Yesterday our postal service made an increase of 3₵ per letter which may not seem like much, but the increase was across the board. Here is the list of 2014 changes:
Summary of the 2014 USPS postage rate increase:
• First Class Letters (1 oz.) will increase by three cents to $0.49 from $0.46. Each additional ounce will cost an extra $0.21 (up one cent from 2013).
• The USPS has introduced a new First Class letter rate for the “Metered Mail” category, which includes online postage providers and postage meters. This new rate would be $0.48, one cent below the retail rate of $0.49 for First Class Letters.
• First Class Flats (1 oz.) will increase by six cents to $0.98 from $0.92. Each additional ounce will cost an extra $0.21 (up one cent from 2013).
• Postcard rates will increase by one cent to $0.34 from $0.33.
• Priority Mail Commercial Base (online postage) rates will continue to start at $5.05 and in some weight ranges and zones, the prices will be reduced compared to 2013.
• Priority Mail Express Commercial Base (online postage) rates will increase by an average of 3% and will start at $16.95 (previously at $13.09).
• First Class Package Service will see an average increase of 5% in 2014.
• NEW! A new “Zone 9” delivery zone has been introduced to represent U.S. territories and freely associated states (Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau) for Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express.
• NEW! A new morning delivery service option will become available for Priority Mail Express. For an extra $5.00 fee, Priority Mail Express packages can be delivered to their destinations by 10:30am.
• NEW! Priority Mail International: The maximum weight for Rate Group 2 (Mexico) has been increased to 70 lbs. from 44 lbs.
• NEW! Commercial Plus Pricing: The minimum annual package volume threshold for cubic pricing and other Commercial Plus offerings will be lowered to 50,000 packages.
• NEW! The following countries are now also eligible for USPS Tracking™: Estonia, Finland, Gibraltar, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Portugal, and Singapore.
So, let’s dissect these changes:
The USPS has introduced a new First Class letter rate for the “Metered Mail” category, which includes online postage providers and postage meters. This new rate would be $0.48, one cent below the retail rate of $0.49 for First Class Letters.
Yes, prices start at 48₵ for a 1oz letter although now there is 21₵ increase for every ounce over the first.
Priority Mail Commercial Base (online postage) rates will continue to start at $5.05 and in some weight ranges and zones, the prices will be reduced compared to 2013.
While it says that priority mail will still start at $5.05 it doesn’t; if you send a flat letter priority it is $5.05; however for packages it starts (with a 1oz package) at $5.54.
Priority Mail Express Commercial Base (online postage) rates will increase by an average of 3% and will start at $16.95 (previously at $13.09).
That’s $3.86, which is 3.39%. That’s only if you’re sending a flat envelope smaller than 1oz. For a package that’s 1 oz? Starting price is $23.23, which is almost double what it was a month ago.
First Class Package Service will see an average increase of 5% in 2014.
Starting first class prices were $1.69 and with new increase are up $1.93. That’s a 24₵ increase, or 7%, not 5%.
I understand that the postal service needs more money, but be honest about your changes.
WHATNOW? 