Wow! USPS Rate Changes effective July 9, 2023... could they be going down?

[GSPTOPDOG]

Wow... I thought that a July 2023 Price "Change" Effective July 9, 2023 might mean a decrease in USPS shipping rates (wouldn't that good for AAPK members? )... However it turns out my youthful cockeyed optimism was misplaced. Somehow rates are going up .. again... until maybe October 1st... when there will be another rate increase called a "seasonal increase" or something romantic like that

Here are some examples of the fun: Media Mail – average increase of 7.5% 1st class stamp going up too; 4.8%

The U.S. Postal Service will soon be raising the price of its first-class stamps to 66 cents, an increase of 4.8% from its current 63 cents. The move, announced by the USPS in April, is the latest in a flurry of rate boosts that will result in the cost of a first-class stamp rising nearly one-third since 2019.

The latest hike will go into effect July 9. Under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the money-losing agency has embarked on a 10-year plan to get on a path to profitability — with higher postage rates as part of the blueprint.

The July 2023 price hike will represent the fifth increase since early 2019, when a Forever stamp cost 50 cents. The higher postage prices haven't come without criticism, however, with some postal experts pointing out that customers are paying more while getting less for their money.

That's because the 10-year plan has slowed the post office's delivery standard for mail to six days, down from its prior goal of three-day delivery to any destination within the U.S. And the series of price hikes means that the cost of a postage stamp has soared much higher than inflation, which has jumped 20% in the same period, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

[philco]

I hate seeing prices going up again. However I still maintain that, even with its shortcomings, the postal service provides a remarkable service at a value price. I know they make mistakes but they still get things right the vast majority of the time.

[MadeinUSA]

I switched to shipping via priority mail… to get the $100 automatic insurance. The three extra dollars are worth it.

I used to ship my knives USPS first class (now called USPS ground advantage) but a couple were lost… which cost me the value of the knife. I always filed a ‘lost mail’ claim, but there is no automatic insurance in a first class package.

[GSPTOPDOG]

I switched to shipping via priority mail… to get the $100 automatic insurance. The three extra dollars are worth it.

I used to ship my knives USPS first class (now called USPS ground advantage) but a couple were lost… which cost me the value of the knife. I always filed a ‘lost mail’ claim, but there is no automatic insurance in a first class package.

I think the cost to ship my knives USPS first class + insurance is NOT as good a deal as priority mail…and the flat rate boxes/envelops are where that really pays off. Shipping USPS first class (now called USPS ground advantage) at 8.1 oz. to most places I ship i.e., East Coast is costing me over $6.00 anyway. Because 8.1 oz. is really 12 oz. according to the USPS

[CluelessNick]

I have to give our local post office respect here in rural East Tennessee. Amazon is crushing my mail carrier. We used to get packages via UPS but they all come by USPS now. Our guy delivered a 100 watt solar panel kit to me yesterday that measures about 2 feet by 4 feet and weighed probably 25 or 30 lbs. His little Subaru Outback was jammed with packages and he said he was having to make numerous trips back to the post office during the day to load more packages. It is a hard job.

[Railsplitter]

Have any of you folks ever filed an insurance claim with USPS? If so. how did that go for you?

[MadeinUSA]

I have to give our local post office respect here in rural East Tennessee. Amazon is crushing my mail carrier. We used to get packages via UPS but they all come by USPS now. Our guy delivered a 100 watt solar panel kit to me yesterday that measures about 2 feet by 4 feet and weighed probably 25 or 30 lbs. His little Subaru Outback was jammed with packages and he said he was having to make numerous trips back to the post office during the day to load more packages. It is a hard job.

Their pay and benefits and pension reflect the “hard job”

That’s why they call it “work”

I feel no compassion for government employees

[Dan In MI]

Have any of you folks ever filed an insurance claim with USPS? If so. how did that go for you?

I did so in September of 2021. Enough time has passed that I don't recall the process very well, but I was reimbursed in a timely manner for an item that disappeared somewhere between Michigan and Florida. I did have to provide proof of the value of the missing item, for which I used a knife retailer's page. That sufficed. I think about a week passed between me filing the claim and being mailed a check.

The loss was caused by my own stupid mistake. I figured the seal on a small flat rate box was adequate. It is not. Now I wind a few strips of tape around those boxes before I send them on their way.

[Railsplitter]

Have any of you folks ever filed an insurance claim with USPS? If so. how did that go for you?

