For any single tracking number, you’ll likely notice a surprising number of charges. Sure, there’s the base transportation cost, the fuel surcharge (which seems to climb every week), and perhaps an insurance fee if you opted for declared value coverage. These are expected.

But what about the fees you didn’t anticipate?

Many businesses accept the shipping cost at the time of sending, unaware that additional charges will quietly appear later. From address corrections and residential surcharges to delivery area fees and handling charges, these add-ons can significantly inflate your total shipping spend, often without warning.

What is a UPS Accessorial Fee?

UPS accessorial fees are additional charges applied to shipments beyond the standard shipping rate. These fees cover special services, handling requirements, or delivery circumstances that fall outside the scope of typical ground or air shipments. While your base rate covers the transportation itself, accessorials reflect real-world logistics complexities, and they can add up quickly.

Here are some of the most common UPS accessorial charges:

• Residential Delivery: Applied when a package is delivered to a home address, which is often less efficient than commercial delivery routes.
• Address Correction: Charged when UPS must correct an incorrect or incomplete delivery address.
• Extended Delivery Area: Fees may apply for deliveries to remote or hard-to-reach ZIP codes.
• COD (Cash on Delivery): Added when the recipient is required to pay for the shipment upon delivery.
• Saturday Delivery: A premium service charge for delivering packages on Saturdays.
• Additional Handling: Triggered by irregular dimensions, excessive weight, or non-standard packaging (e.g., metal or cylindrical containers).
• Signature Required: If the sender requests a delivery signature, an additional fee applies.
• Declared Value: If the package’s insured value exceeds the standard limit, an additional declared value fee applies.
• Fuel Surcharge: Based on fluctuating fuel market conditions and added as a percentage of shipping charges.

UPS’s accessorial fee structure is extensive and subject to frequent updates. If you’re managing shipping costs or budgeting for a new logistics plan, it’s essential to review the most current UPS Rate and Service Guide or consult their support team directly.

What are FedEx accessorial fees and shipping fees?

FedEx accessorial fees are additional charges applied to the base shipping rate. These fees cover special handling, service requests, or exceptions that exceed standard delivery. While the base shipping cost covers transportation from the origin to the destination, accessorials are triggered by specific circumstances, such as delivery requirements, package dimensions, or location.

Here are some standard FedEx accessorial charges:

• Address Correction: Charged when FedEx modifies an incorrect or incomplete delivery address.
• Saturday Pickup/Delivery: Applies when shipments are picked up or delivered on a Saturday.
• Residential Delivery: Added when delivering to a home rather than a business address.
• Extended Delivery Area: For deliveries to remote or less accessible regions.
• Signature Required: If a signature is required at delivery, an additional fee applies.
• Oversize/Overweight Charges: Triggered when a package exceeds FedEx’s size or weight limits.
• Dangerous Goods: Applies to shipments containing hazardous materials that require special handling and documentation.
• Return Labels: Some return services, such as printing return labels, may incur a fee.
• Hold at Location: A charge may apply if the package is held at a FedEx location for customer pickup.
• Storage Fees: If a package isn’t picked up promptly, storage charges may be added.

FedEx maintains a detailed and regularly updated list of surcharges and fees. To avoid surprises, it’s best to consult the latest FedEx service guide or speak directly with a FedEx representative when planning your shipments.

Shipping Fees

The vast majority of online retailers and large-volume shippers try to keep shipping costs as low as possible for their clients for good reason. Most people will not purchase goods online if the shipping costs outweigh going to your local store and picking it up. Price is one of the significant factors when people buy on the internet. It’s easier to find some items on the internet, but on the whole, people want a good deal. Naturally, as the merchant, you try to keep your clients’ shipping fees as low as possible to compete with your peers, so you aren’t making a huge profit (if any) on your shipping. So what happens when these additional charges come in like an avalanche? Now you are losing money!

This is all the more reason you need Refund Retriever in your corner. We can provide:

• Refunds for late delivery, duplicate charges, and incorrect residential charges
• Notifications of potential problems, such as 3rd parties chargest and gross overcharges
• Reports detailing your shipping activity in many ways, providing you with actionable information

All these services can lead to money in your pocket and lower your shipping costs … and our only fee is 50% of any refunds we find for you.