bthouse Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 New flat rate prices effective January 18, 2009 $10.35 for the reg flat rate box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bells4shells Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 And now they're going to have a few different sizes including a small flat rate box right? I thought I saw that somewhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I thought so too....a smaller flat rate..which would be awesome...but they do not have the boxes available yet at least not as of last week. I will keep checking though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffancy Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Here's the official info.Like all USPS flat-rate boxes and envelopes, the new box is available free of charge and also can be used for international shipping. It will have a retail price of $4.95 effective January 18, 2009, regardless of weight, up to 70 lbs. for U.S. addresses. The international price, for up to 4 lbs., will be $10.95 to Canada or Mexico and $12.95 to all other countries, with savings of 5 percent for customers who ship online. Online prices also are lower for shipping to U.S. addresses. The online price will be $4.80, and for large volume mailers who qualify for USPS Commercial Plus pricing, the price will be $4.75.The Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box measures 8-5/8 x 5-3/8 x 1-5/8 inches - about the same size and shape as three stacked DVD cases. Customers can order the new boxes online at usps.com/supplies in packs of 10 and 25, up to a maximum of 200, beginning January 12. Post Offices will begin stocking the boxes January 18. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlelady Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 And the postage stamp goes up AGAIN in May!I also read that the postal service is re-doing their routes because of the drop in mailings by retailers.....so if you got your mail at a certain time of day....well that's going to change too!They are combining routes and making other changes, so they can prevent "laying off" carriers.Gee, I wish they'd lay off the counter people at my P.O. and get some new ones.....:tiptoe: Ones with personality, less chit-chat and give a crap about customer service..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Here's the official info.Thanks for the update!!! I will order on monday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtohaley2004 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I hear they are going to raise stamps every May.......if you ask me they are charging more for lousier service and slower delivery time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapmom25 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Gee, that size will fit NOTHING (" The Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box measures 8-5/8 x 5-3/8 x 1-5/8 inches - about the same size and shape as three stacked DVD cases.")I wish they would take their increases and invest in some scanners so packages could actually be TRACKED instead of just "delivery confirmation" which does nothing for you except confirm it got SOMEWHERE.Since the ground carrier rates always go up too, and I'm seeing more 'smaller' orders, I've actually increased my postal shipping, so maybe I'll check into the "commercial use" also mentioned in their post. I should get some sort of break since I already have to take everything to the P.O. since we're in a rural area and they don't *do* pick-ups here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Gee, that size will fit NOTHING (" The Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box measures 8-5/8 x 5-3/8 x 1-5/8 inches - about the same size and shape as three stacked DVD cases.").I missed that.....you are right...nothing. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candledoll Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 UPS is going up sometime this month, also! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bthouse Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 The "new flat" rate is the same size as the priority box they already have, I think, and I used to be able to fit that in a flat rate envelope anyway.The new rates are not good news for candles. They need a "squarish" flat rate box to help with the cost of mailing just one or two jars. IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louie Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 UPS went up 5.9%, January 5, 2009. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraciS Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 FedEx 5.9% increase in January 5th also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ring of Fire Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 So the rise in gas prices was the excuse last year, so I wonder what the excuse is this year? This is bad all around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcrafter Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 If you go on usps.com and do the shipping through the website, it is cheaper than if you go to an actual post office location. I have been doing my shipping this way for quite a few years now and it is a great benefit. You can request a pick up and the carrier comes right to your door and takes it all away. You can order all the boxes online no charge and they are shipped right to your door.No waiting in lines, no messing around with post office personalities, no gas to get there. You'll need an accurate scale, a credit/debit card, a computer of course and that's about it.Here's the thing to remember: if you are charging your customers the correct price for the shipping, then ultimately, you are not paying anything out