I did so in September of 2021. Enough time has passed that I don't recall the process very well, but I was reimbursed in a timely manner for an item that disappeared somewhere between Michigan and Florida. I did have to provide proof of the value of the missing item, for which I used a knife retailer's page. That sufficed. I think about a week passed between me filing the claim and being mailed a check.


The loss was caused by my own stupid mistake. I figured the seal on a small flat rate box was adequate. It is not. Now I wind a few strips of tape around those boxes before I send them on their way.

Thank you for sharing that, Dan.

[Dan In MI]

You are very welcome, Rick!

[GSPTOPDOG]

You are very welcome, Rick!

Good input... and good to see you back Dan!

[Dan In MI]

Good to see you back Dan!

Thanks!

[orvet]

I was unaware of USPS's new Ground Advantage method of shipment until I visited the post office today. They have done away with first class parcel and replaced it with Ground Advantage shipment. Ground Advantage may be a few cents more expensive than first class parcel, but it does have $100 insurance with it.
Since I pay shipping for customers who pay by check or money order I was pleasantly surprised with the new service. I was able to send a knife to Texas, with $100 insurance for $6.65 instead of the usual flat rate priority box price, which I believe is over $10 now. I was also able to send a small pocket knife in a box, inside of a padded envelope clear across the country for $5.25. I think last time I shipped a knife a similar distance with first class parcel the price was $5.10.

Like everyone else who ships things, and buys things online, I was quite pleasantly surprised that I got more for less money than I had expected to pay. While this does not fix all of the inadequacies in the US Postal Service, it's the first positive step I have seen from them in a very long time!
Color me surprised, but pleasantly so!

[Reverand]

Yes, you gotta give credit where credit is due!

[Railsplitter]

I was unaware of USPS's new Ground Advantage method of shipment until I visited the post office today. They have done away with first class parcel and replaced it with Ground Advantage shipment. Ground Advantage may be a few cents more expensive than first class parcel, but it does have $100 insurance with it.
Since I pay shipping for customers who pay by check or money order I was pleasantly surprised with the new service. I was able to send a knife to Texas, with $100 insurance for $6.65 instead of the usual flat rate priority box price, which I believe is over $10 now. I was also able to send a small pocket knife in a box, inside of a padded envelope clear across the country for $5.25. I think last time I shipped a knife a similar distance with first class parcel the price was $5.10.

Like everyone else who ships things, and buys things online, I was quite pleasantly surprised that I got more for less money than I had expected to pay. While this does not fix all of the inadequacies in the US Postal Service, it's the first positive step I have seen from them in a very long time!
Color me surprised, but pleasantly so!

I had the same experience just a few days ago. Walked up to the counter and said “Just regular First Class” like I always say. The clerk educated me on the change in service.

I shipped a small box for $5.65 with the $100 insurance included. The only Thing I noticed that was different was the name of the service and the fact that it was estimated to arrive in 4 days. Today is the 3rd day and it’s still Out For Delivery at 7:22 pm my time. But it’s only 5:22 in the city I sent it to. Not sure if it will get delivered today or not.

So far, I have no quarrels with the new Ground Advantage service.

[Dan In MI]

I, too, have been pleasantly surprised with Ground Advantage. Three packages that I recently sent using that service were delivered at a speed equal to the old First Class service. And the $100 of insurance is well worth the small increase in price (almost everything I ship is under that threshold). Like Dale said, it's the first positive step from USPS in a long time.

[just bob]

I'd just like to encourage anyone that does much shipping at all to look into the online services. You can only print an eBay label for an eBay item, but there are services like Ship Station, and I know there are others that allow you to print labels for AAPK knives, for instance. You are given a discount and avoid the in - person post office hassle. I've even created postal labels for England and Canada. I bought a small set of kitchen scales on eBay and can get an item into my mailbox awaiting pickup within a few minutes. If you're a volume seller, then no doubt this would be a huge deal. It's easy. I can do it, but you need a printer.

BTW does anyone else get annoyed that spell check tries to correct you even before you get done typing a word. I know I misspell words, but please wait until I get done typing to turn my words blue, underline them and tell me I'm an idiot- so annoying. I start watching the screen and misspell every word after that.

[Reverand]

We use Pirate Ship, and their rates are cheaper than going to the Post Office.
And I turned off Autocorrect on my iPhone. It could not handle the technical terms that I use for work. I do not remember how, but you can Google it. I use the backspace more often, but it is well worth it!