USPS to Introduce Commercial Base Rates for First Class Parcels
The USPS has proposed a rate increase for a number of mail classes including First Class Mail (domestic and international), Media Mail, and Parcel Post. While these rates still need to be approved by the Postal Regulatory Committee, they are likely to be approved as they are within the allowable annual increase of 1.7%. If approved, the new rates will go into effect April 17, 2011. Here are some of the major proposed changes for domestic mail:
- Average increase across all mail classes is 1.741 percent
- Priority and Express rates will not be changed (these rates were changed in the January, 2011 shipping rate change)
- One-ounce First Class Letters will remain at $0.44 and one-ounce First Class Flats will remain at $0.88; each additional ounce (or half ounce for 3.5 ounce letters) will cost an extra $0.20 (currently additional ounces cost $0.17)
- Retail rates for First Class Packages will start at $1.71 (currently $1.22)
- The USPS will introduce Single-Piece Commercial Base and Commercial Plus Prices for First Class Packages
- Commercial Base Prices, which are available for online postage, will save shippers $0.15 per mail piece
- Parcel Post rates will start at $5.10 (currently at $4.90)
- Media Mail rates will start at $2.41 (currently at $2.38)
In addition to the changes for domestic mail, the USPS has also proposed changes for First Class International mail services. Here are a some of the important changes regarding First Class Mail International:
- Letter prices will change for group one and group two by an average of $0.06
- Flat prices will change for all country groups by an average of $0.53
- Package prices will change for all country groups by an average of $0.78
Click here for more information on the proposed USPS rate change.
