If you ship off packages to friends or loved ones regularly, get ready to pay more to do it.
Beginning Sunday, the United States Postal Service will increase prices. Jacksonville Postmaster Matthew Tapscott explains the rate changes: “Parcel rate changes will be between 15 and 40 cents. Some special services like certified mail is going up 10 cents. Return receipts are going up 10 cents. Regular postage is staying the same as well as first class letters. Most of the rate changes are mainly on the package side.”
The two main categories impacted are priority and express mail. For example a padded flat-rate envelope for priority will cost $8.40 instead of $8.00.
Tapscott said the rate changes are indicative of the volume shift from First Class to Packages covering mainly operations costs: “We had a very good Christmas. No major issues with Christmas operations or service. Letter volume and first class volume is down. Nationally it is trending in the down side but we are picking up on the package side through Amazon, Wal-Mart, and some of those other big retail houses. I think nationally USPS is looking at the rate side going up on one side because that’s where the volume is, and it’s losing volume on letters and flats, so that way those rates aren’t going to change any.”
There are no increases for a first-class mail stamp or forever stamps, the price will remain 55 cents. You can view a full list of the rate changes at this link.
The U.S. Postal Service added despite the increases they offer the lowest letter mail postage rates and they do not add surcharges for fuel, residential delivery, or regular Saturday or holiday season delivery compared to private mail delivery companies.