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UPS Rating - Residential vs. Commercial Address
Rank: Member
Joined: 6/25/2008(UTC)
Posts: 92
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BV ver 5 SP 3.2 with Shipping Rate Provider Suite I have a good mix of both residential and commercial customers with one commercial customer in particular ordering very heavily during this quarter. They are very unhappy about the residential shipping fees we are charging them. I tried to see if this could be fixed by unchecking the flag to "Force residential Addresses" for my UPS ground Shipping Method, however it seems I continue to be quoted the residential rate. What is the flag's purpose, and how do I get our site to quote the proper rate based on my customer's address? Not sure if this will help or not, but here is a snippet from my event log for a commercial address order I just put through for testing: <PostalCode>68106</PostalCode> <CountryCode>US</CountryCode> <ResidentialAddress /> </Address> </ShipTo> <Service> <Code>02</Code> </Service> <Package> <PackagingType> <Code>02</Code> <Description>Package</Description> </PackagingType> <Dimensions> <UnitOfMeasure> <Code>IN</Code> </UnitOfMeasure> <Length>1</Length> <Width>1</Width> <Height>1</Height> </Dimensions> <PackageWeight> <UnitOfMeasure> <Code>LBS</Code> </UnitOfMeasure> <Weight>8.0</Weight> </PackageWeight> </Package> </Shipment> </RatingServiceSelectionRequest> Thanks in advance for your help. Krista
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Rank: Member
Joined: 11/5/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,136
Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
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Hello Krista,
Does the request (from the event log) include the full street address of the customer? If so, and if UPS has ever delivered a shipment to that address, then UPS will ignore the residential flag. If the request does not include the full street address, or if UPS has never delivered to that address, then they will honor the residental flag.
Since this is a repeat customer, UPS certainly has the address on file. |
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Rank: Member
Joined: 6/25/2008(UTC)
Posts: 92
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Thanks, Andy. This is one of many major auto dealerships we are working with. UPS most certainly has their address on file. If I check the rates using UPS' Online Rate calculator and/or with our Worldship, the address is recognized as commercial and is rated accordingly. It is only BV that is quoting Residential rates, unfortunately.
I don't see the full shipping address in the event log. It appears the zip code is the only shipping address element in the log. If I understand correctly, what's in the log is the same thing that is being passed to UPS. And if that's the case, then UPS will never pass back a correct rate for my commercial customers. That sounds like a bug.
Question to this group . . . has no one in the BV community ever noticed and/or raised this issue before? What are those that ship commercial doing to remedy overcharging your customers?
Krista
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Rank: Member
Joined: 11/5/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,136
Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
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Since the request does not include the full street address, UPS should be honoring the residential flag. But in my experience, the quote rate for a partial address with residential flag = false falls between a full commercial address quote and a full residential address quote.
Try asking your UPS rep about this. I believe they can make adjustments to the rates that are quoted. |
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Rank: Member
Joined: 11/25/2003(UTC)
Posts: 370
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Yes, UPS can make adjustments so it is a good idea to ask your rep as Andy suggest.
If you are a high volume shipper you might even ask about negotiated rates which can also be received via their quoting services.
In my past experience UPS has always been helpful with rates returned and making sure all is working properly. |
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Rank: Member
Joined: 6/25/2008(UTC)
Posts: 92
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Andy and Kim - thanks for your feedback.
My UPS rep can turn on negotiated rates, but the negotiated rates they will be passing back will be based on the address information BV is sending them which isn't enough to pass back the commercial rates. Ideally, BV would send the entire address so it can be properly classified as commercial or residential as the case may be.
It sounds as if this needs to be turned into an enhancement request and is not a bug?? Is this how others who have purchased this software and ship UPS anticipated it working?
Krista
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Rank: Member
Joined: 12/23/2003(UTC)
Posts: 909
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Setup two shipping methods assuming UPS has the Residential/Commercial rates as seperate options. Grab Andy Miller's Shipping Rate Rule Provider and create a rule on the commercial method to catch your B2B customers (via company name, email address, etc.), show commercial rates if found? (Hide method if match not found)
Create unique code to discount shipping by X% and assign to B2B customers? |
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Rank: Member
Joined: 11/5/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,136
Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
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Originally Posted by: "JavaNut" 
It sounds as if this needs to be turned into an enhancement request and is not a bug?? Is this how others who have purchased this software and ship UPS anticipated it working?
Krista
I agree it sounds like it should be an enhancement request. I looked at the code in 5.3 and 5.6 that generates the rate request. Neither includes the full address. So it is working as designed, though perhaps not as you want. Based on conversations that I have had with merchants, many feel that the rate quotes are close enough. Most adjust the rate the comes back from UPS anyway, so better accuracy in the quote would not necessarily lead to different result. For example, they may show the customer cost = UPS quote x 0.8. If the quote were lower because the full address was included, then they would probably change the algorithm so that cost = UPS quote x 0.9. Either way the customer would see the same cost (or nearly the same). |
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