Over the last few years both UPS & FedEx have instituted additional charges to large packages. These charges can range from $100–$145 (retail price). A large package is defined as either
- Longest side is at least 96″ or
- Length + girth (around the package) is at least 130″
Why is There a Large Package Surcharge?
UPS and FedEx do not have the conveyors and equipment that can handle large packages. Every large package has to be manually transported throughout their facilities.
But if they have never been able to easily handle large packages, why increase the prices now? With Amazon taking so much of their business and offering free shipping, UPS and FedEx could no longer internalize that cost. Large packages have always cost them more but they had not charged the customer the actual cost until now.
How to Get Around the Charge?
We are getting around this additional charge by cutting down our 8’ corner guards (and all 8’ products) to 92”. We are doing this because most people are already cutting down corner guards at the time of installation. It is not often that you need a full 8’ corner guard. Most common installations have the corner guard sit on top of the baseboard, reducing the overall height needed.
Additionally, corner guard height is typically measured AFF ("Above Finished Floor").
What is AFF ("Above Finished Floor")?
AFF is a common architectural term that means "Above Finished Floor". It's used to measure the full height of products from the finished floor to the top of the product. In the case of corner guards, this measurement would include the baseboard height. For example, a 92" corner guard installed on top of a 4" baseboard would have an AFF height of 96".
By providing our 8’ corner guards a few inches shorter we are avoiding the additional shipping charges, and providing a product more suited to most common installations. If you still need 8’ parts, you can chat with us at the bottom right of any page on the website.
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