Package dimensions and weight

Package dimensions and weight are required when using:

• Calculated shipping
• Shipping options based on a rate table specifying weight-based surcharges

Measurement system and units

Although their use is optional, when providing package dimensions and weight, it is strongly recommended that both the measurement system and measurement units be included with each value.

• Measurement system is typically dependent upon the marketplace and is specified using the MeasurementSystemCodeType enumeration value.

  Supported values are:

  • English for the US marketplace.
  • Metric for all other marketplaces.

• Measurement unit is defined using the Item.ShippingPackageDetails.MeasurementUnit field and must agree with the measurement system enum value specified.

  Note: Currently, the only supported values for length-based measurements are whole inches [English] and whole centimeters [Metric].

Calculated shipping

When using calculated shipping, the associated cost is typically based on both:

• Package dimensions

  The dimensions of a package are specified using the following fields:

  • Item.ShippingPackageDetails.PackageDepth

    This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

  • Item.ShippingPackageDetails.PackageLength

    This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

  • Item.ShippingPackageDetails.PackageWidth

    This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

  For example:

  <PackageDepth unit="in" measurementSystem="English">3</PackageDepth>
  <PackageLength unit="in" measurementSystem="English">8</PackageLength>
  <PackageWidth unit="in" measurementSystem="English">8</PackageWidth>

• Package weight

  The shipping weight of a package is specified using the following fields:

  • Item.ShippingPackageDetails.WeightMajor

    This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

  • Item.ShippingPackageDetails.WeightMinor

    This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

  For example:

  <WeightMajor unit="lbs" measurementSystem="English">5</WeightMajor>
  <WeightMinor unit="oz" measurementSystem="English">2</WeightMinor>

Flat rate shipping

If a shipping service requires package dimensions in order to use flat rate shipping, ShippingServiceDetails.DimensionsRequired = true will be returned, and selecting that service for a listing requires that the following information be included when creating the listing:

• Item.ShippingPackageDetails.PackageDepth

  This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

• Item.ShippingPackageDetails.PackageLength

  This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

• Item.ShippingPackageDetails.PackageWidth

  This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

Similarly, if a shipping service requires the weight of a package in order to use flat rate shipping, ShippingServiceDetails.WeightRequired = true will be returned, and selecting that service for a listing requires that the following information be included when creating the listing:

• Item.ShippingPackageDetails.WeightMajor

  This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

• Item.ShippingPackageDetails.WeightMinor

  This value should be specified as a whole number (i.e., no decimal places.) If necessary, round up to the nearest whole number.

Examples

Listed below are some typical examples of how and when package dimensions/weight may be required.

Example 1

Consider the following:

• DimensionsSupported is true for the LargePackage package type for a particular marketplace.
• For shipping services named S1 and S2, ShippingServicePackageDetails.DimensionsRequired is true for LargePackage.

In this situation the seller must provide dimensions.

Example 2

Consider the following:

• DimensionsSupported is true for the Package package type for a particular marketplace.
• For shipping service S1, ShippingServicePackageDetails.DimensionsRequired is false for Package.
• For shipping service S2, ShippingServicePackageDetails.DimensionsRequired is true for Package.

In this situation, if the seller only offers shipping service S1, the seller can offer the Package option for service S1 and is not required to provide dimensions. If the seller chooses to provide dimensions, eBay will store the dimensions and use them for shipping cost calculations if the buyer selects service S1.

In order for the seller to offer shipping service S2 for the Package package type, the seller must provide package dimensions.

Therefore, if the seller offers both services S1 and S2 and selects the Package option, the seller must provide package dimensions to satisfy the requirements for service S2.

Example 3

Consider the following:

• DimensionsSupported is false for the package type Letter.
• ShippingServicePackageDetails.DimensionsRequired is false for the Letter package type for all shipping services that the seller offers.

In this situation, dimensions are not required and it would be best for the seller not to provide dimensions.

Example 4

Consider the following:

• ShippingServicePackageDetails.WeightRequired is true for one of the shipping services offered by the seller
• ShippingServicePackageDetails.WeightRequired is false for all other shipping services offered by the seller.

In this situation the seller must provide weight details for the item to satisfy the single service's requirement for weight details.