Table of Contents

1. USPS Ground Advantage
2. USPS HazMat Changes
3. Key Takeaways for the USPS July Changes
4. January 2023 USPS Rate Changes
5. USPS 2023 Shipping Rate Changes Highlights
6. Priority Mail Local Zones
7. Regional Rate Shipping is Going Away
8. Collapsing Canadian Pricing Groups

November 2023 USPS Rate Changes

On November 18, the USPS will initiate new rate adjustments with potential implications for your shipments. Here’s a snapshot of the key changes:

• Priority Mail® rates will increase by an average of 1.5%, especially impacting Zones 1-2.
• Ground Advantage costs will decrease by around 5%, with Zones 1-5 seeing more significant drops. 

Where will these changes be felt the most? Packages traveling shorter distances. Specifically, Ground Advantage packages weighing 1-2 lbs destined for Zones 1-5 could see a price drop ranging from 10-18%.

Additionally, those relying on Priority Mail Flat Rate® boxes should brace for an approximate 5% price hike.

Bear in mind that exact rates will hinge on package details and the distance traveled. As a standard practice, we recommend diligently comparing rates and services to pinpoint the optimal solution for your business.

USPS Ground Advantage

Beginning July 9, 2023, USPS will implement service changes, including introducing USPS Ground Advantage. These changes might be coming soon, but we’ve broken down everything you need to know to prepare for July 9. USPS is combining its domestic First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground, and Retail Ground services into a single service called USPS Ground Advantage. The features of this new service include: 

• A maximum weight of up to 70 pounds*
• $100 of insurance at no extra charge for all shipments 
• A national service standard of 2-5 days for all shipments
• A dimension maximum of up to 130 inches in length and girth

*DIM weight will still be considered for all shipments. 

USPS Ground Advantage will be available to all shippers beginning July 9, 2023. 

Please note that if you have any outbound or return labels connected to the services that will no longer be available, USPS will continue to accept and process those labels until September 30, 2023.

USPS HazMat Changes

The STC and banner changes mentioned in the spring USPS HazMat updates were initially slated to roll out on April 30, 2023. However, these changes have now been incorporated into the July 9 changes. In case you need a quick refresher on HazMat items, USPS considers “any matter having a clear potential for causing harm to the mail, persons, or property involved in moving the mail” to be hazardous. For a full list of hazardous materials, visit the USPS website. 

HazMat Label Updates

The July HazMat label changes for USPS are two-fold. Firstly, updated Dangerous Goods STCs will be added to HazMat labels. Similar to HS codes, Dangerous Goods STCs are numerical values that identify a package’s contents and classification and help shipments move through the USPS safely and efficiently. Secondly, the barcode banner text will now indicate the package includes hazardous goods. All HazMat shipments will still require the same documentation as has been required in the past. 

Key Takeaways for the USPS July Changes

• Updated Dangerous Goods STCs and new barcode banner text will now be included with HazMat shipments. 
• Domestic First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground, and Retail Ground will combine into Ground Advantage. 

Did you miss the January 2023 rate and service changes? You can find them below!

January 2023 USPS Rate Changes

The USPS 2023 shipping rate changes have been approved and will go into effect on January 22, 2023, replacing the Peak Season rates released in October 2022. Here, we will sum up what you need to know. Overall, rates increased across services and zones from last year, though many are still a reduction from the October increases. USPS is also introducing some changes that merchants must be aware of, particularly if they ship to nearby locations. 

USPS 2023 Shipping Rate Changes Highlights:

• Priority Mail commercial rates will increase by 3.6 percent, below the rate of inflation
• Priority Mail Express service prices would increase by 6.6 percent
• First-Class Package Service prices would increase by 7.8 percent 
• Overall, Priority Mail service prices would increase by approximately 5.5 percent
• There is no price increase for Parcel Select Ground
• Regional Rate boxes A and B will no longer be supported (if you have boxes still, you can use them at regular Priority Mail rates until stock is exhausted)
• Local, Zone 1, and Zone 2, which were previously the same rate, will now change to just Zone 1 and Zone 2 with separate shipping rates
• Canadian Zones will be collapsed down to a single pricing zone for Priority Mail International

Let’s get into a few more details on these changes. 

