Online International Shipping Enhancements and Forms Field Information Kit

[Editor Note: This article first appeared in Postal Bulletin 22206 (5-10-07, pages 33–38). It is repeated in this issue, in its entirety and unchanged (except for page links to the sample forms and the byline at the end).]

This information kit is designed to inform Postal Service™ employees about the new international online shipping enhancements and their related forms. The new enhancements offer customers the ability to more eas­ily transact online and streamline the acceptance of inter­national online shipments that are tendered through Carrier Pickup service or retail locations. The following interna­tional enhancements will be available for use by customers who pay and print postage online with customs forms:

• Electronic Mailing Date Stamp — Click-N-Ship^®, the eBay/PayPal Integrated Shipping Solu­tion, and the PC Postage^® vendors will now have the option to print a mailing date stamp on labels that are paid online. The mailing date stamp will appear in the mailing date stamp box allocated on the label and will include the origin ZIP Code™ and shipping date in the stamp. The mailing date stamp will be printed on all copies required for shipment and will replace the requirement to physically round date all forms when presented at a retail counter or through Carrier Pickup service.
• Electronic Post Office Copy — Customers who print online international shipping labels that include the customs forms will not have to submit a copy for retention at their local Post Office. Instead, the Post Office™ copy will be stored electronically for at least 1 year. Retail associates will no longer be required to pull and retain a Post Office copy when postage is paid online and deposited at a Post Office.
• Online Insurance — Click-N-Ship, the eBay/PayPal Integrated Shipping Solution, and PC Postage ven­dors will now have the option of offering insurance online for Express Mail International^® and Priority Mail^® International (not available for Priority Mail flat-rate envelope) services based on the availability in the country of destination. Customers may pur­chase up to $500 of insurance online. Rates will be the same as domestic rates. Online insurance may not be combined with insurance purchased at retail locations.
• Online Custom Form Barcodes — Customers who print online labels combined with customs forms will now have customs forms with a CJ123456789US or LJ123456789US barcodes instead of the currently used CP123456789US or LC123456789US bar­codes. This change will allow for fewer duplicate numbers and meet the growing demand of interna­tional online shipping.
• Single Ply 4" x 6" Labels — Customers who print online international shipping labels that use the PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration CN 22, will now be able to print this form as a single ply 4" x 6" label for­mat (like domestic online shipping labels). This new online label will resemble PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration CN 22 (green form), and can be used as a combination postage, address, and customs form label for Priority Mail International flat-rate envelope and First-Class Mail^® International services.
• Signature and Date Printing — Click-N-Ship, the eBay/PayPal Integrated Shipping Solution, and PC Postage vendors will now have the option to print the customers name and date of mailing in the customs forms signature fields. Customers must agree to the terms and conditions of the signature field when they print a shipping label with customs forms online.
• Online Discounts — Customers who purchase postage at www.usps.com using Click-N-Ship or through authorized postage vendors will qualify for the following postage discounts:
  • 10 percent on Global Express Guaranteed shipments.
  • 8 percent on Express Mail International shipments.
  • 5 percent on Priority Mail International shipments.

Related to these enhancements are new international online shipping labels that combine mailing information with customs forms, thereby eliminating the need for a sep­arate customs form (either PS Form 2976, Customs Decla­ration CN 22 — Senders Declaration (green label), or PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note — CP 72). The new forms are:

• PS Form 2976-A-EMI, USPS Express Mail International (see pages 7–9 of this Postal Bulletin).
• PS Form 2976-PMI, USPS Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelope (see page 10 of this Postal Bulletin).
• PS Form 2976-A-PMI, USPS Priority Mail Interna­tional (not pictured).