Traditionally, shipping companies established delivery costs based on the weight of a package – the heavier the package, the more the shipping expense. However large packages that are lightweight are not profitable to the shipping companies since these light packages earn very little money while they take-up a lot of space in a truck. Hence a lot of fuel is spent to deliver fewer packages.
By January 1st, 2015, both UPS Ground and FedEx Ground will be charging for shipping based on billable weight. This includes shipments originating from BCW Supplies. There are two factors that determine the billable weight. The first is the weight of the package. The second factor is the package’s dimensional weight. The dimensional weight is the package’s density – how much it weighs for its height, length and depth. The shipping company then compares the package’s overall weight and the dimensional weight. Whichever value is greater is the package’s billable weight.
Recording an accurate weight and dimensions of packages is key to efficient shipping.
These changes are expected to impact the shipping costs of BCW products. For example, a box of 200 unfolded BCW trading card boxes (1-BX-660) is lightweight (43.1-lbs.), yet has a relatively large size (5.16 cubic feet). The old shipping cost was based on the package’s overall weight, but the cost for the dimensional weight is greater. Therefore the billable weight for this example has increased.
In general, consumers will see shipping costs increase for large, yet lightweight goods. Smart hobby supply distributors and retailers will be able to use this change to their advantage. Because it will be more expensive for consumers to buy goods online, consumers will turn to their local hobby shop to purchase their hobby supplies.
For consumers ordering at www.bcwsupplies.com, users can select their delivery method and see the shipping costs before checking-out. UPS Ground is our default shipping service based on their cost and reliability to deliver goods on time and undamaged. BCW is constantly evaluating the price of our products, the shipping costs, and the potential delivery methods in order to provide the best products and service at the best price.
For BCW partners utilizing BCW’s Drop Shipping program, they should refer to BCW’s Wholesale Price Sheet (updated 12/1/14) to utilize the most up-to-date dimensional weight data to establish their shipping costs.
From more information regarding shipments from BCW Supplies, please view our Shipping Policy.
NOTE: BCW Distributor and Wholesale Partners should sign-in to their www.bcwsupplies.com account in order to view their relevant Shipping Policy and Price Sheet details.
