On April 10th, 2016, something will happen that hasn’t happened in nearly a century. The USPS® is decreasing postage rates! You heard it right. Rates will fall by an average of 1 to 2 cents per mail piece, depending on retail vs. commercial and the class of mail. This reduces most Mailing Services products, everything from First-Class® Mail to Standard® Mail. This change is due to an exigent surcharge being removed.
During the recession, the Postal Service was hit hard, therefore, it asked for a temporary, emergency price increase to recoup its losses that reach into the billions. Whether or not the Postal Service gained everything back, this agreement was meant to be an increase of 3 cents for only two years. However, it is now set to expire in April.
This 1-2 cent average decrease means that the Post Office is allowed to keep 1 cent per mail piece to contend with inflation. Regardless, this is good news for every mailer, as this is only the third time in history the price has dropped! (The last time rates dropped was in July of 1919 for a little more perspective.)
Take look below for some of the popular rate changes in detail. To look at all of the rate changes, go to The United States Postal Service Postal Explorer.
How the rates will affect letters
Traditional stamps are a postage mainstay. There are no hidden costs, no monthly payments and no permit payments. The highest percent change is a decrease of 4.3% for 3 oz. and 3.5 oz. and savings reaching into 5 cents per piece.
Metered mail for business is pre-printed, self-addressed envelopes that are ideal for shipping larger mailings, saving you time and money. Now you can save even more money with the price reductions. For example, the biggest change is with 3.5 oz. at -4.4%. The greater the volume, the better the savings.
How the rates will affect flat shipping:
Flats—which include large envelopes, newsletters and magazines—have sizes that range from 6 inches to 15 inches. You can talk to your mailer further about sizes, but if you have something a bit bulkier, then flat shipping is right for you and the prices are looking all the better. Once again, the highest rate decrease reaches up into 4.4% for a range of sizes.
How the rates will affect parcel shipping:
Parcels have hundreds of options, starting at 3 by 6 inches and up to 70 pounds. For packages so big, you might think that the prices would be outrageous, but, like all of the others, prices will also decrease significantly this coming April. Take a look below for some of the options and see how the changes, decreasing by 4.2% and more.
Once again, this is only a snapshot of the most popular options. For full details on all rate changes, go here. Now is the best time to take full advantage of cheaper prices. For example, when you get a direct mail campaign out the door, these pennies add up rather quickly. Talk to your mailer about starting one today.