The Postal Service has seen commercial success with Priority Mail flat-rate shipping products which require no weighing of packages. This holiday, postal officials expect to process and delivery about 152 million packages through the holiday season which includes five percent increase in Priority Mail and increased use of Priority flat-rate packaging estimated at 65 percent over 2009.

If it fits, it ships, they say. So how do you know it will fit? How do you know which flat rate box is your best choice?

The Postal Service thought of that, too and simplifies your shipping by making available a Virtual Box Simulator so you can choose which box works for you. It's simple. All you need is an internet connect web camera, or webcam. and watch an instructive video at

Using three-dimensional hologram technology, shippers can preview which size Priority Mail Flat Rate box suits the size of the item to ship. Visitors to the site are instructed to print a special eagle icon to trigger the hologram. After launching the simulator and holding the printed eagle in front of the webcam, shippers will be presented with boxes to help them estimate the fit of an item into the container.

Online shippers can take advantage of other Postal Service technology to ease the holiday crunch, including the popular pay and print postage online program known as Click -N-Ship, that also provides Priority Mail users with postage discounts and free delivery confirmation. An estimated 4.7 million Click-N-Ship labels will be used this holiday season, according to the Postal Service.

Free carrier pickup of prepaid Priority Mail packages can also be scheduled online at the Postal Service’s website, usps.com. Postal officials predict 47 million postal customers will visit usps.com during the holidays for a variety of online shipping services and mailing advice, including postal hours of operation, locations of post offices and collection boxes and ZIP Code look-up services.

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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.