown to customer is one rate, but when we print the label it is substantially more, sometimes double. 

We are shipping skis. But to see the customer being charged $40 and when we print the label it is jumping to $80 is a big hit for us. I wanted to see if others were having similar issues or if it is isolated just to us.

Thanks!

[Mugsense]

I am having the same issue! Customer pays a lower price and the label cost way more. Can anyone help?

[dpd11]

Yep, just saw this today... It looks mainly like long items. 2 to 3x the past amount just last week. I see nothing about rate increases at UPS until Dec. This better be a mistake, because this would be unsustainable for us.

[dpd11]

I spent an hour in chat and didn't get anywhere. They said they would email me after they look into it. It looks like there's been some sort of error in how the API handles the packages over 48". Packages below that seem to be priced correctly. I think maybe the discount is not being applied to the over 48" length packages? Unfortunately it only seems to be happening with long items, so of course they're not going to take it that seriously, since it only affects a small amount of people. I just realized there is literally no phone support whatsoever now, which for a 100 billion $ company is absurd. This is a very serious issue that needs to be resolved, not just get canned responses from a 3rd party chat op.

[dpd11]

I'm looking at other calculators and the UPS site, and they're returning the same massive increased prices on long items. As far as I can tell though, there is zero announcement of this. I have no idea what's going on. I'll have to call them in the morning.

[bsbechtel]

Hi, did you have any luck on this when you called? I am seeing the same thing. Even worse, it increased last week and is looking even higher this week. Across the board it was over a 5% hit to our margin, which I imagine will put many small stores out of business if it's sustained. I suspect it has something to do with this change, but the lack of transparency here is frustrating: https://changelog.shopify.com/posts/updates-to-ups-shipping-rates-when-buying-labels

[Tim_Akers]

I talked to a few brands who are selling skis or tent poles, all have seen the increase on the longer packages. 

It does look like the rates are increasing even outside of Shopify. If anyone gets ahold of their UPS rep, let me know what they sa

[dpd11]

I finally found one obscure article that mentioned UPS would be stealthily adding this increase during 24. The best part is that they still plan on adding another increase across the board next month. Right now the only affordable option left for long light items is postal. FedEx is slightly less than UPS. But if you're selling items for $100 or less, you're going to be looking at shipping costs as much as the item. The other down side of this is... I have realized support on this platform has become a joke. No phone number, no email, and a chat where they just basically lie to you and wait for you to give up and go away. They've also taken away the email contact for shipping claims. We can call UPS and complain, but... I've checked some of the shipping apps and they also show these increases. So if none of these big players can get those fees removed, I doubt they'll take them away for us. There should be a class action suit, because why should people be penalized 4x the normal rate or more, just because something is a little longer. I've done tests where you have something 48x4x4 3 pounds CA to NY for $13. Just change that to 50" length and it goes to $78. I'm going to try and talk to UPS and will report back. What we will probably do is raise shipping across the board, and then not give people a choice. Hopefully it will all come out in the wash at the end of the year. But if postal follows their lead, it will almost be impossible to ship long items at an affordable rate. It's insane that they can just do stuff like this and you have no recourse.