USPS Flat Rate 2023 Rate Changes

USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes and envelopes are popular shipping services for many online sellers thanks to their simplicity, free packaging, and competitive rates, regardless of package weight or destination. This year, it looks like each of the options will be seeing an increase across the board, mostly around 3.6% as mentioned above for Priority Mail in general.

Priority Mail Local Zones

Priority Mail shipping rates are based on weight and distance. That distance equates to Zones. In the past, Local and Zones 1 & 2 were all the same shipping cost. For 2023, USPS is doing away with the Local terminology and splitting Zones 1 and 2 into separate pricing tiers. This will impact merchants with customers who live in nearby neighborhoods or within the same state in many cases.

Regional Rate Shipping is Going Away

Regional Rate service is a service that let you ship using preset boxes you could order online, and the rate is cheaper when shipping short distances. USPS is doing away with this service with the 2023 shipping rate changes. The removal of this service, coupled with the change to Priority Mail Local and Zones 1 & 2, means merchants with a lot of localized business will see the most impact to their shipping. USPS has recommended trying to use Priority Mail Cubic in lieu of Regional Rate. This knowledge base article explains how and when you can use cubic rates in ShippingEasy to save over standard Priority Mail shipments.

Collapsing Canadian Pricing Groups

In the past, Priority Mail International shipping costs for Canada were broken into 8 different Pricing Groups. USPS has decided to simplify Canadian shipping down to a single Pricing Group for all locations. According to the USPS 2023 shipping rate changes FAQ, all packages shipping to Canada will fall under Pricing Group 1 for international shipping.

In other international shipping news, USPS is updating ‘‘Turkey’’ to ‘‘Turkiye,’’ which is the official short name for the Republic of Turkiye. So if you see this on your customs forms, it’s not a typo.

ShippingEasy is always here to make sure you’re informed of the latest in shipping rates. Plus, you’ll always get the best shipping rates available when you use our software. Click below to start a 30-day free trial and save on every shipment!

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In this article, we will outline some of the guidelines imposed by USPS, FedEx, and UPS on how to ship hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes, as well as other hazardous materials.

As always, check with your local office or specific carriers for the most up-to-date and accurate regulations.

First, let’s define what a hazardous product is. Anything that could cause harm to your package carrier, damage other packages or sorting machines during processing or transit, combust or explode for any number of reasons (temperature change, friction, chemical change, etc), or emit powerful odors can fall into the category.

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While that could encapsulate many products, it’s not likely you deal with those kinds of products on a day-to-day basis as an e-commerce merchant. Questions about this have become more prominent due to the current situation.

How to Ship Hand Sanitizer: USPS

There is good news to start. Small quantities of these potentially flammable hand sanitizers and alcohol wipes are permitted in domestic mail via surface transportation. That means you can not use any expedited shipping services like Priority Mail to ship these.

Multiple primary receptacles are permitted, provided the total quantity of flammable material per mailpiece does not exceed 1 quart for metal primary containers or 1 pint for nonmetal primary containers. As most hand sanitizers come in plastic containers, the latter quantity of 1 pint applies.

For reference, this is a 1 pint container of hand sanitizer.

Below are the guidelines set forth by USPS when it comes to shipping hand sanitizer and alcohol wipes.

• Flammable hand sanitizers and alcohol wipes are prohibited in international, Army Post Office, Fleet Post Office, and Diplomatic Post Office mail.
• Small quantities of flammable hand sanitizers and alcohol wipes can be sent in domestic mail by surface transportation only by USPS Retail Ground, Parcel Select, or Parcel Select Lightweight.
• Customers can only ship up to 1 pint of liquid per package using surface transportation. Cases of 12-ounce bottles or more exceed USPS allowable limits.

Customers who want to use domestic air transportation of these products must submit a request and obtain written authorization from the product classification manager at ProductClassification@usps.gov. See the appendix section for additional information. For more information check out the blog what does USPS classify as a hazardous material

Marking and labeling

The USPS requires that hazardous materials and restricted or perishable matter must be clearly identified on the address side of the mailpiece. Each mailpiece that qualifies to be sent under the small quantity provision must be clearly marked on the address side with the following words:

• “Surface Only” or “Surface Mail Only” and “Consumer Commodity ORM-D.”
• Optionally, each mailpiece may bear an approved DOT limited quantity square-on-point marking, designating surface transportation, prepared under 343.3b, instead of an ORM-D marking.

Below is an example of a square-on-point marking.

