USPS Priority Mail Guide Helps Online Sellers Compare Rates

[iwiw60]

FYI...

USPS Priority Mail Guide Helps Online Sellers Compare Rates
By Ina Steiner
EcommerceBytes.com
March 21, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes a printed guide in black and white can convey information more clearly than an online calculator or mobile app. And that's the case with a guide just published by Stamps.com to help customers make sense of USPS shipping rates.

Stamps.com released the 2012 Priority Mail Rate Guide to help online sellers compare Priority Mail costs in all eight USPS shipping zones for packages that weigh up to 70 pounds. The rates use "commercial base" pricing - in other words, the pricing that the USPS charges sellers who use online services such as Stamps.com or eBay to print their postage labels. (For instance, a small flat rate Priority Mail box costs $5.35 at the Post Office but costs $5.15 online.)

Many online sellers under-utilize the Regional Rate boxes, Nash said. For example, a 3-pound package going to Zone 5 would cost $7.26 in a Regional Box A (available in two sizes), compared to a regular Priority Mail package, which cost $8.71, as the chart shows. That's a savings of $1.45 on just one package.

According to the Stamps.com guide, a 3-pound package going Priority Mail to Zone 5 would cost:
Small flat rate box: $5.15
Regional Box A: $7.26
Priority: $8.71
Regional Box B: $10.80
Medium flat rate box: $10.85
Large flat rate box: $14.65
Regional Box C: $31.52

The chart is available in PDF form. Note that within each cell of the chart, prices are presented from lowest to highest.

Stamps.com Director of Online Marketing Eric Nash said the company provided the guide for free because it's trying to be a resource for online sellers.

He said Stamps has already updated the chart based on customer feedback. Many sellers asked for a way to tell which zone a buyer was in, which varies depending on the zip codes of the buyer and the seller. The chart now links to the USPS Postal Zone Charts. Customers also inquired about a guide to Priority Mail envelopes, which is under consideration.

[JJcards]

Wish it were that simple with canada post,they have all sorts of titles and pricing small packet,small package,difference about a buck,bulky item priority,bulky item ground,large parcel,large packet,large package all of which the price goes up or down I actually have to go onto their site sit at my desk with a tape measure and scale when I need to ship a large item to see what it will cost to certain areas

Case in point shipped 3 sport dolls out 1 lot went to the u.s cost me about 20$ the other lot went to a buyer in China,I quoted him at 45$ thinking this would be enough and I would refund any amount left over,got to the counter it was 95$

I never know with canada post so I try to do some homework online before setting a shipping price,I have a ton of books to sell but doubt anyone would want to pay 20-60$ shipping as that is the rate for a large book to the u.s (20$) and the u.k 60$