Some changes to the cost of Priority Mail at the Post Office

I just learned this past Thursday that some changes are going into effect this Monday, January 4th, for the costs of our Priority Mail Flat Rate services.  



The cost of sending our Priority Mail Flat Rate envelope is going down to $4.90, but the Small Flat Rate box is still $4.95,  



and our Medium Flat Rate boxes are now going to be $10.70,

and our Large Flat Rate Box will be $14.50 (and $12.50 if shipping to APO's and FPO's.)

And by request of many of our mailer’s, here’s a scale to use to determine the actual cost of sending First Class Mail in the US, as I hear that it’s not expected to change at all this year. Which means, postage for a regular letter will still be 44 cents til, at least, May of 2011.  But, we'll all see, huh?  So, to answer your questions about how much postage is needed on the article that you wish to mail, I prepared a cheat sheet scale for you to use:

                          “Is it a letter, a flat, or a parcel?”
 
A    is a “letter”.  Which is 6 1/8” tall or less. (the height, the vertical width).  If a letter becomes more than 1/4 inch thick, it is metered and handled as a first class parcel.*  However, a one ounce square card is 64 cents and 17 cents for each additional ounce.  And if it's hard inside (like a musical card, or just thick bumpy cardboard), then it also is metered and handled as a first class parcel.

B    is a “flat”.  Which is what a letter becomes when it is over 6 1/8” tall. We call this or any thin flat a large envelope.   If a flat is more than 3/4 inch thick (at any point of the flat), it becomes a first class parcel.

C   is a “parcel”.   This is any letter that is over 1/4" thick or any flat that is over 3/4” thick.*  If it is this thick at any point of that letter or flat, it becomes a First Class Parcel. Anything that is over 1/4" thick, is no longer just a letter. Some people have found this frustrating (and expensive) when they want to mail fancy thick cards to people.
 
                                                                 A                 B                      C
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1 ounce (0.1 – 1 ounce)                            .44                 .88                    1.22
2 ounce (1.1 – 2 ounces)                          .61                1.05                    1.39
3 ounce (2.1 – 3 ounces)                          .78                1.22                    1.56
3 ½ ounce (3.1 – 3.5 ounces)                    .95                1.39                    1.73
4 ounce (3.6 – 4 ounces)*                                              1.39                    1.73
5 ounce (4.1 – 5 ounces)                                               1.56                    1.90
6 ounce (5.1 – 6 ounces)                                               1.73                    2.07
7 ounce (6.1 – 7 ounces)                                               1.90                    2.24
8 ounce (7.1 – 8 ounces)                                               2.07                    2.41
9 ounce (8.1 – 9 ounces)                                               2.24                    2.58
10 ounce (9.1 – 10 ounces)                                            2.41                    2.75
11 ounce (10.1 – 11 ounces)                                          2.58                    2.92
12 ounce (11.1 – 12 ounces)                                          2.75                    3.09
13 ounce (12.1 – 13 ounces)                                          2.92                    3.26

14 ounce (13.1 ounces on up):  Starts from $4.90 and varies based on destination. 

But, using our Priority Mail Flat Rate envelope will only cost $4.90 even if it goes well over one pound.

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I hope this helps.    (I know it looks a little crooked.  It did line up well when I typed it in my computer.  Oh well, it still works.)

Happy New Year everyone!                            

                                                                                                                                Kerry