Q. Why do we need a larger Priority Mail Flat-Rate Box?
A. The new box will allow shippers of smaller items to consolidate shipments on multiple orders to save money and build customer loyalty.
Q. What are the dimensions of the new Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box?
A. The new box has inner dimensions of 12 inches x 12 inches x 5-1/2 inches and has 50 percent more capacity than the current flat-rate box offering.
Q. Can the new Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box be used to ship to international destinations?
A. Yes. The new box may also be used for Priority Mail International™ shipments. There is one flat-rate price for Canada and Mexico ($29.95) and one flat-rate price for all other countries ($49.95). There is also a 20-pound weight limit for international shipments.
Q. Does the new box still qualify for the 5-percent Priority Mail International discount when postage is paid for online using Click-N-Ship service or through an authorized PC Postage provider?
A. Yes. If postage is paid using Click-N-Ship service or through an authorized PC Postage provider, the Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box will receive the 5–percent discount for international destinations, just like all other Priority Mail International shipments where postage is paid online.
Q. How will the retail clerk know which price to charge when a customer presents a Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box at the retail counter?
A. The price will be selected from the Point of Service (POS) terminal based on the box and the destination ZIP Code.
Q. Since the Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box is larger than any other expedited packaging offered, does this mean it may be subject to dimensional or balloon-rate pricing?
A. No. The Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box will not be subject to dimensional-weight or balloon-rate charges.
Q. Is there a weight limit on the Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box?
A. There is a 70-pound weight limit for domestic destinations. There is a 20-pound weight limit for the box addressed to international destinations. Other restrictions for APO/FPO addresses might apply — see the article titled “Overseas Military Mail” published in each issue of the Postal Bulletin.
Q. Can a customer use the free package pickup option on USPS.com for the Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box?
A. Yes. Customers may schedule a free package pickup for this product.
Q. Are customers required to use the Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat-Rate Box to get the reduced military price?
A. No. The regular Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box, the Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat-Rate Box, or a customized version of the Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box, will qualify for the reduced military price when shipped to an APO/FPO address.
Q. Will customers obtain the lower price for APO/FPO addresses if they use Click-N-Ship service or other online postage methods?
A. Yes. The special APO/FPO price will be available through all PC Postage channels including Click–N–Ship service.
Q. For the new Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box, how will employees know if the correct rate is paid when a customer uses “nondenominated” or hidden postage?
A. The printed label will include the text “LG FLAT RATE BOX.”
Q. Where can customers order the new box?
A. Customers may order the new box at www.usps.com; under “Shipping Tools,” click on Supplies. You can also order boxes by calling 800–610-8734, and asking for an operator. The boxes are free, available in packs of 10 or 25, and will be delivered right to the customer’s home or business. Boxes will be available for order beginning February 20, 2008. However, the prices for the box will not be available until March 3, 2008.
Q. Since the boxes will be available to be ordered on February 20, 2008, can customers use the box before March 3, 2008?
A. Yes. However, they will be charged the zoned/weighted Priority Mail rate. The prices for the new Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box and the Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat-Rate Box go into effect March 3, 2008.
Q. Why is there a separate price for APO/FPO addresses when they are considered domestic addresses?
A. The lower price — a discount for shipping to APO/FPO addresses — shows support for our troops, making it more cost-effective to send needed items.
Q. Delivery Confirmation service is free when Priority Mail service is paid for online, and when the label is printed online and paid for at the full-service counter. Is that changing?
A. In the very near future the Postal Service will no longer offer the option to generate online labels that are also not paid for online.
Q. Does the Postal Service charge $2.00 Postage Due when an addressee at an APO/FPO address has moved to a non-APO/FPO address when the Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box is used?
A. Yes.
Q. Will Sunday/Holiday Delivery of Express Mail items be to every ZIP Code?
A. No. Sunday/Holiday Delivery is available only to destination ZIP Codes that are on the Sunday/Holiday Delivery list. The ZIP Codes are programmed into the retail and online systems.
Q. How will Label 25 for the Sunday/Holiday Delivery Premium be applied at Automated Postal Centers (APCs)?
A. Labels produced online or at the APC will contain text saying “Sunday/Holiday Delivery Guaranteed” on the single-ply label. Retail associates will also place Label 25 on these items during the acceptance process, if possible.
Q. What policies are in place for small offices that do not have Sunday/Holiday Delivery?
A. Only offices that are designated Sunday/Holiday Delivery ZIP Codes will have delivery on Sundays and holidays, just as it is today. So retail offices, as well as online and APCs, will not sell the Sunday/Holiday Delivery Premium on pieces destinating to offices not on the list.
Q. Will contract stations be a part of the automatic distribution for the Express Mail Sunday/Holiday sticker (Label 25) or will the contracting officer representatives (CORs) need to order the stickers for them?
A. Most contract postal units (CPUs) will receive the Express Mail Sunday/Holiday sticker in the initial distribution scheduled to begin February 20, 2008.
Q. Will there be any change to handling second delivery attempts on Express Mail when the second attempt falls on a Sunday or a holiday?
A. Items with a first attempt on a normal business day, such as Saturday, will not be taken out for a second attempt on a Sunday or a holiday.
Q. Are Express Mail International items received for delivery from other countries eligible for Sunday/Holiday Delivery?
A. No. Inbound Express Mail International items are not to be delivered on Sundays or holidays. All inbound Express Mail International items are to be delivered on normal delivery days only. The reporting systems will be adjusted to reflect the normal delivery day as the scheduled delivery date.
Q. Will an Express Mail item that is scheduled for Monday or next normal business day delivery but that is available for delivery on a Sunday or a holiday be taken out for delivery?
A. No. Only Express Mail items that have premium rate postage, and Express Mail manifest items, are to be taken out for delivery on a Sunday or a holiday. No exceptions. Failure to comply will greatly reduce the value of the Sunday/Holiday Delivery Premium offering.
Q. If an Express Mail item is scheduled for delivery on a day preceding a Sunday or a holiday but is inadvertently delayed and does not reach the delivery unit until a Sunday or a holiday, should the item be delivered on a Sunday or a holiday, or should it be held for the next regular delivery day?
A. If the item received on a Sunday or a holiday has been delayed and is available for delivery, the Postal Service will attempt delivery on the Sunday or holiday to the ZIP Codes on the Sunday/Holiday Delivery ZIP Code list at no extra cost to the mailer.
