New Postal Rates

Ken Scharabok · #1 01/19/11, 08:19 PM

Already in effect are increases in Priority Mail shipping. A flat rate envelope is now $4.95, small flat rate box is $5.20, medium flat rate box is $10.95 and a large flat rate box $14.95.

I don't know when it will be effective, but First Class is going up as well. They are holding one ounce to $.44, but each ounce increase will be $.20, rather than the current $.17.

**clovis** · #2 01/19/11, 09:31 PM

Thanks for posting this info, Ken.

I do wonder when the increases will slow down. It seems like just a few years ago, the cost to ship one of my items was 1.17, and now it is 1.56. It seems to me that is a hefty jump in just a short time.

I know, I know. Everything goes up, and it is just a few more pennies.

Ken Scharabok · #3 01/20/11, 10:36 PM

I can't find anyone within the Postal System to tell my why anything over 13 ounces is considered to be one pound. Anyone know?

Paquebot · #4 01/21/11, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clovis

Thanks for posting this info, Ken.

I do wonder when the increases will slow down. It seems like just a few years ago, the cost to ship one of my items was 1.17, and now it is 1.56. It seems to me that is a hefty jump in just a short time.

I know, I know. Everything goes up, and it is just a few more pennies.

3 ounce package was $1.13 in 2007. Now $1.56.

Letter and package rates are only incremental to 13 ounces. After that, first step of Priority comes into play. Thus 14 ounces would be the same as a pound.

Martin

littlewhiteshed · #5 01/21/11, 06:22 PM

If you use a lot of priority mail, it's cheaper to print your postage online. A flat rate envelope, while $4.95 at the post office, is just $4.75 when printing online. It's super easy to do. The savings vary from none to $0.70 but some is better than nothing.

Ken Scharabok · #6 01/21/11, 06:56 PM

Agree. eBay will bill at the Post Office's rate and you pay the on-line rate, so the bit of difference may be considered to help pay for shipping supplies. It is now all that unusual for one of my buyers to overpay. If the difference is over $1.00 I'' refund it in full to actual.

I do charge a $1.00 handling fee per shipment (not per item if the buyer buys several items).

I ship out enough on UPS to qualify as a commercial account, which doesn't cost as much as regular UPS. Problem is we no longer have a UPS drop-off point in town, and UPS will charge $11.20 as a pick up fee.

Ken Scharabok · #7 01/22/11, 12:40 PM

Before USPS come out with the Priority Mail boxes I had to scrounge around for suitable boxes. One grocery stock up on Tuesdays and Fridays AM and would let me take empty boxes. Also a hardware/plumbing support place let me go through the boxes waiting for the recycler to pick up. Now I would estamate about 90% of my outgoiing mail is priority mail boxes. I even cut open the flexible Priority Mail envelopes and use it was wrapping for something on which Priority Flat rate doesn't cover.

blufford · #8 01/23/11, 06:50 AM

[QUOTE=Ken Scharabok;4880894]Before USPS come out with the Priority Mail boxes I had to scrounge around for suitable boxes. One grocery stock up on Tuesdays and Fridays AM and would let me take empty boxes. Also a hardware/plumbing support place let me go through the boxes waiting for the recycler to pick up. Now I would estamate about 90% of my outgoiing mail is priority mail boxes. I even cut open the flexible Priority Mail envelopes and use it was wrapping for something on which Priority Flat rate doesn't cover.[/QUOTE]

Nope, not suppose to do that. Priority mail supplies are to be used only for their intended use, Priority Mail. You can't even use used Priority boxes over by turning inside out.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news...54/detail.html

Ken Scharabok · #9 01/23/11, 10:49 AM

I asked my local post office about this, using the non-flat rate Priority Mail flexible envelope as wrapping paper and Marcia, sort of their Sargent at Arms, said they didn't have a problem with it was long as the package was still Priority Mail.

I've only been allowed to go back into the sorting area one time and it looked like anything with a Priority Mail label on it already was merely tossed into a rolling basket to go to Nashville. That time the mail carrier was running so later I wanted to be sure my PM packages went out so took them myself to the Post Office.