The United States Postal Service announced its proposed new price changes to take effect Jan. 26, 2020. While the price of a first-class stamp isn’t changing, the prices of flat-rate Priority Mail packages are going up across the board. The proposed prices, approved by the governors of the Postal Service, would raise the following rates 1.9%:
- Overall 1st Class Postage
- USPS Marketing Mail
- Periodicals
The price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp will not be increasing, it will remain at 55 cents. The single-piece letter additional ounce price would remain at 15 cents. Also unchanged would be the prices of postcard stamps at 35 cents and 1-ounce flats at $1.
Overall, Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express will increase 4.1% and 3.5% respectively, but those increases vary by Retail/Commercial, zone and weight.
This rate change for shipping products is timed similar to UPS® and FedEx®, who historically adjust prices each January. On January 6, 2020, FedEx raised prices an average of 4.9%.
The Postal Service, unlike some other shippers, does not add surcharges for fuel, residential delivery, or regular Saturday or holiday season delivery.
The proposed Mailing Services price changes include:
Mailing Services Price Changes
| Product | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Letters (1 oz.) | 55 cents | 55 cents |
| Letters additional ounces | 15 cents | 15 cents |
| Letters (metered 1 oz.) | 50 cents | 50 cents |
| Flats (1 oz.) | $1 | $1 |
| Outbound International Letters (1 oz.) | $1.15 | $1.20 |
| Domestic Postcards | 35 cents | 35 cents |
Domestic Priority Mail Flat Rate Retail Price Changes
| Product | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Small Flat-Rate Box | $7.90 | $8.30 |
| Medium Flat-Rate Box | $14.35 | $15.05 |
| Large Flat-Rate Box | $19.95 | $21.10 |
| APO/FPO Large Flat-Rate Box | $18.45 | $19.60 |
| Regular Flat-Rate Envelope | $7.35 | $7.75 |
| Legal Flat-Rate Envelope | $7.65 | $8.05 |
| Padded Flat-Rate Envelope | $8 | $8.40 |
The PRC will review the prices before they are scheduled to take effect Jan. 26, 2020. The complete Postal Service price filings with prices for all products can be found on the PRC site under the Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily. For the Mailing Services filing see Docket No. R2020-1. For the Shipping Services filing see Docket No. CP2020-5. The price change tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index
Trust Fulco Fulfillment for all of your shipping and postage questions
Fulco Fulfillment advises clients on the most efficient ways to minimize shipping costs through smart packaging and streamlined order fulfillment operations. Call us at 973-361-1700, we’d love to answer your fulfillment questions.