Other markings required by the Postal Service or other federal regulatory agencies also must appear on the address side of any mailpiece containing hazardous material, restricted matter, or perishable matter.

Learn the USPS regulations for shipping toiletries with our blog!

These required markings must be applied with a nonsoluble material or other material that cannot be rubbed off or smeared by hand or while the package is in transit. So think permanent marker, the above stickers, or marking covered in clear packing tape to protect it.

When packing, you’ll want to make sure the lids are facing up and you apply the below sticker that shows which side is up on two opposing sides of the package. This will help prevent spillage, though the containers are required to have screw-on tops. Surround the hand sanitizer with enough padding to protect it. The cushioning and primary receptacles must be packed in securely sealed secondary packaging.

Your package must also contain a return address with your name and address on all packaging that contains the materials deemed hazardous. You will need to disclose what is in the package and your carrier or USPS representative will determine the package’s mailability based on those contents.

ShippingEasy’s software supports shipping hazardous materials via USPS. Learn more here.

Check out the complete list of Prohibited, Restricted, and Non-Mailable Items

How to Ship Hand Sanitizer: UPS

UPS accepts hazardous materials on a contract basis only. Also, the information below is only for users who’ve connected their pre-existing UPS account to ShippingEasy. Please contact 1-800-PICKUPS if you created a brand-new UPS account with ShippingEasy. In order to use this service, you’ll need to:

• Have a ups.com profile
• Have a shipping account
• Be in compliance with all regulatory requirements and UPS’s carrier variation

Note: You’ll need to either use UPS Worldship or purchase an approved third-party software to be in compliance. You may contact UPS Customer Service Center at 1-800-PICKUPS, where special UPS programs may be available to support your particular products so that they may be shipped in compliance with UPS requirements.

Some important things to remember are:

• UPS services the U.S. and specific locations outside the U.S.
• Within the U.S. and Puerto Rico, UPS accepts non-bulk quantities of hazardous materials for transport by highway and rail, or air modes when prepared in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).
• UPS also accepts air shipments in accordance with regulations issued by International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO) and published as the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
• There’s a hazardous materials service handling charge applied to all hazardous
  materials/ dangerous goods packages that require a shipping paper or Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods.

When it comes to hazardous and dangerous materials, UPS has many of the same definitions as the other carriers. However, the limitations and timeframes available for shipping are different. Please check the Safety Data Sheet from the manufacturer and the Transport section for guidance.  There are hotlines that can assist, including the DOT hotline, or if shipping with UPS, the UPS Hazmat Helpdesk. The UPS Hazmat Helpdesk can be reached by phone at (800) 554-9964, and the DOT Helpdesk U.S. can be reached by phone at (800) 467-4922 or by email at infocntr@dot.gov.

UPS provides you with a Dangerous Goods Acceptance tool that gives you more information, like maximum quantities and level of innate hazard posed by the chemical. You’ll need this pdf to find the correct Chemical ID when searching in the acceptance tool.

Find out the carrier restrictions for shipping ice cream with our blog!

UPS doesn’t accept hazardous materials shipments at UPS Customer Centers, The UPS Store, Air Letter Centers, Authorized Shipping Outlets, commercial counters, or using Internet Shipping. U.S. Ground Service level shipments of Limited Quantity in the 48 contiguous states may be accepted at some locations.

For more information on how UPS regulates shipping dangerous items like hand sanitizer and other flammable liquids, visit their website.

How to Ship Hand Sanitizer: FedEx

FedEx allows you to ship approved dangerous goods items using their services. According to its website, training is required to do so:

Anybody shipping dangerous goods needs to have received the required training(s) and understand the applicable regulation(s). Alternatively, another person or company that has received the appropriate training(s) can be hired to prepare the shipment on your behalf.

If you’d like to take the training, you can find more information here.

There are accessible and inaccessible dangerous goods, and the ability to ship them to different locations varies, as is to be expected. FedEx does allow shipping dangerous goods within the U.S. A breakdown by country on what is accepted as well as a downloadable list can be found here.

That being said, FedEx recently released a statement noting that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a temporary relief notice specific to certain hand sanitizer products. Hand sanitizer shipments prepared under the PHMSA temporary relief notice can only be offered to FedEx Ground. Hand sanitizer shipments based on this temporary relief should not be offered to FedEx Express.

