Decertification Information

USPS Rate Changes

USPS Rate Change 2007

What are the changes? This rate change focused on the shape and thickness of your packages, as well as the weight. This means that you must be aware of the weight, thickness, and dimension of your mail to apply the correct postage. If you do not, your mail will be returned to you. This change is being referred to as Shape Based Pricing.

For your mail to be accepted, you must know whether your mail piece is classified as a letter, flat, or parcel because the cost for each category has changed. In the past, mailing a 1 oz. envelope cost the same as mailing a 1 oz. flat or 1 oz. parcel. However, after this rate change, mailing a standard 1 oz. envelope costs $0.41, a 1 oz. flat costs $0.80, and a 1 oz. parcel costs $1.13. In order to determine which category your mail piece falls under, you have to look at the length, height, thickness, and weight of your mail piece.

This change leaves businesses with three options: change your mail, pay the penalty, or acquire a solution. To change your mail you can use a folder/inserter to fold your documents into a #10 envelope automatically, for example, instead of putting the contents in a manila envelope or a flat. See our Folder/Inserter section. Pay the penalty means you can do nothing and just pay the increased cost in postage, and the increase in man hours for sorting the mail. Lastly, you can acquire a solution. This means that you can upgrade your system to incorporate a Dynamic Scale that will weigh and measure your mail in motion, then meter your pieces accordingly. See our Dynamic Scale section.

Please browse through the links below or more information on these new USPS requirements or call us and ask for a free consultation with Dave or Clarence to see how this change will affect you.

CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL RATE CHANGE 2007 PRICE BOOK

United States Postal Service's web site
A wealth of information from the source themselves.

The Shape of Things to Come
A complete guide to the length, height, and thickness restrictions for letters, flats, and parcels.

Determining Rate Under New Structure
A brief guide to determining mail piece category and information on a solution: sort all of the mail by hand, or purchase a Neopost Mailing Machine and a Dynamic Scale. (Our Dynamic Scale currently operates with the IS-460, IS-480, IJ-80, IJ-90, or IJ-110 only.) Other helpful tools are Neopost Folder/Inserters, Addressing Printers, or Data Systems.

Helpful Rate Change Information in .JPG Format:
Shape Based Pricing Example
First Class Rates at a Glance
Shape Based Mail Formats

Related Articles from "Mail: The Journal of Communication Distribution"
Another Potential Rate Change in 2009

***UPDATE***
As of May 25th, 2007, The United States Post Office has added two additional changes to the May 14th, 2007 rate change:

• The Priority Mail Flat Rate Box price is $8.95 instead of the $9.15 price originally recommended by the Postal Rate Commission. This box does not require the use of a scale as it is a Flat Rate Box for $8.95
• The 17-cent First-Class Mail nonmachinable surcharge now applies to all First-Class Mail nonmachinable letters up to 3.5 ounces and not just to those that weight one ounce or less as originally approved. Please click here for more information regarding the nonmachinable surcharge.

If you have any rate change inquiries, please call 541-726-6800 and ask for Emily, or just
e-mail us.

Information last updated June 19th, 2007.