Massive USPS price increase Jan 27 2019

[Smoke4320]

Mail Express Size Price
Flat Rate Envelope 12-1/2" x 9-1/2" $25.50
Legal Flat Rate Envelope 15" x 9-1/2" 25.70
Padded Flat Rate Envelope 12-1/2" x 9-1/2" 26.20

Priority Mail Size Price
Flat Rate Envelope 12-1/2" x 9-1/2" or smaller $7.35
Legal Flat Rate Envelope 15" x 9-1/2" $7.65
Padded Flat Rate Envelope 12-1/2" x 9-1/2" $8.00
Small Flat Rate Box 8-5/8" x 5-3/8" x 1-5/8" Inside
8-11/16" x 5-7/16" x 1-3/4" Outside. $7.90
Medium Flat Rate Boxes 11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" Inside
11-1/4" x 8-3/4" x 6" Outside
13-5/8" x 11-7/8" x 3-3/8" Inside
14" x 12" x 3-1/2" Outside $14.35
Large Flat Rate Boxes 12" x 12" x 5-1/2" Inside
12-1/4" x 12-1/4" x 6" Outside
23-11/16" x 11-3/4" x 3" Inside
24-1/16" x 11-7/8" x 3-1/8" Outside $19.95

APO/FPO/DPO Flat Rate Box 12" x 12" x 5-1/2" Inside
12-1/4" x 12-1/4" x 6" Outside $18.45
1. Packaging only available at USPS.com.

[Dusty Bannister]

Yes, it is a .70 increase or about 5% for the USPS MFRB. Where can anyone buy a cup of coffee for that price? Vending machines dispense soft drinks for more than that. Yes, it is an increase, but this is still one of the best deals around.

[Sig556r]

Competing with UPS/FedEx/DHL + fulfilling Amazon's keeps USPS on their toes...
Had improved tracking experience lately so no tears on increase

[MUSTANG]

Yes, it is a .70 increase or about 5% for the USPS MFRB. Where can anyone buy a cup of coffee for that price? Vending machines dispense soft drinks for more than that. Yes, it is an increase, but this is still one of the best deals around.

Another way to look at it is that I CAN NOT buy that cup of coffee because of the increase.


In the last decade alone it has accumulated over $60 billion in debt, and it has no viable plan for reducing that debt or even returning to positive cash flow without taxpayer assistance.

The Postal Service will not reduce/address this unfunded liability by the increase; it only addresses the level of current expenditures. This is product of our Federal Budgeting process where the Federal Government raids all of the potential funding sources, promises more than they can deliver; then borrow the balance every year. In the case of the USPS; they are not allowed by Congress to become solvent by addressing costs (including labor and pensions etc...), just come ask for "Help" every couple of years and Congress will define what help is.

[Smoke4320]

Just making everyone aware there is an increase coming .. the use of "massive" was not called for... early morning

and the small flat rate box is a 10% increase ...$7.20 to $7.90

[Big Tom]

They have to subsidize the ridiculous deals they are offering Amazon, Walmart, Ebay etc.... Prices for sending my primer catchers go up over 10%, not reasonable in my opinion.

[dverna]

They have to subsidize the ridiculous deals they are offering Amazon, Walmart, Ebay etc.... Prices for sending my primer catchers go up over 10%, not reasonable in my opinion.

Three options

Increase your price to cover increase
Absorb increase and reduce profit
Find a less expensive shipping. And if you cannot find a cheaper alternative, the increase may be justified.

[Kimber1911]

The prices on the flat rate envelopes seem way out of line compared to the flat rate boxes.

[Handloader109]

10 percent increase is a big increase. Maybe not massive, but it isnt a 2 or 3 percent that could be absorbed by most.
Yes, they added Sunday Amazon delivery at a lower cost than the Saturday deliveries that they have been wanting to eliminate for a couple of decades.

One thing to note if you ship much. You can get a discount by using PayPal and their shipping. Yes,I know, but I'd rather get 3 percent off than none.


Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[BigAlofPa.]

What I think that sucks is ebay charges 10% final value fee on shipping. They did that because of people selling cheap and charging a high shipping fee to circumvent fees. But if a ebay seller uses the ebay shipping calculator they should wave the 10%fee. I stopped selling on ebay because of it. I use craigslist or sites that allow sales.

[Thundarstick]

It amazes me that we can have things shipped a thousand miles, see every where it's been, and when it arrives as cheaply as we do!

[bbogue1]

Nice to know, very timely post. If you think shipping is high think of the cost to send a letter when the post office just started. The United States Post Office (USPO) was created on July 26, 1775, by decree of the Second Continental Congress. Benjamin Franklin headed it briefly. Postage was charged by mile. From the Act of February 20, 1792:
Not exceeding 30 miles, 6 cents
over 30, not exceeding 60, 8 cents
over 60, not exceeding 150, 12 cents
Keep in mind 6 cents in 1792 is about $1.53 and a 49 cent first class stamp back then has inflated to $1,251.13 today.

[RED BEAR]

I would not mind if they could manage to actually manage to deliver the mail.

[NoZombies]

Keep in mind 6 cents in 1792 is about $1.53 and a 49 cent first class stamp back then has inflated to $1,251.13 today.

I think your decimal is misplaced, by my math, if $.06 = $1.53 then $.49 = $12.49.

[Conditor22]

I agree with deverna, we can't blame USPS, even with a 10% increase they are the best game in town, they are just keeping up with the market/competitors.

If we don't like their prices, we can go somewhere else [smilie=s:

To vendors, a 10% increase is massive and can't be absorbed especially if they are already trying to keep their prices competitive