Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

[dachenbach]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

Dachenbach,

This is the answer I got from Dev: "He shouldn't have to re-add the item to the cart if he changes its dimensions, but he would have to do so if he changes the weight."

Rick,
I tested on my dev store and confirm that behavior- I have to re-add for weight adjustments to take effect but dimension adjustments take effect immediately. Thank you for the clarification! I'll edit my earlier comment and keep this in mind for future testing.

Darrin

[dachenbach]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

You mentioned that the Pack by cube does not seem to work with the predefined boxes that you set up though right?

Right. From what I can tell it doesn't look at your configured Boxes at all- it "makes up" a (cube) box with a cubic volume large enough to contain the cubic volume of the sum of the items in your cart. It doesn't mean they'll all actually fit.

Does the module have to be downloaded, because I can't seem to find it?

Is this not available under Shipping Settings -> Settings -> Packaging Rules -> Box Packing dropdown? I think you need to be on miva 9.0004 or later.

Our big problem now is that we have light items that have to ship in a "larger" box and our rates from Miva / UPS which are current using weight only are obviously way off do to the dimensions. I would hate to be shipping styro foam cups these days.

Yep. It's been rough ever since UPS and FedEx added dimensional weights at the beginning of 2015.

[Jim Cockerham]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

When using attributes / inventory variants with the "Pack by Cube" method, will the module pull the dimensions set in the inventory variants?

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

When using attributes / inventory variants with the "Pack by Cube" method, will the module pull the dimensions set in the inventory variants?

Yes.

[Jim Cockerham]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

That's good news! Thanks Rick.

[dachenbach]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

Box Weight is coming in 9.0005. FYI.

Rick,

Do you happen to know if the Box Weight will also apply to the Pack by Cubic Volume method/module? I ask because I was thinking this module doesn't actually use your configured boxes on the boxes tab. Maybe there will be just a single "additional box weight" value when using the Pack by Cubic Volume method/module?

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

The Cubic Volume module does use our boxes, that's what it "packs" to fill, so yes it'll work with that feature.

[dachenbach]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

I apologize for my ignorance, and I know I've overlooked things before in the shipping modules but I guess I'm not 100% convinced that this module uses the configured boxes from the Boxes tab (even though I'd like it to- ref. post #22) . All my testing leads me to conclude the Cubic Volume module ignores the Boxes tab, sums the cubic volume of the order contents, takes the cube root and fabricates a cube box of that size (so long as it's under the "Maximum Package Dimension" value set up in the Pack by Cubic Volume settings) and uses that size box in the UPS API call.

If this module is using our pre-configured boxes what is the purpose of the Maximum Package Dimension/Volume fields in the Pack by Cubic Volume settings? Wouldn't the module already know those maxes from the Boxes tab? I guess I want to make sure I'm using the settings correctly if I'm misunderstanding.

A few examples/tests that lead me to this conclusion:
- Packing by cubic volume and disabling all my configured Boxes still returns a rate. What size of box would that rate be based on? This rate happens to match the UPS.com rate quote EXACTLY for a 8x8x8 package of this weight. (My 15x15x2 item is 450 cubic in. Cube root of that is 7.66. Round up to 8 for an 8" cube that I think Miva uses as the basis for its rate quote.)

- I happened to have an 8" cube box set up on my Boxes tab so I deleted it just to confirm it wasn't getting used. I also "enabled" a 16x16x16 box on my boxes tab. It's the only enabled box. I re-generated the rate on miva for that 15x15x2 item and I still get that same rate which matches that of an 8" cube, not my 16x16x16.

- I added a second item to my cart (same dimensions). Total cubic volume for the order is 900 cubic inches. Cube root of that is 9.65. Round up to 10 for a 10" cube. The rate quote I get from miva matches UPS.com EXACTLY for a 10" cube. I don't have any 10" cube boxes set up in my store.

As an aside, and I mentioned this to support a couple times, if we had a easy way capture the logs of the API requests I'd think we could confirm this VERY quickly. :-)

All this having been said, Cubic Volume is still working decently for me because we have enough variety of physical box sizes in inventory that we can get close to what miva fabricated. I could still definitely be missing something or just be flat our wrong but I'm really looking forward to the box weight feature and wanted to make sure my understanding of how it would work was correct because once we have that feature (I think) we'll finally be generating reasonably accurate shipping quotes. Also, having spent some time with the cubic module now, I think it's a HUGE step in the right direction.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

I've been wrong before so let me double check with Dev. I'll get back once I have certainty.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

Dachenbach,

You are correct, it doesn't (currently) use the boxes and therefore it won't work with Box Weight in 9.5. We'll most likely fix both issues in 9.6.

[dachenbach]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

Excellent! I really appreciate the follow-up and responsiveness!

[Jim Cockerham]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

Dachenbach,
You are correct, it doesn't (currently) use the boxes and therefore it won't work with Box Weight in 9.5. We'll most likely fix both issues in 9.6.

I was just experimenting with boxes with cubic volume method too and come up with the same results as Dachenbach. Rick, any estimate when we might look for 9.6 ? Thanks!

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

My best guess is Q2. We have a lot planned for 9.6.

[Jim Cockerham]

Re: Dimensional Shipping Rules - 2015 UPS and FedEx Dimensional Weight Policy

Dachenbach,

You are correct, it doesn't (currently) use the boxes and therefore it won't work with Box Weight in 9.5. We'll most likely fix both issues in 9.6.

Is the box weight (assigned to a given box) being added to the total weight in 9.6 ? It does not look like it is to me.

** You can delete this post, I just realized a max weight value must be set for each box.