US Postal Service Raising Prices on Packages During Holidays

WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) Friday of a temporary price change for commercial customers to take effect Oct. 18, 2020 and last through a couple days past Christmas. The change does not affect retail customers or the price of a first-class stamp.

The planned temporary price adjustments are in response to increased expenses and heightened demand for online shopping package volume due to the coronavirus pandemic and expected holiday ecommerce. As a result of these changing market conditions, the Postal Service is planning a time-limited price increase on all commercial domestic competitive package volume from Oct. 18 until Dec. 27, 2020. Retail prices and international products will be unaffected.

The planned price increase would go into effect at 12:00 AM Central on Oct.18, 2020 and remain in place until 12:00 AM Central Dec. 27, 2020.

The planned prices, approved by the Governors of the Postal Service on August 6, would raise prices on its commercial domestic competitive parcels – Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select, and Parcel Return Service.

This time-limited adjustment will increase prices for commercial customers in line with competitive practices without impacting customers at the retail level. In doing this, the Postal Service is protecting the retail consumer during a vulnerable economic period while increasing prices on commercial volume during heightened volume levels.

No structural changes are planned as part of this limited time pricing initiative, allowing customers the greatest ease in implementing the new prices with minimal complexity.

The Governors believe these temporary rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with much needed revenue. The forecasted additional revenue from the time-limited increase will depend on the volume of packages shipped between Oct. 18 and Dec. 27 at commercial rates.

If favorably reviewed by the PRC, the planned price changes include:

Some rate cells in Parcel Select Ground will be charged less than $0.40 so as not to exceed USPS Retail Ground retail prices:

• 19 lbs., zones 8/9 – the increase will be zero instead of $0.40
• 20 lbs., zones 8/9 – the increase will be $0.06 instead of $0.40
• Oversized – the increase will be zero instead of $0.40

A full list of commercial pricing can be found on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website https://www.usps.com/business/prices.htm.