USPS to Increase Rates on 5/31

IMPORTANT UPDATE!

USPS had previously announced the rate increases were scheduled to start on Sunday, April 26, 2015. They are now targeting May 31st as their new rate increase date.

At the start of the new year, we always have things to which we can look forward: New Year’s Resolutions, the eventual spring, and increases in postage rates. Luckily we got a bit of a reprieve this year since it was April before USPS raised their rates. And even better? Some rates are staying where they are, some are decreasing, and most rates are rising only by a few percentage points.

Not Increasing:

• 1 oz. Retail Letter Rate: If you go to the post office or buy stamps at a physical location, the price of these are staying the same.
• Priority Mail & Priority Mail Express Packages & Flat Rate Packages/Envelopes: The package rate as well as the rates for Flat Rates will not be increasing for any domestic shipments through either Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express.

Increasing:

• Add’l ounces on FCM, Postcards, & Metered Mail: While the retail rate for stamps is staying the same, online postage for a 1 ounce letter is going up by half a cent to $0.485. Additional ounces and postcard rates are both rising by 1 cent to $0.22 and $0.35, respectively.
• First Class Package (Domestic & International): The rates for both domestic and international rates will be rising come the 26th. Domestic rates will be going up from $0.10 – $0.16 depending on a package’s weight, and international rates are increasing a bit more, about 7.2%.
• Non-presorted Parcel Select: Rates for this service are increasing by about 9.8%, though packages in zone 1-4 and weighing between 6 and 24 lbs. are actually decreasing (up to $9.35).
• Media Mail: These rates are increasing by an average of 6.2%, though this is still only in a range of $0.03 to $0.27 per package.
• First Class Mail International: Both First Class Mail Letters & Postcards are increasing by $0.05 per shipment.
• Priority Mail & Priority Mail Express International: The average increase for Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express for international shipments will be 5.5% and 6.7% respectively. The USPS is also introducing zone-based pricing for Priority Mail packages heading to Canada, with 7 zones total.
• Global Express Guaranteed: Rates for this service are increasing by an average of 7.2%.

While increased rates are not really welcome news, this is coming after the rates for Priority Mail decreased by quite a bit last September. Luckily, you have some time to figure out if you need to change anything and how you’ll adjust for these increases (if at all). Need the full breakdown on just what the new rates are? Head over to Stamps.com for the info.