EXPRESS MAIL, PRIORITY MAIL SAVINGS AHEAD

Smaller Priority Mail Flat Rate Box Also Will Be Available

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.

Looking for value in expedited shipping? How about extraordinary value? That’s what you’ll get when the Postal Service launches its new pricing for shipping services next year.

If you’re a high-volume shipper, you won’t want to use anything but Express Mail and Priority Mail services. Why? Beginning Jan. 18, we’ll offer a new pricing tier, called Commercial Plus.

Express Mail Commercial Plus pricing is an average of 14.5 percent below retail, while Priority Mail Commercial Plus pricing is an average of 7 percent below retail. To qualify, customers must ship more than 100,000 pieces of Priority Mail or 6,000 pieces of Express Mail per year.

And while all carriers are announcing price increases for 2009, the Postal Service is holding steady on prices for Priority Mail packages weighing less than 5 pounds for commercial customers, with minimal increases for heavier weights.

When it comes to savings, don’t forget the fact that USPS does not impose fuel surcharges on any of its shipping. Combined with a lack of Saturday surcharges or residential surcharges, that makes Express Mail and Priority Mail services an extraordinary value.

We’re also adding to our lineup of flat-rate packaging, one of the most popular and convenient shipping options around. There will be a smaller Priority Mail Flat Rate Box — about the same size as three stacked DVD cases. The price will be $4.95 at retail, $4.80 for online shippers and even less for Commercial Plus customers.

And don’t forget, Priority Mail packaging can be used both domestically and internationally. The new smaller flat-rate box will be $10.95 to Canada or Mexico, and $12.95 to all other countries. You’ll save 5 percent when you buy it online.

Overall, prices for Express Mail service will increase 5.7 percent, on average, while prices for Priority Mail service will increase an average of 3.9 percent. These adjustments were carefully considered to hold them below price increases announced by other major carriers — making sure that USPS expedited shipping remains the best value in the shipping market.

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

INFO@USPS

Your Links To Mailing Resources

U.S. Postal Service: usps.com

National PCC Network: usps.com/pcc

Rapid Information Bulletin Board System: ribbs.usps.gov

Questions? Comments? Send an e-mail to pccinsider@usps.gov

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