# why don't Amazon and other retailers charge for shipping based on postal zone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 25, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-amazon-and-other-retailers-charge-for-shipping-based-on-postal-zone/522512 "2009-12-25T02:26:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-amazon-and-other-retailers-charge-for-shipping-based-on-postal-zone/522512/21 "2009-12-25T18:22:57Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Well Priority Mail Flat Rate is just that, and that is what Amazon often uses. Now if you’re saying that the PO subsidizes it, there are apparently also cost savings involved. I have never seen Amazon use a flat rate box, and the flat rate box is limited in sizeso they can only use it for a very limited portion of their inventory. For my shipments they seem to use UPS, FedEx and California Overnight about equally. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-amazon-and-other-retailers-charge-for-shipping-based-on-postal-zone/522512/22 "2009-12-25T20:34:19Z")
> [@IAmNotSpartacus](#): > > I have never seen Amazon use a flat rate box, and the flat rate box is limited in sizeso they can only use it for a very limited portion of their inventory. For my shipments they seem to use UPS, FedEx and California Overnight about equally. They always use it for my book orders. The largest flat rate box is 12" x 12" x 5-1/2",and they rarely need a box that big, even to ship 4-6 books. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-amazon-and-other-retailers-charge-for-shipping-based-on-postal-zone/522512/23 "2009-12-26T02:01:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > They always use it for my book orders. The largest flat rate box is 12" x 12" x 5-1/2",and they rarely need a box that big, even to ship 4-6 books. This must vary by location, because I’ve never seen a flat rate box from Amazon either. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-amazon-and-other-retailers-charge-for-shipping-based-on-postal-zone/522512/24 "2009-12-26T03:12:21Z")
> [@code\_grey](#): > > I wish to point out that there is no such thing as “free” shipping or anything else because TANSTAAFL. At some point in the chain there is still a de facto variable rate for shipping different distances. So, hypothetically, the savings resulting from that variability could have been passed on to the customer instead of being either skimmed off as profit or used to subsidize other customers. Specifically, check the prices on non-books/non-CDs versus what other stores or even the manufacturers charge. I’ve often found that the “regular” price claimed by Amazon is higher than you might find it elsewhere, and their “special” price is also often higher than sale or even regular prices at other retailers. Also, on “Cyber Monday” when you’re supposed to be getting all of these good deals, I had a selection of stuff in my “cart”, including two DVDs I’d put in the day before. On that Monday when I logged in to check the prices, the DVDs had been bumped up in price since the day prior. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-amazon-and-other-retailers-charge-for-shipping-based-on-postal-zone/522512/25 "2009-12-26T06:48:12Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > There is an Amazon warehouse within sight of my window. Whenever I receive anything from Amazon it \*\*\*never \*\*\*comes from this warehouse. This is probably to avoid having to collect sales tax from you. ---
**Author:** ![WhyWhyWhy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whywhywhy/32/7539_2.png) [@WhyWhyWhy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyWhyWhy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-amazon-and-other-retailers-charge-for-shipping-based-on-postal-zone/522512/26 "2009-12-27T02:37:10Z")
I have a dot com and initially rebilled my customers for the exact shipping charge. That turned out to be a pain in the butt because obtaining and transferring the shipping costs to the invoice was a pain and delay. I then switched to a standard FedEx shipping charge of $45/job period. The actual cost could be $300 or $10 depending upon where the customer was located, how fast they needed the product, and how soon the custom-made product was shipped. The $45 shipping charge was based on the average of all shipping cards (some overnight, some ground, some heavy, some light). The flat fee was a non-issue since it was designed to be a wash. It simplified billing and customers could budget with precision. Of course, my products ranged from hundreds of dollars to thousands so the shipping costs never was really an issue. With lower cost items, I would have needed to choose a different model or, at least, a lower flat shipping fee. Soo…bottom line, there are a number of considerations. And then there are many merchants that choose to profit from shipping charges alone (the cd is free…you just pay (inflated) shipping). Heck, my credit card charges me extra if I wanted my electronic online payment “expited.” I’ve even seen companys delay shipments for “ground orders” so that you would pay extra for over-night or 2nd day shipment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-amazon-and-other-retailers-charge-for-shipping-based-on-postal-zone/522512.md?page=1)