As for shipping hand sanitizer by any air services, FedEx notes the following exception for ethyl alcohol products containing not more than 70 percent ethyl alcohol by volume for liquids, and a shipment must meet these and the General Shipping Requirements below:

• When shipping in glass inner receptacle, each glass inner receptacle contains 8 ounces (0.063 gallons/0.23 liters) or less of hand sanitizer.
  • Note: Glass inner receptacles may be shipped up to 16 ounces (0.125 gallons/0.47 liters) with the company name and the words “Contains Ethyl Alcohol” marked on the package.
• When shipping in non-glass inner receptacle, each non-glass inner receptacle contains 16 ounces (0.125 gallons/0.47 liters) or less of hand sanitizer.

For shipments containing more than 70 percent ethyl alcohol by volume for liquids, a shipment must meet this and the General Shipping Requirements below:

• The inner receptacle contains 8 ounces (0.063 gallons/0.23 liters) or less of hand sanitizer.

The above shipments must also follow the below guidelines:

• Applies to U.S. domestic shipments only.
• Total net quantity of hand sanitizer is 192 ounces (1.5 gallons/5.6 liters) or less per package.
• Gross package weight is 66 pounds (29.9 kgs) or less per package. Gross package weight is determined by weighing the final prepared package.
• Inner packagings must be secured and cushioned within the outer package to prevent breakage, leakage, and movement during transportation. Inner packagings are packed with package closures in an upright orientation.

As you can see, shipping hand sanitizer or disinfecting wipes may feel like a noble cause. Due to its nature as a flammable liquid, however, you’ll need to make sure you’re following the rules to keep yourself out of trouble and keep your package delivery people safe!

Looking for information on just shipping liquids in general? We collected everything you need to know in this article!

Appendix:

USPS Information Source: https://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/Pub52/pub52.pdf

Note on written authorization from Manager, Product Classification

If a mailer holds a valid authorization or an exception from the Manager, Product Classification, the following criteria must be met upon acceptance of the items:

• Upon their first mailing at each postal facility, the mailer must provide a copy of a signed letter from Headquarters, Product Classification. The letter will contain the mailer’s unique approval number and applicable mailing requirements. Note: It is suggested that the facility maintains copies of such letters on file for future reference.
• The outer package must have the appropriate text marking “Contains xxx” followed by their assigned unique authorization number that will begin with either HSA, HSB, HSD, HSE, or HSS. Note: This information is included in the letter and can be hand or typewritten prominently on the package.
• Examples of text markings:
  • “Contains Air-Eligible Ethyl Alcohol – Authorization No. HSA – xxxxxx”
  • “Contains Air-Eligible Ethyl Alcohol – Authorization No. HSB – xxxxxx”
  • “Contains Surface Eligible Ethyl Alcohol – Exception No. HSE – xxxxxx”
  • “Contains Surface Eligible Isopropyl Alcohol – Exception No. HSD – xxxxxx”
  • “Contains Surface Eligible Alcohol Solids – Exception No. HSS – xxxxxx”

Please note that these materials are strictly prohibited in international mail, Army Post Office (APO), Fleet Post Office (FPO) and Diplomatic Post Office (DPO) destinations.

More information on shipping dangerous items through UPS can be found here.

For the full breakdown of changes relating to FedEx shipping, please read the full pdf here.

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As of July 9, 2023, Retail Ground, Parcel Select, and domestic First-Class Package Service will be combined into USPS Ground Advantage. Visit our blog for more information!

As has been the case since the 2020 holiday season, USPS has proposed its Peak Season Temporary Rate Adjustments. These adjustments are meant to help cover extra handling costs and ensure a successful season during one of the busiest times of the year for e-commerce merchants and shipping carriers.

Below is a full breakdown of the changes you can expect to services like Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express, First-Class Package Service (FCPS), Parcel Select Ground, and USPS Retail Ground rates. Pending favorable review by the Postal Regulatory Committee, the USPS Peak Season Temporary Rates would go into effect at 12 a.m. Central on Oct. 2 and remain in place until 12 a.m. Central on Jan. 22, 2023.

Note: there are no planned rate adjustments on international services, parcel return rates, or Parcel Select Lightweight rates.

