Effective January, 2012, USPS, FedEx and UPS will impose these new rates for their postal and shipping services:
New USPS Shipping Products for 2012
- A new, larger Priority Mail Regional Rate Box C will be introduced that will hold up to 25 pounds. Box size is expected to be 12” x 12” x 15”.
- A new Express Mail Flat Rate Box will be introduced that holds up to 70 pounds. Cost will be $39.95 for domestic mailings.
- Package Intercept will be introduced for commercial mailers. Customers can request mail be intercepted before final delivery is attempted to the initial delivery address. The shipment can be returned to sender, held for pick up at a Post Office, or redirected to an alternate address.
- First Class Package Service (aka First Class Parcels) will now include the Intelligent Mail package barcode and will provide free visibility to these parcels.
Priority Mail
Priority Mail retail (Post Office) prices will increase an average of 3.1% in 2012.
Express Mail
USPS retail rates for Express Mail will increase an average of 3.3% in 2012.
Parcel Select
Prices for Parcel Select, the U.S. Postal Service’s bulk ground shipping product, will increase an average of 8.5%.
First Class Package Service (formerly known as First Class Parcels)
First Class Parcels were recently transferred to the “competitive product list” which allows the mail class to be eligible for Commercial Base pricing. The mail class was renamed First Class Package Service and will see an average increase of 3.7% in 2012.
International Mail
The overall increase for Priority Mail International will be 8.7%.
Express Mail International will increase by 11.6% and will introduce a two new Express Mail International Flat Rate Boxes with a maximum weight of 20 pounds. Customers will pay a flat rate of $59.95 to Canada and $74.95 for all other countries.
Global Express Guaranteed prices will rise by 6.0%.
Visit USPS for more details.
New UPS Shipping Products for 2012
Package
UPS Ground services will increase a net 4.9% through a combination of a 5.9% increase in rates and a 1 percentage point reduction in the UPS Ground fuel surcharge.
UPS Air and International services will increase a net 4.9% through a combination of a 6.9% increase in rates and a 2 percentage point reduction in the UPS Air and International services fuel surcharge.
UPS Air Freight®
UPS Next Day Air® Freight and UPS 2nd Day Air® Freight rates for shipments within and between U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico will increase 5.9%. UPS 3 Day Freight® rates will remain unchanged.
UPS Freight®
UPS Freight announced a general rate increase covering non-contractual LTL shipments in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The general rate increase took effect on August 1, 2011.
For details, visit UPS Rates.
New FedEx Shipping Products for 2012
FedEx Express Standard List Rates
- FedEx Express package and freight rates will increase an average of 5.9% for U.S., U.S. export and U.S. import services. The rate increase will be partially offset by adjusting the fuel price at which the fuel surcharge begins, reducing the fuel surcharge by 2 percentage points.
- FedEx Express U.S. rates to Puerto Rico will change.
- FedEx International Premium® rates will change.
- Minimum rates for FedEx Express® services will change.
FedEx Ground Rates
- FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery® rates will increase an average of 5.9%. The rate increase will be partially offset by adjusting the fuel price at which the fuel surcharge begins, reducing the fuel surcharge by 1 percentage point.
FedEx SmartPost® Rates
- FedEx SmartPost rates will increase.*
FedEx® Retail Rates
- FedEx Retail Rates will increase. You can access 2012 FedEx Retail Rates via the Rate Tools application beginning Jan. 2, 2012.
For details, visit 2012 FedEx Rate Changes.
