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FedEx One Rate

Updated

Learn how FedEx One Rate works with the EasyPost API, which shipments may qualify, and how to exclude One Rate when rating or purchasing a label.

What is FedEx One Rate?

FedEx One Rate is FedEx flat-rate pricing for eligible U.S. domestic expedited shipments. Pricing is based on the packaging type, destination, and delivery speed.

FedEx One Rate is a pricing option, not a separate service level. In the EasyPost API, a One Rate price is returned under the applicable FedEx service name, such as FEDEX_2_DAY or PRIORITY_OVERNIGHT. The service name does not change to "FedEx One Rate."

When a shipment is eligible and One Rate has not been excluded, EasyPost asks FedEx to compare One Rate with the standard account rate. The lower price returned for each applicable service is presented in the shipment's rates array. As a result, an eligible shipment may still receive a standard account rate when that rate is lower.

Note: The EasyPost API does not currently identify whether an individual FedEx rate is One Rate or a standard account rate. Customers can exclude One Rate, but cannot force EasyPost to return or purchase only One Rate.

FedEx One Rate eligibility

A shipment must meet FedEx and EasyPost eligibility requirements before One Rate can be considered. The shipment must generally:

  • Have a U.S. origin and destination. U.S. territories and shipments within Hawaii are not eligible.
  • Use an eligible value in the Parcel object's predefined_package field.
  • Use an eligible FedEx expedited service.
  • Be a single-package shipment. One Rate is not generally returned for multi-piece Orders.
  • Meet FedEx packaging and weight requirements. FedEx states that envelopes must weigh less than 10 lb, while eligible boxes, paks, and tubes must weigh less than 50 lb.

FedEx makes the final eligibility and pricing determination. Review the FedEx One Rate requirements for current carrier rules.

Eligible predefined packages

Set parcel.predefined_package to one of the following EasyPost values:

  • FedExEnvelope
  • FedExPak
  • FedExTube
  • FedExExtraSmallBox
  • FedExSmallBox
  • FedExMediumBox
  • FedExLargeBox
  • FedExExtraLargeBox

Not eligible: FedExBox, FedEx10kgBox, and FedEx25kgBox are valid FedEx predefined packages in EasyPost, but they are not eligible for FedEx One Rate.

Eligible service levels

  • FEDEX_EXPRESS_SAVER
  • FEDEX_2_DAY
  • FEDEX_2_DAY_AM
  • STANDARD_OVERNIGHT
  • PRIORITY_OVERNIGHT
  • FIRST_OVERNIGHT

Ground and international services are not eligible for FedEx One Rate. This includes FEDEX_GROUND, GROUND_HOME_DELIVERY, and international FedEx service levels.

How One Rate works when rating and buying

Rate, then buy a selected rate

When you create a Shipment and review its rates before purchasing, EasyPost requests a One Rate comparison for an eligible shipment unless One Rate is excluded. If FedEx returns One Rate as the lower price for a service, the rate still uses the normal FedEx service name.

When you buy a selected rate, EasyPost purchases the pricing represented by that rate. This preserves the price FedEx returned during rating.

Buy in one call

In a one-call buy, the Shipment is created and purchased with a service in the same request, without first selecting a rate from a rating response. If the shipment uses an eligible predefined package and service, EasyPost requests One Rate by default. Set exclude_fedex_one_rate to true in that request to prevent EasyPost from requesting One Rate.

How to exclude FedEx One Rate

Set the FedEx carrier option exclude_fedex_one_rate to the Boolean value true under shipment.options.carrier_options.fedex:

{
  "shipment": {
    "options": {
      "carrier_options": {
        "fedex": {
          "exclude_fedex_one_rate": true
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Omitting the option or setting it to false leaves the default One Rate behavior unchanged.

The option is supported for FedEx Wallet (Default) accounts and FedEx Bring Your Own Carrier Account (BYOA) accounts. It applies to both the FedEx REST integration and the legacy FedEx SOAP integration.

Effect of the option

  • Rating: EasyPost asks FedEx to exclude One Rate, regardless of the predefined package or service level supplied. Standard eligible FedEx rates can still be returned.
  • One-call label purchase: EasyPost does not request One Rate from FedEx.
  • Rate-then-buy label purchase: Set the option when creating and rating the Shipment. The rates returned should exclude One Rate, and purchasing one of those rates uses standard pricing.

Important: If FedEx has already returned a selected rate as One Rate, EasyPost purchases that rate as One Rate to preserve the carrier-provided price. To exclude One Rate in a rate-then-buy workflow, include the option in the original Shipment creation and rating request.

In rare cases, FedEx may return a One Rate price even after exclusion was requested. If that rate is selected, EasyPost may purchase it as One Rate to honor the rate FedEx returned.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I not see a service named FedEx One Rate?

One Rate is a pricing option rather than a separate service. The API returns the normal FedEx service name, even when the price is One Rate.

Why did an eligible shipment not receive One Rate?

FedEx may return the standard account rate when it is lower than One Rate. One Rate can also be unavailable when the shipment does not meet the destination, packaging, service, weight, or package-count requirements.

Can I tell whether a returned rate is One Rate?

The EasyPost API does not currently expose the One Rate indicator in the customer-facing rate response.

Can I force One Rate?

EasyPost can request the lower of eligible One Rate and standard account pricing, or exclude One Rate entirely. The API does not currently provide an option to return or purchase only One Rate.

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