[brecklundin]

Just wanted to remind folks that on Jan. 10, 2010 the USPS is changing their rates. Most services will increase but there are also some new flat-rate options in Priority Mail along with a bunch of other changes.

News Release about rate changes

List of 2010 rates for USPS (use the links under the Jan 2010 Price Change heading in the left column.)

Here is, for a change, a well done and easy to understand list of rates for Jan 2010. The last few pages are really great Quick Reference pages that I printed out...I'm just no used to USPS rate info printed out in language non-postage geeks can understand...

http://pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Notice123_jan_2010.pdf

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Last edited by brecklundin; 01-02-2010 at 02:14 PM. Reason: Added direct link to USPS Jan 2010 rates PDF

[dragonfly]

It's a good way to get people to buy the old stamps and get an influx of cash for the USPS. Still, everytime they raise the rates it makes me less interested in using their service.

[brecklundin]

It's a good way to get people to buy the old stamps and get an influx of cash for the USPS. Still, everytime they raise the rates it makes me less interested in using their service.

ummm, OK, thanks for being so helpful and adding to such substantive info to the discussion. It is what it is, no matter what kind of tantrum you throw, it's still going to be the same price. Better be a grown up and just deal with it than hold your breath until the USPS gives into your demands and idea of what is fair and reasonable.

Dude, to be serious not give you the needle, nobody likes rate increases but every carrier increases rates at least once a year...how do you suggest that be prevented? BTW, the most recent USPS increases, over the past several years, are at least partially because the comittee which determines the new rates has representatives from the competition, you know FedEx and UPS so of course they are going to push for higher rates. It is not all the fault of the USPS itself.

Another reason the USPS loses money every year is because of postal fraud by shippers. Our US Postal System expects people to be honest and pay what they owe and declare the correct weights when printing postage electronically. In the past few months I have received multiple 1st class parcels that weighed as much as 12oz each with the label reporting 1oz as the weight.

Because of this sort of behavior the USPS announced they are going to begin checking weights of parcels more often...which is going to cost us honest shippers and consumers money because of the small percentage of high volume shippers who cheat the honor system. That is downright theft and willful fraud. And yes, I report everyone of them at my local PO. I know for a fact one of them was fined $5,000 for it. I doubt they will ever pay though...I mean if they were willing to cheat over $2 no way they will cough up $5k.

The USPS is still the best shipping option for 99% of what I ship. Especially when you consider the delivery and insurance restrictions of UPS and FedEx. No fragile or antique items via UPS, read their TOS and they specifically exclude those items and also use intentionally vague language as to what is covered and under what circumstances. Plus UPS and FedEx will usually/often not even collect a signature even when one pays for the added service. They have what are termed "drop 'n go" service areas where they allow the driver use discretion how to handle such parcels, but at the same time UPS will not accept responsibility for a parcel delivered in such a situation if it is damaged or stolen or missing, even if they have ZERO proof it was delivered. As an example we once had a parcel with $2500 insurance AND signature required signed for by "F. Rontdoor"...yeah, UPS is trustworthy. And I won't even get into the issues FedEx has for anything other than overnight.

I reserve UPS for larger items that the USPS either won't accept or charges a special handling fee to accept.