Making the Right Choices
Businesses and organizations of all sizes have at least one goal in mind as it relates to shipping packages - to ship packages at the most cost-effective rates possible while still meeting specific delivery objectives.
Within the Postal ServiceTM, mailers have many choices. These choices may depend on the actual contents of the package, and perhaps even whom the mailer or the recipient is. Let's explore these options by comparing postage costs and delivery objectives by class of mail for a 1-pound package containing an instruction manual that would be mailed from Milwaukee Wisconsin to Peachtree, City Georgia.
All mailable matter may be sent as Express Mail® (except matter prohibited by standards, such as certain hazardous materials). Assuming that the instruction manual would fit within the Express Mail flat-rate envelope, postage would be $16.25 for Post OfficeTM to Addressee Next — Day service1. If the mailer used packaging other than the flat-rate envelope, postage for the package would be $19.50. In addition to speed of delivery, which is guaranteed 365 days a year, other benefits of Express Mail include automatic insurance up to $100.00, proof of delivery with a signature upon request, and package tracing information.
Shipped as Priority Mail®, postage would be significantly less, but delivery time could be increased by at least one day, and delivery time is not guaranteed. Postage would be $4.60 and delivery would most likely be about 2 days2.
Mail not having personal information that might otherwise require it to be mailed as First-Class Mail®, Priority Mail or Express Mail may be mailed as Package Services mail. Within Package Services there are four subclasses: Library Mail, Media Mail®, Bound Printed Matter and Parcel Post®. There is no guaranteed delivery for Package Services mail, and because this class of mail travels via ground transportation, the service standard may range from three to 10 days.
Library Mail postage for this one-pound package containing an instruction manual would be only $2.02. However, in addition to strict content requirements, there are restrictions relative to who the sender and/or recipients may be. For example, the mailpiece must show in the delivery address or return address the name of a school, public library, museum, or herbarium or the name of a qualifying nonprofit organization3.
Media Mail® also has content requirements, including the fact that other than an incidental announcement, there can be no advertising. However, there are not strict limitations relative to sender / recipient. Postage for this one-pound package containing an instruction manual would be $2.13.
Bound Printed Matter (BPM) must consist of advertising, promotional, directory, or editorial material (or any combination of such material) and be securely bound by permanent fastenings such as staples, spiral binding, glue, or stitching.
Parcel Post® is used for mailing merchandise, books, circulars, catalogs, and other printed matter. A mailer would use this subclass when the contents wouldn't otherwise qualify as Media Mail, Library Mail or Bound Printed Matter where the postage may be less.
Unlike Library Mail and Media Mail, postage for Bound Printed Matter and Parcel Post® are subject to weight and zone. The heavier the mailpiece, and the further it must travel, the greater the postage will be. Bound Printed Matter and Parcel Post may contain advertising, such as catalogs. If this one-pound manual met the requirements of a flat-size mailpiece, Bound Printed Matter postage would be $2.14; and as a parcel, postage would be $2.304. Mailed as Parcel Post, postage for this mailpiece would be $4.505.
As you can see, mailers may pay as little as two dollars plus change or as much as almost twenty dollars to mail the same package. The choices are there, based sometimes on who the recipient or mailer is, and ultimately by the contents and delivery objective. Make the right choice, and keep on mailin'!
- Express Mail Next Day Service may not be available at or between all post offices or at all times of deposit. An Express Mail Next Day Service directory, showing detailed local information about Express Mail Next Day Service, is available at post offices. Mailers may also determine Express Mail® service commitments via www.usps.com/expressmailcommitments/ or multi-carrier shipping systems.
- 1# package to Zone 5, per Postage Rate Calculator on www.usps.com.
- For detailed information, refer to the Domestic Mail Manual on Postal Explorer® software http://pe.usps.gov/
- Zone 5 Inter-BMC
- Zone 5, machinable parcel