> how did you get it shipped? Absolutely, positively gotta gotta have it tomorrow rate?
No, I'm sure they ordered it via UPS ground. The word for what happened to them is *likely* "Dimensional Weight".
Basically if the item you're shipping has a Length + Girth (girth meaning 2x width + 2x height, OR circumference of a round tube) 84 inches or longer, then you pay the 30 pound shipping weight EVEN IF the package weighs 1 pound!!!!
All it takes is lets say a 36" long box. If the sides are 12x12, then you've hit the oversize 1 rate. (there is another one at 104" where they charge you a 70 pound rate I think)
The justification of UPS is that in an area that size, they should be able to have charged other people with smaller boxes TOTALLING at least 30 pounds in the same area, therefore you're "taking up space but not weight" on their trucks, and you shouldn't be charged the same as someone shipping a 12x6x4 box weighing 1 pound.
The other possibikity is that simply, Happs is charging at least the retail rate, if not more, while having a cheap (about 40% lower) corporate shipping account with UPS, and pocketing the difference.