Glossary¶
- address validation
The verification and correction of postal addresses to help ensure parcels are rated accurately and delivered on time.
See Validate an Address.
- APV
Automated Package Verification. APV is a USPS® program that verifies that postage is accurate and applies adjustments if necessary.
- auto refill
Automatic replenishment of a postage account by a pre-defined amount whenever the balance falls below a pre-defined threshold.
- CBDS
Cross-Border Delivery Service.
- cubic pricing
Rates based on parcel size and shipping distance instead of on parcel weight.
- delivery line
The portion of the address that includes any of the following: street name, street number, apartment number, PO BOX, secondary address, urbanization name.
This is also called the delivery address line.
- delivery point
- A 2-digit number used by USPS in combination with the 9-digit ZIP code to identify a deliverable address. You can find more information on delivery points at the Wikipedia Delivery Point page.
- developer
Owner of an account that give access to the PB Shipping APIs. Developers are also referred to as integrators.
See Developer Account.
- dimensional (DIM) weight pricing
Applies to parcels that are large and relatively light for their sizes. Rates are based on volume and a volumetric divisor.
- Harmonized System Code
A tariff-classification number for a commodity based on the six-digit Harmonized System (HS). Most countries use the six-digit Harmonized System as the basis for their tariff classifications and add additional digits for more detail.
To retrieve a predicted HS Code, use the Predict HS Code API.
- HS Code
- See Harmonized System Code.
- IMb
Intelligent Mail barcode. A barcode used by USPS to sort and track letters and flats.
See What is an IMb?
- IMpb
Intelligent Mail package barcode. A barcode used by USPS to track a parcel.
See What is an IMpb?
- Importation costs
For a CBDS Shipment, the duties and taxes charged at a destination country’s border. Importation costs might also include a disbursement fee.
- induction postal code
The postal code where a shipment or shipments are tendered to a carrier. This can be different from the Sender’s address.
The Create Shipment API specifies induction postal code in the
rates.inductionPostalCode
field. The Create Manifest API specifies induction postal code in theinductionPostalCode
field.- last line
- The city, state, and postal code portion of an address.
- manifest
An end-of-day document that combines all the days shipments on a single form or electronic record, depending on the carrier.
See Create a Manifest.
- merchant
A shipper within the Pitney Bowes system. When you print a label through the PB Shipping APIs, you do so on behalf of a merchant.
See Merchant Accounts.
- OAuth
A standard for token-based authentication and authorization. The PB Shipping APIs use OAuth to identify and authenticate the developer account making an API request.
- QR code
A two-dimensional barcode used to print a shipping label.
See QR Code.
- refill
Adding funds to a PB Postage Account through either the Refill API or the Merchant Portal.
- soft pack
A flexible package that adheres and conforms to the item being packaged.
- Transportation costs
For a CBDS Shipment, the international shipping charges and any accessorial charges.