\nThere are plenty of holiday- and winter- themed stamps available to adorn your greeting cards this year. You can find them in our online Postal Store or at any one of our more than 34,000 Post Office locations. As a reminder, on Aug. 29, the cost of a First-Class Forever stamp increased three cents, from 55 cents to 58 cents. There are also temporary price increases in place through Dec. 26, 12:01 a.m., Central time for both retail and business customers for some of our more popular shipping products, which also includes military shipping \u2014 Priority Mail Express (PME), Priority Mail (PM), First-Class Package Service (FCPS), Parcel Select, USPS Retail Ground, and Parcel Return Service. International products are unaffected. These temporary rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with the revenue to cover extra costs in anticipation of peak-season volume surges similar to levels experienced in 2020.<\/p>\n
Temporary pricing increases for Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, Parcel Select Ground and USPS Retail Ground are as follows:<\/p>\n
- \n
- PM and PME Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes – $0.75<\/li>\n
- Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.\u00a0 – $0.25<\/li>\n
- Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs. –\u00a0 $0.75<\/li>\n
- Zones 1-4, 11-20 lbs. – $1.50<\/li>\n
- Zones 5-9, 11-20lbs. – $3.00<\/li>\n
- Zones 1-4, 21-70 lbs. – $2.50<\/li>\n
- Zones 5-9, 21-70 lbs. – $5.00<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
All other\u00a0retail<\/strong>\u00a0shipping services:<\/p>\n
- \n
- First-Class Package Service – Retail – $0.30<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A zone pricing calculator is can be found\u00a0online<\/em><\/a>. A complete list of\u00a0business<\/strong>\u00a0products and prices is also available\u00a0online<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n
The temporary adjustment is part of \u201cDelivering for America<\/em><\/a>,\u201d the Postal Service\u2019s 10-year plan for achieving financial sustainability and service excellence, which calls for appropriate pricing initiatives. Even with the temporary increase, the Postal Service has some of the lowest mail postage rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer great values in shipping.<\/p>\n
2021 Holiday Shipping Deadlines<\/strong>
\nThe Postal Service recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines for expected delivery by Dec. 25 to domestic addresses and APO\/FPO\/DPO (Air\/Army Post Office\/Fleet Post Office\/Diplomatic Post Office) addresses*:<\/p>\n- \n
- Nov. 6\u00a0\u00a0 \u2014 APO\/FPO\/DPO (all ZIP Codes) USPS Retail Ground service<\/li>\n
- Dec. 9\u00a0\u00a0 \u2014 APO\/FPO\/DPO (all ZIP Codes) Priority Mail and First-Class Mail<\/li>\n
- Dec. 15 \u2014 USPS Retail Ground service<\/li>\n
- Dec. 16 \u2014 APO\/FPO\/DPO (except ZIP Code 093<\/strong>) USPS Priority Mail Express Military service<\/li>\n
- Dec. 18 \u2014 First-Class Mail service (including greeting cards)<\/li>\n
- Dec. 18 \u2014 First-class packages (up to 15.99 ounces)<\/li>\n
- Dec. 20 \u2014 Priority Mail service<\/li>\n
- Dec. 23 \u2014 Priority Mail Express* service<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Alaska<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Dec. 18\u00a0\u2014 Alaska to\/from Continental U.S.\u2013 First-Class Mail<\/li>\n
- Dec. 18\u00a0\u2014 Alaska to\/from Continental U.S.\u2013 Priority Mail<\/li>\n
- Dec. 21\u00a0\u2014 Alaska to\/from Continental U.S.\u2013 Priority Mail Express<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Hawaii<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Dec. 17\u00a0\u2014 Hawaii to\/from mainland–Priority Mail and First-Class Mail<\/li>\n
- Dec. 21\u00a0\u2014 Hawaii to\/from mainland–Priority Mail Express<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
*Not a guarantee, unless otherwise noted. Dates are for estimated delivery before Dec. 25. Actual delivery date may vary depending on origin, destination, Post Office acceptance date and time, and other conditions. Some restrictions apply. For Priority Mail Express shipments mailed Dec. 22 through Dec. 25, the money-back guarantee applies only if the shipment was not delivered, or delivery was not attempted, within two business days.<\/p>\n
Skip the Trip and Ship Online<\/strong>
\nConsumers don\u2019t even have to leave home to ship their packages, simply visit\u00a0usps.com<\/em><\/a>. The Postal Service anticipates Dec. 19 will be the Postal Service\u2019s busiest day\u00a0online<\/strong>\u00a0with 12.5 million consumers predicted to visit\u00a0usps.com<\/em><\/a>\u00a0for help shipping that special holiday gift. And\u00a0usps.com<\/em><\/a>\u00a0is always open.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s estimated nearly 500,000 consumers will use the\u00a0Click-N-Ship<\/em><\/a>\u00a0feature and other online services on Dec. 14 to order free Priority Mail boxes, print shipping labels, purchase postage and even request free next-day Package Pickup.<\/p>\n
Busiest Time<\/strong>
\nThe busiest time of the season for the Postal Service begins two weeks before Christmas. It\u2019s expected that customer traffic at all Post Office locations will steadily increase beginning the week of Dec. 6, with the week of Dec. 13-18 anticipated to be the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery week of the season.<\/p>\nMore tips for a successful holiday mailing and shipping season:<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Use free Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes. They are available at local Post Office locations or online at\u00a0usps.com\/freeboxes<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Make it easy with Click-N-Ship. You can create shipping labels and pay for postage online at\u00a0usps.com\/ship<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Schedule a free Package Pickup when the carrier delivers your mail. It\u2019s free regardless of the number of packages. Or, pickups can be scheduled at\u00a0usps.com\/pickup<\/em><\/a>.*<\/em><\/li>\n
- Mail and packages that weigh more than 10 ounces and\/or are more than a half-inch thick using stamps as postage cannot be dropped into a collection box or left for a carrier to pick up. Instead, take them to a window clerk at a Post Office.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
*<\/em>Boxes are delivered within the U.S. with you regular mail, usually within 7 to 10 business days.\u00a0 Exclusions apply, or detail and to order, visit https:\/\/store.usps.com\/store.<\/p>\n
- Make it easy with Click-N-Ship. You can create shipping labels and pay for postage online at\u00a0usps.com\/ship<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Use free Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes. They are available at local Post Office locations or online at\u00a0usps.com\/freeboxes<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/li>\n
- First-Class Package Service – Retail – $0.30<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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