Wednesday, February 18, 2009

2009 Postage Increase Announced

It may not be the best of times, but it's not the worst, either. The new postal increase--announced last week, and pegged to 2008 inflation--came in at an average of 3.8% increase as predicted. Some folks fared better; some worse.

Complicating an already very complicated multi-tiered postal system, the USPS announced ten new postal categories. As if having 30 different rates for standard letters and 30 different rates for nonprofit letters wasn't confusing enough! It's enough to make your head spin.

Anyway, here's the Cliff's notes version of what we have to look forward to on May 11th:

First the easiest to explain: First class mail will go to 44 cents for the initial ounce, but will hold at 17 cents for additional ounces.

Postcards (the 4.25x6" variety anyway) go to 28 cents each in First Class and to .208 in First Class Presort, a one-cent each increase.

Now it gets trickier.

First Class Presort letters less than one ounce range from .335 to .382, depending upon their sortation (5-digit, 3-digit, AADC or Mixed AADC) and to .414 if non-automation.

Standard saturation CRRT letter rise to .139 cents--if dropped at the DSCF (Destination Section Center Facility). The same letter mailed at a DBMC (Destination Bulk Mail Center) will cost .148; but if mailed outside the D- (Destination) area, the worst-case would be .182.

Nonprofit saturation CRRT letters will rise to .067 each--if dropped at the DSCF (Destination Section Center Facility). The same letter mailed at a DBMC (Destination Bulk Mail Center) will cost .076 each; but if mailed outside the D- (Destination) area, the worst-case would be .11 each.

A Standard 5-digit sorted letter will range from .19 (19 cents) if mailed from the DSCF to .233 (23.3 cents) if not. At 3-digit sortation, this letter would mail between .208 and .251 each. If you can't make 3-digit, it could mail at .27 each at Mixed AADC level.

The non-profit equivalent would be .089 to .132 if 5-digit; .107 to .15 if 3-digit and as high as .169 for Mixed AADC level.

The big winner (if that's not overstating the up-side) are standard mail flats which rose only 2.3%. Catalogers are celebrating quietly, as they had lobbied for no increase at all. But since these guys got hammered 18 months ago with rates going up as much as 90%, the post office was showing a bit of mercy this time.

The big loser was for Standard rate parcels that rose an average of 16%. This category most affects shippers of 3-dimensional packaging like apparel or CDs. Suggestion: renew your Netflix subscription now to avoid the inevitable increase that's coming.

Mightily confused? Let us know if you want a copy of our simplified postage rate chart. Just email Ellen@PaulandPartners.net and request one. We'll put it into the mail for you. If you ask nicely, we may even explain it to you.

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