New USPS^® rates approved for July 14, 2024

The USPS mailing services price changes will take effect July 14, 2024. The new rates include a 5-cent increase in the price of a First-Class® Mail Forever stamp from 68¢ to 73¢. The approved adjustments raise mailing services product prices approximately 7.8%. There are no price changes for USPS retail or commercial prices for shipping services like Priority Mail^® and Ground Advantage™. Watch our recently recorded webinar here.

What’s changing in First-Class Mail?

Starting July 14, 2024, mailers will see price increases to USPS mailing products such as First-Class Mail and Certified Mail.

First-Class letters (retail stamps and metered) increase 5¢. The good news for online postage and meter users is that the savings for Metered letter rate remains at 4¢ per letter. The additional ounce rate is increasing from 24¢ to 28¢ for letters.

First-Class Flats (Large Envelopes) are increasing 11¢, and the additional ounce rate for Flats is increasing 27¢ to 30¢ depending on the weight of the envelope.

Certified Mail rate is increasing $0.45 and the manual Return Receipt (green card) is also increasing $0.45. Switching to electronic Return Receipt, using PitneyShip software, can now save mailers $1.48 per piece.

• Total 1-ounce Certified Mail cost increases to $9.64 for Retail Return Receipt (Green Card) (metered)
  
• Total 1-ounce Certified Mail cost will be $8.16 for electronic Return Receipt (Savings of $1.48 vs. Green Card)
  

What’s changing in Marketing Mail?

Marketing Mail continues to be the cheapest way to send mass mail. Most Marketing Mail and Marketing Mail Nonprofit rates are rising, but the increase is much less than First-Class mail rates.

Other Services

• Single Piece Library Mail increases to $3.92 up to 1lb
• Single Piece Media Mail increases to $4.13 up to 1lb

As always, Pitney Bowes remains committed to providing the best possible rates offered by the USPS. Now is the perfect time to cut your shipping and mailing costs. We are here to help you find ways to reduce the complexity and impact of rate changes for shipping and mailing. Below are some of the highlights of popular mailing services being affected.

Our PitneyShip software delivers a better way to send, track, and manage your Certified Mail, while saving you $1.48 on every piece – with no volume requirements. Learn more here.

The Countdown is ON to the USPS 2024 mandate.

As of December 2024, IMI will replace the outdated IBI (Information Based Indicia) performance standard with newer, more sophisticated technology providing the Postal Service with more detailed real-time transaction data. Learn more here.

USPS announces temporary rate increases for the 2024 holiday shipping season

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has announced temporary rate increases for the 2024 peak holiday season, pending approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). The peak surcharges are in line with the other major parcel carrier surcharges and are implemented to cover the extra handling costs associated with the holiday shipping surge. The new rates apply to Retail and Commercial prices for Priority Mail^®, and USPS Ground Advantage™ and Priority Mail Express packages from October 6, 2024, through January 18, 2025. No other USPS products or services are affected.

This temporary price increase is part of the broader USPS Delivering for America 10-year plan, which aims to revitalize the organization and achieve its public service mission.

Please note, if you are using Pitney Bowes shipping software to print USPS shipping labels, then many of your packages up to 20 lbs are not impacted by these surcharges. With Pitney Bowes software, like PitneyShip^®, you have access to special USPS rates* that are lower than commercial prices.

For complete details on the new pricing below, please visit the Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.

2024 Shipping Deadlines for Holiday Packages

• USPS Ground Advantage^® Service: December 18
• First-Class Mail^® Service: December  18
• Priority Mail^® Service: December  19
• Priority Mail Express^® Service: December 21
  

For a complete list of holiday shipping deadlines, click here.

*Packages sent to select zones, weighing 20 lbs. or less.

How can you continue to get the best shipping rates?

The carrier peak shipping rate adjusments may affect your costs this holiday season. Shippers using Pitney Bowes can offset these increases with access to discounted shipping rates across multiple carriers. The ever-changing rates and other market volatility make it more important than ever to have a multicarrier shipping strategy. Our simple, and powerful cloud software makes it easy to select the right carrier, service and rate for every package.  With Pitney Bowes, you can be prepared for rate changes, automate your shipping and mailing, and focus on what really matters during the holiday season.

No price changes for Retail and Commercial prices for shipping services as part of the July 14, 2024 rate change.

Although Retail and Commercial prices are not changing in July, there is an increase to some USPS Connect Ecommerce (CeC) prices. Even with this increase, the CeC prices are still less than published Commercial discounts. The increase affects anyone printing a shipping label with shipping software like PitneyShip^®. Printing USPS shipping labels with PitneyShip, gives you special discounts on postage for many weights under 20lbs and zones for Priority Mail and Ground Advantage. PitneyShip automatically gives you access to special discounts through the CeC program. If this sounds confusing, that’s because it is. The good news is that we have you covered. Our PitneyShip software takes the guess work out of rates and presents you with the best possible USPS rate for every package you send.

Save up to 88% when you print a USPS shipping label

Offset rate increases and access the best rates on the market when you print a USPS shipping label, rather than using stamps or a meter tape for Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express.

Learn more about PitneyShip shipping software.

Log in to your PitneyShip account and save.

Changes to USPS Hazmat Compliance in effect July 9

Effective July 9, 2023, the USPS will require changes to Hazmat Compliance in accordance with USPS Publication 52. The changes to USPS Publication 52 that will go into effect are defined in a Final Rule published in the Federal Register.

What does this mean for my business?

Pitney Bowes shipping software solutions have automatically been updated to keep you in compliance*. You are able to identify a Hazardous Material shipment when you create a label. In doing so, the new Hazardous Material label will be printed. These new labels better identify Hazardous Material shipments with the “H” service indicator and “Hazmat” spelled out in multiple locations.

Hazmat shipment labels can be generated at no additional cost. Continue shipping your hazardous material shipments safely and in compliance with PitneyShip multicarrier software.

*SendSuite^® Express and SendSuite Live software solutions do not support compliance with these new regulations. Your company’s Hazmat Compliance Officer will be able to assist you in ensuring your business is in compliance with the new USPS Hazmat regulations and take the necessary steps to mitigate any risk.