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SHIPPING METHOD: Why am I getting high rates (or no rates at all)?

Common reasons why you are seeing high rates or no rates.

If you are not getting rates, there could be several reasons. One of the most common is mistyped data in the previous sections. However, there are other reasons that could lead to high rates or no rates at all.

1. Reasons for high rates

1.1. Package dimensions are too large  

If your package dimensions exceed the limit set by some logistics providers, they may not accept the booking or display higher charges for a different service/shipping method.

1.2. Invalid origin or destination address

A mistyped or incorrect address can cause errors in returned rates. Make sure your postcode matches your city and street address, and that it actually exists. 

1.3. Cash on Delivery (COD) values:

In some cases, high shipping rates are due to Cash on Delivery (COD) surcharges included in the carrier’s response. If a shipment is created with a COD value, the carrier (e.g. UPS) will calculate additional fees based on that amount, which can significantly increase the total rate.

For example, if a COD value of 228,605.00 HUF (≈589.14 EUR) is passed to the carrier, this amount is included in the rate calculation and shown as Shipment COD in the pricing breakdown.

To resolve this, please check the data being sent via the API (often coming from upstream systems when using an API) and confirm that:

    • A COD value is required for the shipment, and

    • The COD amount being passed is correct.

If the COD value is incorrect or should not apply, your admin/IT team may need to adjust the value sent in the API request to ensure accurate rate calculations.

1.4. Here are some other examples of common errors which can cause rate issues: 

  • If you are shipping to the "Channel Islands" (e.g. Jersey or Guernsey) but the selected country is the United Kingdom -  Jersey/Guernsey are listed separately to the UK, please update the Country and try again.
  • If you are shipping from Monaco and don't get rates, try selecting Monaco as a city and France as a country. Even though Monaco is a Country, some carriers will link this to France.
  • If the postcode is mistyped or mismatches the country/state, find the correct address on Google Maps
    • If you include the state identifier in the postcode for a United States address, DHL, FedEx, and USPS may not return rates, or they may show expensive rates e.g. 'FL 33323' vs. '33323'.  
    • Some postcode require a specific whitespace format, e.g. "421 65" in Sweden. Often these will be space sensitive, so "421 65" is a valid Swedish postcode, but "42165" is not.

 

2. Reasons for missing rates

2.1. Package dimensions are too large or the total weight is too heavy  

If your package dimensions or weight exceed the limit set by some logistics providers, they may not accept the booking.

2.2. The logistics provider system is down. 

Sometimes the systems of the logistics provider go down. Either ship with a different carrier or give it 15 minutes and they should show again. (This is quite a common occurrence with TNT, so if you can see e.g. UPS rates but not TNT rates then often just waiting for a while and trying again will resolve it.)


2.3. The logistics provider doesn't ship to this location.

Some carriers don't ship to certain locations, so you may get no rates back from the system, always double check the address details entered against another system e.g. google maps or equivalent. 

2.4. Shipping to a PO Box 

Some carriers don't deliver to PO boxes, such as DHL in Europe. 

In the US, only USPS is allowed to deliver to a PO box. 

If possible, ask the customer for a different address. You can try putting the PO box number in the company field, but there is a risk of a delayed shipment if the carrier doesn't pick it up.