U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices and Services for 2013
WASHINGTON, DC—Oct. 12, 2012—Beginning early next year, the U.S. Postal Service will introduce a First-Class Mail Global Forever Stamp. The new stamp will allow customers to mail letters anywhere in the world for one set price of $1.10, and is among new mailing and shipping services filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC).
The price for First-Class Mail single-piece letters will increase by just a penny when prices change in January 2013. The new $.46 Forever stamps will allow customers to mail letters to any location in the United States. Forever stamps are always good for mailing a one-ounce letter anytime in the future regardless of price changes.
Highlights of the new single-piece First-Class Mail pricing, effective Jan. 27, 2013 include:
- Letters (1oz.) — $.01 increase to $.46
- Letters additional ounces — unchanged at $.20
- Letters to all international destinations (1oz.) — $1.10
- Postcards — $.01 increase to $.33
The PRC will review the prices before they become effective Jan. 27, 2013.
Shipping Services
Several new shipping services products will be available in January. Free tracking will be offered to all competitive packages, including retail Priority Mail and Parcel Post (recently renamed Standard Post). Also new, customers shipping Critical Mail letters and flats will now have the option of receiving a signature upon delivery as part of the service offering.
New domestic retail pricing for Priority Mail Flat Rate products include:
- Small box — $5.80
- Medium box — $12.35
- Large box — $16.85
- Large APO/FPO box — $14.85
- Regular envelope — $5.60
- Legal envelope — $5.75
- Padded envelope — $5.95
About USPS
A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation — 151 million residences, businesses and Post Office™ Boxes. The Postal Service™ receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail.
Source: USPS.