December 2, 2008

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

Global Market For Exports Is Growing

Editor’s note: Ahead of price changes for shipping services on Jan. 18, we’re providing you with product information in a series of special editions.  

Businesses everywhere are going global. You don’t have to be a large multi-national corporation. An entrepreneur with a website can sell products to anybody, anywhere. It truly is a global marketplace out there, and the Postal Service can help mailers expand their international reach.

USPS international shipping services — Global Express Guaranteed (GXG), Express Mail International and Priority Mail International — can help build global relationships. Even in the current economy, the growth in U.S. exports has been a bright spot. Our international products and services are priced to help you seize opportunities that exist in the global marketplace.

To align with our domestic shipping services strategy as well as industry-wide practices, prices for international shipping services will increase in January. But even with this price change — an average increase of 8.5 percent — USPS international shipping services remain the best value in the marketplace, priced significantly below the prices of our competitors and with no hidden surcharges.

USPS products are priced lower than comparable services of other international carriers.

  • GXG is priced up to 10 percent below our competitors’ prices.
  • Express Mail International is priced up to 45 percent below our competitors’ prices.
  • Priority Mail International is priced up to 60 percent below our competitors’ prices.

International shipping services are available for purchase at Post Offices as well as online at usps.com and through authorized vendors. Available online tools make international mailing easier than ever, combining customs forms and address labels, as well as offering free packaging and free Carrier Pickup. And, the same USPS-provided Express Mail and Priority Mail packaging for domestic service can be used with international shipping services, including all of the popular flat-rate boxes and envelopes.

Online mailing is easier on the budget, too, with lower commercial pricing available to any customer purchasing postage using Click-N-Ship, authorized PC Postage vendors or an Express Mail Corporate Account. We’ll expand the availability of this commercial pricing to include qualifying customers who pay postage using information-based indicia postage and transmit customs information electronically.    

Postage paid using one of the above methods can qualify for reductions of:

  • 10 percent on GXG.
  • 8 percent on Express Mail International.
  • 5 percent on Priority Mail International.

To attract new commercial customers with competitive prices, additional discounts are available for higher-volume shippers of Express Mail International and Priority Mail International. 

Global Express Guaranteed

GXG service provides date-certain service with international transportation and delivery provided by FedEx Express in one to three business days to more than 190 countries with a money-back guarantee. Insurance up to $100 per shipment is provided at no additional charge. The average price increase for GXG will be 11.2 percent.

Express Mail International

Express Mail International service provides reliable, three to five average-business-day delivery to more than 190 countries with money-back guarantee to select destinations. Tracking and insured service up to $100 is provided at no additional charge. The average price increase for Express Mail International will be 8.5 percent.

Priority Mail International

Available to more than 190 countries, Priority Mail International service offers six to 10 average-business-day delivery and the same flat-rate packaging options as domestic Priority Mail service. The new small flat-rate box also will be available for international shipping and will be priced at $10.95 for Canada and Mexico and $12.95 for all other countries with a maximum weight of up to 4 pounds. The currently available regular flat-rate box option will be $25.95 for Canada and Mexico and $41.95 for all other countries. And the large flat-rate box option will be $32.95 for Canada and Mexico and $53.95 for all other countries.

The regular flat-rate box comes in two shapes. All regular and large flat-rate boxes have a 20-pound weight limit. Limited indemnity coverage is included on Priority Mail International packages. Tracking is available to major destinations. The average price increase for Priority Mail International will be 8.5 percent.

For more information, go to usps.com/prices.

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