Beginning June 23rd, 2019 the USPS will enact rate changes that will affect Dimensional Weight Pricing for Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and Parcel Select Ground. To ensure a smooth transition for your business be sure to review the upcoming changes listed below.
What Is Dimensional Weight?
Dimensional weight reflects package density, which is the amount of space a package occupies on a delivery truck in relation to its actual weight. Space is important for shipping carriers since they want to keep costs low by filling their delivery trucks with as many packages as possible.
Dimensional Weight can be calculated using the formula:
DIM Weight = (length x width x height)/DIM Divisor
Change #1: DIM Divisor Will Decrease
The DIM divisor will decrease from 194 to 166; this means packages greater than one cubic foot will have a higher billable weight. To illustrate this point, let’s look at a sample package with the dimensions 16” x 14” x 12” going to Zone 4 via Priority Mail:
Old DIM Divisor
Using the Dimensional Weight formula we can determine the package’s billable weight under the old Dim Divisor.
(16” x 14” x 12”)/194
(2688 cubic inches)/194 = 13.85 lbs.
The USPS Priority Mail Rate for this package would be $17.57
New DIM Divisor
Using the same formula, but with the new divisor, we see that billable weight is now higher.
(16” x 14” x 12”)/166
(2688 cubic inches)/166 = 16.19 lbs.
The USPS Priority Mail Rate for this package would be $20.35 ($2.78 increase)
Change #2: DIM Weight Pricing will be applied to New Zones
Currently, DIM Weight Pricing is only applied to zones 5-9 within select mail classes. Beginning June 23rd, 2019 the USPS will expand the list of zones in which DIM Weight Pricing is applied.
- Priority Mail: DIM Weight Pricing will be expanded to include zones 1-4 for packages over 1 cubic foot. Currently, DIM Weight Pricing only applies to zones 5-9 for packages over 1 cubic foot*.
- Priority Mail Express: DIM Weight Pricing will be applied to packages over 1 cubic foot for zones 1-9. Currently, DIM Weight Pricing is not applied to Priority Mail Express.
- Parcel Select Ground: DIM Weight Pricing will be applied to packages over 1 cubic foot for zones 1-9. Currently, DIM Weight Pricing is not applied to Parcel Select Ground*.
*Prior to January 27, 2019, balloon pricing was used for Priority Mail (zones 1-4) and Parcel Select Ground (zones 1-9) packages under 20 lbs. if the combined length and girth measured more than 84 inches but 108 inches or less.
Stamps.com Makes Dimensional Weight Pricing Easy
Stamps.com software includes everything customers need to calculate current postage rates. For mail classes with Dimensional Weight Pricing all you need to do is weigh your mail piece, enter your package’s dimensions, enter your destination and Stamps.com will automatically calculate the required postage.
