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MailPro
News for Mailing Professionals

FYI
Priority Mail, Express Mail and Global Express Guaranteed shipping supplies are free. A variety of box sizes, envelopes, Tyvek® mailers, mailing labels and customs forms are available at no charge.

Is it a Letter? Flat? Parcel?

Shape-based pricing has been in place since 2007. Nevertheless, questions about some pieces are still common.

Notice 123, Price List, provides graphics on the minimum and maximum size for shape-based pricing for both domestic and international mailing. A piece that is letter size, or appears to be letter size, could be too thick or have other characteristics requiring it to be classified as a large envelope (flat) or a parcel.

Here are some examples:

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

Length

8 inches

11 inches

11 inches

11 inches

Height

5 inches

6 inches

6 inches

6 inches

Thickness

exactly 1/4 inch

1/4 inch

1/2 inches

1/2 inches

Weight

2 ounces

2 ounces

2 ounces

2 ounces

Other details

The address is written along the longer edge of the envelope.

The address is written along the shorter edge of the envelope.

Contains a rigid jewel case with a CD in it.

What is it?

Regular 2-ounce letter-size price. All dimensions fall within minimum and maximum dimensions.

2a Two-ounce letter-size price, but including the nonmachinable surcharge for First-Class Mail. Use the nonmachinable price table for Standard Mail. Having the address along the shorter dimension is one of the nonmachinable criteria.

2b Because this piece is within the size range for automation flats as well as for letters, it may, at the mailer’s option, be mailed as an automation flat, as long as all automation flats standards (polywrap, flexibility, uniform thickness, deflection) are met.

In this example, the piece at first appears to be letter-size because of the length and height, but the 2-ounce flat price applies because the thickness exceeds the maximum letter-size thickness.

Adding the rigid jewel case CD, makes this item a parcel. Why? First, the thickness exceeds the maximum thickness for a letter and the piece is actually flat-size. Second, it contains a rigid object (jewel case CD), and flats with rigid items that cause the piece to be inflexible are eligible for parcel prices. Standard Mail items may be eligible for Not Flat-Machinable (NFM) prices until May 2010.

GLOBAL EXPRESS GUARANTEED AGREEMENT RENEWED

The Postal Service and FedEx Express have renewed their alliance for Global Express Guaranteed (GXG), the Postal Service's premier, date-certain international delivery service to more than 190 countries and territories.

“The Postal Service is pleased to renew this important agreement with FedEx,” said Pranab Shah, USPS vice president and managing director, Global Business. “We plan to build on the accomplishments of the initial agreement, enhancing GXG’s world-class service reliability by using the resources of both organizations to provide quality and value for our customers.”

GXG shipping labels and packaging feature both Postal Service and FedEx logos.

“Global Express Guaranteed leverages the two great transportation networks of FedEx Express and the Postal Service to bring greater choice and convenience for customers,” said T. Michael Glenn, FedEx executive vice president for Market Development. “This agreement combines the global reach, convenience, speed and reliability of the Postal Service and FedEx Express in a natural extension of our long-standing relationship.”

USPS and FedEx began offering the co-branded GXG service in 2004. GXG is available at thousands of participating postal retail locations nationwide, and through Click-N-Ship online at usps.com.
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