The USPS rates available in ShipStation will reflect the rates available to your connected postage provider accounts (Stamps.com, Endicia, Express1), including any negotiated rates enabled for that account.
By default, ShipStation users with a Stamps.com account have access to discounted USPS pricing corresponding with Commercial Base pricing. These rates will automatically apply to shipments when using any Stamps.com service valid for the shipment. This article provides further details on rates and how they apply in ShipStation.
The USPS uses a tiered rate system. This table outlines each rating tier, and what it means.
Rate Tier |
Definition |
|---|---|
Retail |
The undiscounted rate you pay in person at the post office. |
Commercial Base Pricing (CBP) |
Online rates through USPS.com (slightly discounted from retail) |
Commercial Plus Pricing (CPP) |
Highly-discounted rates available to high-volume shippers (must meet a minimum annual shipment threshold) |
Cubic Pricing |
Highly-discounted rates for high-volume shippers for packages under 20lbs that are no larger than .5 cubic feet (must meet a minimum annual shipment threshold) |
Negotiated Rates |
If you have a negotiated service contracts with your USPS postage provider (Stamps.com, Endicia, etc), these rates will automatically be available in ShipStation. |
Through ShipStation’s relationship with Stamps.com, you automatically have access to the following rates in ShipStation:
Commercial Base Pricing (CBP) rates for these services:
Domestic: First Class Package Service, Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express (flat rate and weight-based services)
International: Priority Mail International, Priority Mail Express International, and First Class Mail International Package Service
Additionally, Regional Rate Boxes receive preferred ShipStation rates, which are slightly discounted from the CBP Regional Rate Box rate. Please review the Rates section of our Stamps.com article for more details.
For more details on what other discounts your account might be eligible for, please reach directly out to your Stamps.com account manager.
Other USPS postage providers, like Endicia and Express1, will offer access to CBP rates, as well as an option for negotiated rate contracts. To find out what rates are available for which services from these postage providers, please reach out to them directly.
The rates available through your postage provider accounts will automatically be available to you in ShipStation!
Priority Mail parcels in all shipping zones use DIM pricing for packages over 1 cubic foot as of January 27th, 2019. Previously, only Priority Mail parcels being delivered to Zones 5-9 received DIM pricing.
Additionally, DIM pricing for all zones will also apply to Priority Mail Express and Parcel Select Ground parcels larger than one cubic foot.
To determine if your package is larger than one cubic foot, use this equation: (L x W x H) / 1728. If the result is greater than 1, the package will be subject to dimensional weight.
Calculate dimensional weight using this equation: (L x W x H) / DIM Divisor.
The DIM Divisor changed from 194 to 166 as of June 23, 2019.
If DIM weight applies to your package, the carrier will compare the DIM weight and actual weight and charge the higher of the two for the label. For this reason, ShipStation recommends that you always enter the correct package dimensions when you configure your shipments. Thus, the rate you see in ShipStation will reflect the correct weight.
If the label you print for your shipment reflects the incorrect rate as determined by USPS, you may be subject to the USPS Automated Package Verification. This can automatically deduct the difference in postage from your USPS postage provider account.