Shipping Glossary: Terms & Definitions

DIM Weight

A pricing method based on package size rather than actual weight

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Cubic Pricing

A USPS pricing tier based on package volume instead of weight

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Commercial Plus Pricing

The deepest USPS discount tier for high-volume shippers

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USPS Ground Advantage

USPS's standard ground shipping service with 2-5 day delivery

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Flat Rate Shipping

A shipping method where the price is fixed regardless of weight or distance

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Zone-Based Pricing

A shipping rate structure where cost increases based on the distance between origin and destination

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Shipping Insurance

Coverage that protects against lost, stolen, or damaged packages during transit

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Tracking Number

A unique identifier assigned to a package that lets you and your customer watch its delivery progress from label to doorstep

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USPS Media Mail

A low-cost USPS service exclusively for shipping books, media, and educational materials

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Signature Confirmation

A delivery service that requires the recipient to sign for a package before the carrier will release it

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Return Label

A prepaid shipping label that lets the recipient send a package back to the original sender

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Shipping Label

A printed label containing all the information needed for a carrier to deliver a package

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Customs Form

A mandatory declaration document required for shipping packages internationally

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HAZMAT Shipping

The regulated process of shipping dangerous goods like batteries, perfumes, and flammable materials

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Package Tracking

The system that lets you monitor a package's location and delivery status in real time

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SCAN Form

A single master barcode that accepts an entire batch of packages into the carrier network at once

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Peak Surcharge

Temporary fees carriers add during busy seasons and high-volume periods, usually around the holidays

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Residential Surcharge

An extra fee carriers add when a package is delivered to a home address instead of a commercial one

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HS Code

A standardized number that classifies a product for customs so the right duties and rules apply

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Incoterms

Standard trade terms that define who pays shipping, duties, and risk in an international transaction

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DDP vs DDU

Two shipping terms that decide whether the seller prepays import duties or the buyer pays on delivery

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Billable Weight

The weight a carrier actually charges for: the greater of a package's actual weight and its dimensional weight

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Girth

The distance around a package's two smaller sides, used with length to trigger oversize rules and fees

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Certified Mail

A USPS service that provides proof of mailing and a delivery record, with optional signature on receipt

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Registered Mail

USPS's most secure service, with chain-of-custody handling for valuables and high-value items

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Informed Delivery

A free USPS service that emails you grayscale previews of incoming mail and tracks expected packages

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USPS Package Intercept

A paid USPS service to redirect or hold a package after it has shipped but before it is delivered

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Postage Due / APV Adjustment

A USPS adjustment that charges or refunds the difference after a package is reweighed and remeasured

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USPS Regional Rate Boxes

Zone-based USPS boxes that priced by distance and box size rather than weight, for heavier nearby shipments

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