Q. When are Postal Service Shipping Services prices changing?
A. January 2, 2011. This includes new prices for Express Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Select, Parcel Return Service, Global Express Guaranteed (GXG), Express Mail International (EMI), and Priority Mail International (PMI).
Q. Are the First-Class Mail prices changing in January 2011?
A. No, First-Class Mail prices will not be changing in January 2011.
Q. What will be the new price for a First-Class Mail® stamp for letters?
A. At this time, the price for a 1-ounce First-Class Mail stamp remains $0.44.
Q. Will the Forever® Stamp still be available?
A. Yes. Forever Stamps don’t have a denomination and are honored whenever they are used. The current price of the Forever Stamp is $0.44.
Q. Where are the new prices listed?
A. The January 2011 new prices are available on Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.com.
Q. What is the USPS price change increase percentage?
A. Postal Service Shipping Services prices will increase by 3.6 percent, on average. Unlike other mailing and shipping companies, the Postal Service does not impose surcharges for fuel, residential delivery, or Saturday delivery.
Q. Why are prices going up?
A. The costs of doing business — for things like transportation, utilities, and health care benefits — have continued to increase. Many people do not realize that postal operations are not subsidized by tax dollars. We rely on the sale of postal products and services to cover our operating costs.
Additionally, despite a decrease in mail volume, every year brings a significant increase in number of delivery addresses.
Q. Are any prices going down?
A. Express Mail commercial plus prices will decrease on average by 5 percent.
Q. Has the Postal Service considered cutting costs rather than raising prices?
A. The Postal Service is aggressive about cutting its costs responsibly. Like many other businesses, the Postal Service cannot fully make up for the increase in its expenses by cutting costs. Many costs are influenced by outside factors such as transportation and economic conditions. However, over the last 2 years, the Postal Service has realized more than $9 billion in cost savings.
Q. What are the new prices for flat-rate products?
* Packaging for the USPS-produced Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Envelope and Legal Flat Rate Envelope is not available at Post Office retail locations but may be ordered online at www.usps.com/shop.
** These items are priced at the Small Flat Rate Box prices for International only. Domestic shipments will continue to pay weight- and zone-based prices for these two boxes.
Q. Are there any changes to Express Mail?
A. Yes, the options for Express Mail flat-rate packaging have expanded to include a new Express Mail Legal Flat Rate Envelope (priced the same as the Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope). Express Mail commercial plus prices are now available to customers using IBI postage meters. The volume threshold for Express Mail commercial plus customers is reduced from 6,000 to 5,000 Express Mail pieces mailed in the previous four quarters.
Q. Are there any changes to Priority Mail?
A. The Postal Service is increasing the convenience of using Priority Mail — all domestic USPS-produced Priority Mail envelopes smaller than 12.5" x 9.5" will be priced the same as the regular Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope, whether or not the envelopes include the wording “Flat Rate Envelope.” USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope options include the following:
n Flat Rate Envelope.
n Small Flat Rate Envelope.
n Window Flat Rate Envelope.
n Gift Card Flat Rate Envelope.
n Padded Flat Rate Envelope.
n Legal Flat Rate Envelope.
At retail Post Office locations, all Flat Rate Envelopes are priced the same.
In addition, Hold For Pickup service will be offered for all online and commercial Priority Mail items except Critical Mail items. All packages must bear a Hold For Pickup label and Intelligent Mail package barcode.
Also, a new commercial plus account volume threshold was added for customers who mail more than 5,000 total Priority Mail letters and flats in the previous calendar year. This includes all USPS-produced Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes except the Padded Flat Rate Envelope.
Commercial plus authorized postage payment methods will now include IBI postage meters.
Q. Are there any changes to Priority Mail commercial plus cubic?
A. Commercial plus cubic pricing was introduced in January 2010 and the account volume threshold remains at 250,000 Priority Mail pieces for the previous calendar year. For 2011, the commercial plus cubic standards will be revised as follows:
n Dimensions cannot exceed 18 inches in length.
n Rolls and tubes are not allowed.
n Commercial plus cubic authorized postage payment methods will now include MRS for pieces returned at Priority Mail prices.
n When determining cubic tier measurement, round down each measurement to the nearest 1/4 inch; all other measurement steps remain the same.
Q. On average, by how much will Shipping Services prices increase?
Q. What is commercial base pricing?
A. Commercial base prices are discounted prices available to shippers who use online and other authorized postage payment methods. Commercial base prices are available for Express Mail, Priority Mail, Global Express Guaranteed, Express Mail International, and Priority Mail International products.
Q. How much do customers save with commercial base pricing?
Q. What is commercial plus pricing?
A. Commercial plus pricing applies to large-volume shippers. Express Mail customers must ship more than 5,000 pieces in the previous four quarters or have a customer commitment agreement with the Postal Service. Priority Mail customers must ship more than 75,000 combined pieces of Priority Mail or more than 5,000 total Priority Mail letters and flats in the previous year or have a customer commitment agreement with the Postal Service. This category provides incentives for volume and revenue growth from higher volume customers.
Q. How much do customers save with commercial plus pricing?
A. Compared to retail prices, the savings for Priority Mail service are 13.6 percent (on average).
Q. Are any commercial plus prices being reduced?
A. Yes, there is a 5.0 percent reduction in Express Mail prices compared to 2010.
Q. Are there any changes to Parcel Select service?
A. Parcel Select prices increase by 4.4 percent on average. Presort and nonpresort Parcel Select prices are not changing. The price for nondestination entry 1-pound Parcel Select packages will be calculated according to weight and the applicable zone; previously, the price for all Parcel Select 1-pound parcels was the same across all zones.
Q. What’s new in international shipping services?
A. For international shipping services, prices will increase on average as follows:
n Global Express Guaranteed (GXG) will increase 3.7 percent.
n Express Mail International will increase 3.1 percent.
n Priority Mail International will increase 3.8 percent.
n Airmail M-Bags will increase 5.8 percent.
n International Priority Airmail (IPA) will increase 3.3 percent.
n International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) will increase 6.4 percent.
n International extra services (Express Mail International insurance, Priority Mail International insurance, and international postal money orders) will increase 7.9 percent.
Postage for GXG may now be paid by permit imprint indicia. Discounts for users of IBI postage meters will be eliminated.
A new Express Mail International Legal Flat Rate Envelope is being introduced. Discounts for Express Mail Corporate Accounts and mailers using IBI postage meters will be eliminated. Return receipt service for Express Mail International (EMI) will be eliminated. Prices for EMI Flat Rate Envelopes will combine Mexico with the “All Other Countries” price tier.
— Pricing Implementation,
Pricing, 12-16-10