yourselves. Money goes out from your bank account to usps, customer's money goes into your account and they cancel each other out. You can even add a small handling fee on your website's shipping if you want to make sure you're not paying out more than you're bringing in. Go on your admin part of the website, or get your web person to do it and make sure your shipping charges are accurate.I don't mind the increase at all. I ship almost exclusively usps and they have been very good to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bells4shells Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Gee, that size will fit NOTHING (" The Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box measures 8-5/8 x 5-3/8 x 1-5/8 inches - about the same size and shape as three stacked DVD cases.")I wish they would take their increases and invest in some scanners so packages could actually be TRACKED instead of just "delivery confirmation" which does nothing for you except confirm it got SOMEWHERE...TOTALLY agree. Their current tracking system is ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra Phelps Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Both UPS and reg. mail went up again. I was shipping a case for 6.00, then it went to 9.00 last year, and the other day it was 14.00, same town. This is ridiculous. No one will want to ship anything. I just went to a grocery store out of town, and they wanted 17.98 for a bag of Cat Chow. I pay 9.00 for the same bag at Wa-Mart. They wanted 11.98 for a smaller bag, that I pay 6.00 for. I was shocked. Why? And my cat is getting really fat too. They must be using cheaper stuff in the cat food. Sorry, I got off message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debratant Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Yep...they are re-counting ALL rural routes nationwide in February...which will result in some major changes. I've beena rural carrier with USPS since 93. Currently though...I'm out with an injury/surgery. Last year they counted the routes in order to save money...I lost 10,000 in pay..yet my mail volume was the same the rest of the year. I had 700 daily deliveries. The USPS conducts these counts during the times of year when business is slow (February) in order to save money. Right after these counts...mail volume seems to magically improve...but yet our routes have been butchered so badly pay wise...we are forced to take on more territory...in order to make the amount of money we were making. That is why you "may" see possible later delivery times...because carriers are forced to build their routes back up in order to stay afloat pay wise. Heck...after being there for nearly 15 years...I was making $50,000 when I was injured...now, after last years count it went back down to $40,000....yet I still have 700 customers on my route. It's hard to imagine what my route will have to take on in order to remain at $40,000 a year after the count in February. Probably 1,000 deliveries. USPS ought to apply cuts where they are needed...management and their exorbitant salaries. Do a search and find out what PM General receives...it's abhorrant....especially when USPS is crying about how much money they are losing.http://www.bolivarcom.com/index.cfm?event=news.view&id=8F1C5B3A-19B9-E2E2-67D66E65664B95F8There will be many more increases in postage rates...no doubt about it. And I agree...though I'm a postal employee...we have some real winners that work for USPS. Some are just down right nasty. Not to toot my own horn...but my customers loved me...and no doubt wonder where the heck I'm at. My route would be delivered no later than 1pm most days...because I was a hustler...and didn't sit around with my finger up my butt. I went to work, did my job and went home. And the postage stamp goes up AGAIN in May!I also read that the postal service is re-doing their routes because of the drop in mailings by retailers.....so if you got your mail at a certain time of day....well that's going to change too!They are combining routes and making other changes, so they can prevent "laying off" carriers.Gee, I wish they'd lay off the counter people at my P.O. and get some new ones.....:tiptoe: Ones with personality, less chit-chat and give a crap about customer service..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMary Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 If you go on usps.com and do the shipping through the website, it is cheaper than if you go to an actual post office location. I have been doing my shipping this way for quite a few years now and it is a great benefit. For most stuff yes, but with as much as I've sold recently, I've found it's not always true. One person ordered a case of wax - exact same dimensions, size, weight and it was $10 cheaper to take it in! No idea why, but my thoughts are that for large boxes or heavy boxes, they have a different class that's not able to be seen online. Still parcel, but maybe categorized differently?Price of gas goes down 50% and they make a raise... I feel sorry for those of you who do major shipping. It's pathetic. Too bad no one has the resources to start up a home based business only shipping carrier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixo Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 And the postage stamp goes up AGAIN in May!We bought 'Forever Stamps.' Course, when we buy more, the price will be higher.Gee, I wish they'd lay off the counter people at my P.O. and get some new ones.....:tiptoe: Ones with personality, less chit-chat and give a crap about customer service.....Lol Sounds like my PO. Maybe they have a cloning factory. :smiley2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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