Plain-English definitions for the 32 USPS and UPS terms that show up on an invoice, with what each one changes about the price.
Each definition is deliberately short and links out to the page that answers the money question, because the rate table, not the definition, is where the decision gets made.
The base rate
How the starting price is set: by distance, by box, by volume or by discount tier. 5 terms
Cubic size = (L × W × H) ÷ 1,728Size and weight
What the parcel weighs and measures, and the correction when the declared figures are wrong. 5 terms
Billable Weight = max(Actual Weight, Dimensional Weight)Dimensional Weight = (Length × Width × Height) ÷ DIM DivisorL × W × H (in inches) ÷ DIM divisor = DIM weight (lbs)Girth = (2 × Width) + (2 × Height)Length + Girth = Length + 2 × Width + 2 × HeightSurcharges
Fees added on top of the base rate for the season, the address, fuel or an awkward parcel. 4 terms
Services
USPS services you buy by name, each with its own rules on contents, speed or proof. 4 terms
Add-ons and returns
Extras bought one parcel at a time: coverage, a signature, a redirect, a prepaid way back. 4 terms
Customs and restricted goods
The declarations and trade terms that set duty, and the rules on what may travel at all. 5 terms
Labels and tracking
The label, the barcodes and the scans that say where a parcel is. 5 terms
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