Effective January 21st, this Sunday, USPS shipping rates are set to increase once again. With the exception of First Class, the rate changes we’ll walk through are based on Commercial Plus Pricing (CPP), a type of discounted rate we’re able to secure for our customers that’s much lower than the standard online and retail rates available to most merchants.
But if you’re not a fan of digging into the numbers and would prefer knowing the overall jump in each method, check these percent averages out — First Class and international methods are set to rise by 3.9%, Priority Mail Express at 3.7%, with Priority Mail being hit the hardest, averaging around 6.1% across all weights and zones.
Without further adeiu, let’s take a look at some of the changes.
First Class Rates
Popular and cheap for orders under 15.99 ounces, First Class rates are increasing slightly, more so if orders are on the heavier side. Note: USPS does not allow discounts on these rates for anyone — all postage providers offer the same rates (Retail or Commercial Base).
| Weight | 2018 | 2017 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 4 ounces | $2.66 | $2.61 | $0.05 |
| 5 ounces | $2.79 | $2.77 | $0.02 |
| 6 ounces | $2.92 | $2.77 | $0.15 |
| 7 ounces | $3.05 | $2.77 | $0.28 |
| 8 ounces | $3.18 | $2.77 | $0.41 |
| 9 ounces | $3.34 | $3.32 | $0.02 |
| 10 ounces | $3.50 | $3.46 | $0.04 |
| 11 ounces | $3.66 | $3.60 | $0.06 |
| 12 ounces | $3.82 | $3.74 | $0.08 |
| 13 ounces | $4.10 | $3.88 | $0.22 |
| 14 ounces | $4.38 | $4.02 | $0.36 |
| 15 ounces | $4.66 | $4.16 | $0.50 |
| 15.999 ounces | $4.94 | $4.30 | $0.64 |
Priority Mail Rates
Below are the new Priority Mail Flat Rates on the way.
| Method | 2018 | 2017 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Rate Envelope | $6.35 | $5.75 | $0.60 |
| Legal Flat Rate | $6.65 | $6.05 | $0.60 |
| Padded Flat Rate Envelope | $6.90 | $6.30 | $0.30 |
| Small Flat Rate Box | $6.85 | $6.25 | $0.60 |
| Medium Flat Rate Box | $12.45 | $12.05 | $0.40 |
| Large Flat Rate Box | $17.10 | $16.55 | $0.55 |
| ADO/FPO/DP Large Flat Rate | $15.60 | $15.05 | $0.55 |
As for the Priority Mail Express Flat Rate…
| Method | 2018 | 2017 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Rate Envelope | $21.98 | $21.18 | $0.80 |
| Legal Flat Rate | $22.09 | $21.28 | $0.81 |
| Padded Flat Rate Envelope | $22.46 | $21.64 | $0.82 |
And last, but not least, regular Priority Mail Rates by zone. Rather than list out the rates for all weights by all zones, we’ve listed the changes for packages weighing between 1 – 3 pounds as an example. Here are the new rates:
| Weight | Zones 1&2 | Zone 3 | Zone 4 | Zone 5 | Zone 6 | Zone 7 | Zone 8 | Zone 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 pound | $6.35 | $6.79 | $6.89 | $6.98 | $7.13 | $7.28 | $7.53 | $9.72 |
| 2 pounds | $6.89 | $7.03 | $7.18 | $7.91 | $9.19 | $9.98 | $10.48 | $14.87 |
| 3 pounds | $6.98 | $7.45 | $8.22 | $8.98 | $11.80 | $12.76 | $14.88 | $20.18 |
But more importantly, take a look at the percentage changes for each of those weights across zones. Orders that are low weight and shipped to a lower zone will be some of the most impacted. Note — some of these zones will be cheaper than last year.
| Weight | Zones 1&2 | Zone 3 | Zone 4 | Zone 5 | Zone 6 | Zone 7 | Zone 8 | Zone 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 pound | 10.4% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 6.9% | 7% | 8.4% | 6.9% | -3.3% |
| 2 pounds | 8.8% | 9.8% | 8.3% | 0 | 9.8% | 3% | 5.1% | 1.2% |
| 3 pounds | 8.9% | 4% | 7.8% | -2.6% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 1.3% |
