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Annual Postage Rate Increase - 2019 edition
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glancing at the new rate tables (from what appears to be the final NOTICE 123), the FCPS rates for zone 1 are unchanged. As you move farther out, they creep upwards.

For example, a 8-ounch package currently costs $3.18, and it is still $3.18 for zone 1. When you get out to zone 8, the new rate is $3.63 (a 45-cent increase, roughly 14%).

I'm using the PDF link from this page.
https://pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index

Edit: After digging into the FCPS chart, I see the not so obvious new scheme. Rates are now (for this year) divided into 4 brackets; 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, and 13-16 ounces. each bracket has the same weight for a given zone, but is, in fact, progressively higher than the old rate for that spot.

For Priority Mail, some rates went up and some went down. My impression is that each rate in PM has two components, one that represents the cost of handling the package, the other being related to the distance the package is being moved. The handling component went up quite a bit from last year, while the distance part moved lower. Heavy packages going to farther destinations trended lower, while lighter and/or close in destinations calculated out to a higher rate.

Just me impression.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps I am an idiot, but how do we know which zones we are shipping to??? It obviously has to go by where we are to where the customer is, how can we figure this ahead of time. Over 10% of my orders go to California so I have to be sure I am taking that into account when needing to set rates.

Or should I worry about it later? Once Christmas is past.
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Moon,

USPS has a page (the link escapes me at the moment) that prints out a zone chart. You give it your 3-digit zip code prefix (leftmost 3 of the 5 digit zip) and it generates a chart for all other valid 3-digit prefixes, and what zone they are in.

The zones are roughly related to distance. The really close stuff will be zone 1 (or local). The far destinations (for me Alaska, Hawaii and the western states) are zone 8. A special recent addition is certain US protectorate islands in the Pacific which are all zone 9 (and have distinctly higher shipping rates).
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SheilaDeesPostcards
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Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 7:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

To determine an exact postal zone for a customer you need a chart from USPS based on your shipping zone. Here's a link where the chart can be generated,
https://postcalc.usps.com/DomesticZoneChart .

A nice color graphic map is available for free from endicia.com at this link:
https://apps.endicia.com/apps/zonemap

Note to every one reading, be sure you enter your own shipping zip code on both links so you get the correct information.

@cosmicray, thanks for the link to the USPS NOTICE 123, they had not posted the PDF when I had last checked.

Personally, I think this year is going to be the hardest for me compared to all the postage increases of the past! Determining if something is under 2 lbs or over 2 lbs is one thing, but under x ozs to ?? zone for First Class is crazy. I use USPS Calculated in my Treasures store, but trying to set my backup for GS and time-outs is going to be a nightmare. I'm not looking forward to my preparation for this change.

Moon, I'm waiting until Jan. 2 to deal with the issue. Rolling Eyes
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you Sheila. I was coming back to post the link, but you got it up first.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 7:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Moon, I'm waiting until Jan. 2 to deal with the issue. Rolling Eyes


Sheila, I don't remember the exact quote, but in the movie Gone with the Wind Scarlett O'Hara said some to the effect that I'll worry/think about it later. It has been a while since I saw it, the thinking is the same! Fiddle-dee-de!!

They basically did this with the international shipping prices for FCM International and that is when I gave up shipping that way unless someone asks me to ship something to their country so I can make sure the price is right.
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slyravengear



Posts: 120

PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How much does china rates go up? Oh yeah, none.

I really have a poor opinion of the usps allowing a foreign person to negotiate rates for us with China, giving China insane deal on shipping. Their statement was that its business deals, but what business deal gives the other party every advantage while we get zero advantage? That is pretty horrible business negotiations.

Its like buying a car and you are like ok ill give you 25k for this car and you can keep the car as well, so you get 25k and I get nothing.


LOL
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

slyravengear wrote:
I really have a poor opinion of the usps allowing a foreign person to negotiate rates for us with China, giving China insane deal on shipping.

Actually, it's up to Congress to do the negotiating. The UPU only governs what is negotiated. A country has the option of pulling out of the UPU, which is what Trump is threatening to do if other countries like China don't agree to fairer deals. This deal is actually one of the few things Congress fully agrees with the President on. If we do pull out of the UPU, then other countries will have to pay whatever rates the USPS sets if they want to ship to the US. So, it doesn't really serve other countries to play hardball with the US when it comes to negotiating shipping rates, especially not with a US President who knows how and isn't afraid to play hardball and has the full backing of Congress to boot. LOL

As for my shipping, I took care of that before my holiday vacation because I just got back over the weekend and have tax stuff to focus on now. While some of my shipping prices might be higher before the change goes into effect, it's not a significant enough difference to worry about in most cases. Plus, I use calculated shipping, so the differences would only be noticed if my backup shipping rates are used. Although, come to think of it, I believe I still have the Matrix to update for Priority packages.
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 9:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The rate increase is almost upon us. A few days ago I entered all the new rates into my table, and noticed something curious … for the Priority Mail rates, and applying my weights as to which zone was generating how much business, my blended rate for most weights went down. Not much, but a gentle reduction. Interesting development.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another thing for my to-do list!
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jigsaw-puzzle-palooza



Posts: 822

PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2019 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In addition to DIM weight rates going up in June it will also apply to ALL zones........terrible
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2019 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jigsaw-puzzle-palooza wrote:
In addition to DIM weight rates going up in June it will also apply to ALL zones........terrible

Do you have a link to that announcement ? I totally missed any mention of that change.
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jigsaw-puzzle-palooza



Posts: 822

PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cosmicray wrote:
jigsaw-puzzle-palooza wrote:
In addition to DIM weight rates going up in June it will also apply to ALL zones........terrible

Do you have a link to that announcement ? I totally missed any mention of that change.


I received an email from Stamps.com that had a download for the 2019 USPS RATE CHANGE GUIDE. The statement below is from the Frequently Asked Questions in that guide.

Is the Dimensional (DIM) Weight divisor changing for the USPS? Note: The USPS has postponed this change until June 2019! The Dimensional Weight (DIM) divisor for Priority Mail packages over 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) is being adjusted from 194 to 166. DIM pricing is also being added to all shipping zones for Priority Mail parcels over 1 cubic foot as well as to Parcel Select and Priority Mail Express.

Here's the link:

https://blog.stamps.com/2019/01/11/2019-usps-postage-rate-increase-guide-free-download/


Last edited by jigsaw-puzzle-palooza on Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:56 pm; edited 1 time in total
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jigsaw-puzzle-palooza



Posts: 822

PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just printed a Priority shipping label for zone 8 that will ship on 1/28. The new counter rate was $1.20 higher than the old rate but the online rate only went up 6 cents Very Happy
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

California is the state where most of our orders go to. I checked on Endicia what a 3 oz package would cost to go there - $3.06! So I knew I had to nudge my S&H a bit. I raised everything on the matrix by a quarter. Once I see how my rates go on Amazon I will look into changing things there. I still remember sending letters back and forth from here to my boyfriend in CA after we moved here. It only cost a nickel back in 1971-72! I ordered a bunch of forever stamps about a week ago to avoid the jump in prices for paying bills that I can't pay online or to send thank you notes and actual letters. They should hopefully last several years.
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