USPS Peak Season Temporary Rate Adjustments Breakdown

We’ve laid out both Commercial Rates and Retail Rates below. As a reminder, when you use ShippingEasy, we get you access to Commercial Rates normally only reserved for the largest merchants, regardless of your shipping volume.

Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express:

• Commercial:
  • $0.75 increase for PM and PME Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes
  • $0.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.80 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.75 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs
  • $2.80 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs
  • $3.00 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs
  • $6.50 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs
• Retail:
  • $0.95 increase for PM and PME Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes
  • $0.30 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs
  • $1.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.95 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs
  • $3.20 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs
  • $3.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs
  • $6.45 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs

First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground, and USPS Retail Ground:

• Commercial:
  • $0.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.40 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.75 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs
  • $1.60 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs
  • $3.00 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs
  • $5.50 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs
• Retail:
  • $0.30 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.60 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.95 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs
  • $2.70 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs
  • $3.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs
  • $5.85 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs

As a reminder, First-Class Package Service can be used for packages up to 15.999 oz, whereas Retail can only be used for packages up to 13 oz. Thus the increases applying to that would be the 0-10 lbs increases.

Examples of the Rate Adjustments’ Effects

To help illustrate what the USPS Peak Season Rate Adjustments look like, we’ve put together some more specific examples for you. Since we offer USPS Commercial Rates, we’ve used those to illustrate the effects in the lists below.

A 5 lb package going Priority Mail to Zone 4

• Standard 2022 shipping rate: $9.82
• Peak Season shipping rate: $10.07
• Percent increase: 2.48%

A 12 lb package going Priority Mail Flat Rate Small Box to Zone 6

• Standard 2022 shipping rate: $8.25
• Peak Season shipping rate: $9.00
• Percent increase: 8.33%

An 8 oz package going First Class Package Service to Zone 6

• Standard 2022 shipping rate: $3.88
• Peak Season shipping rate: $4.28
• Percent increase: 9.34%

Merchants who sell lighter items and often use First-Class Package Service have some of the largest effects, which will be significant for the 2022 holiday season.

Would you like to see a full list of 2022 Priority Mail and First Class Package Service rates? You can find them here, then do more math to discover what some of your standard packages may cost to ship this peak season. If you want to make sure you have access to Commercial Rates, click below to start your 30-day free trial of ShippingEasy!

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As of July 9, 2023, Retail Ground, Parcel Select, and domestic First-Class Package Service will be combined into USPS Ground Advantage. Visit our blog for more information!

The USPS 2022 shipping rate changes have been proposed by USPS and would go into effect on January 9, 2022. Here, we will sum up what you need to know. Overall, rates increased across services and zones from last year, but this year we actually see some decreases that some merchants may find beneficial. We’ll go over changes to the most popular USPS shipping services including Priority Mail, First-Class Package, Flat Rate, and Regional Rate. It does appear that the 2022 rate changes are pretty straightforward, which merchants can feel good about.

USPS 2022 Shipping Rate Changes Highlights:

• The increase in rates for Priority Mail is approximately 3.1 percent, which is actually less than the 3.5 percent in 2021 (more on that in a second)
• There will be an approximately 3.1 percent increase for Priority Mail Express service
• USPS actually lowered rates for Priority Mail for the weight ranges of 10 pounds to 25 pounds, in some cases substantially. The lower rates are across all Zones, Local through Zone 8.
• USPS Regional rate will see an average of 4.26 percent increase. That being said, there are multiple Zones for Regional Rate Box B that will see decreases in rates, as well.
• First-Class Package Service, USPS’s method for packages under 15.999 oz, once again will see the greatest increase this year. The service will increase an average of just over 7.2 percent. In 2021, a $100 fee was assessed on parcels found in the mailstream that exceed the maximum mailable size limit (combined length and girth greater than 130 inches). From what we’ve seen, there are no proposed changes to that fee.
• First-Class International Package Service rates are increasing by an average of 3.79 percent across the 20 pricing groups, a whole percent higher than last year.
• There does not appear to be any major structural changes or any changes to dimensional weight (get a full breakdown of dimensional weight here).
• USPS will be introducing a couple of new services to help small businesses.
  • A new Plus One product, which will provide additional marketing options for businesses to reach local customers utilizing mail.
  • Also, building on the USPS Connect pilot in 2021, the Postal Service is requesting approval for a market test for a new USPS Connect Local Mail product which will provide the ability to send documents within local communities for same/day next delivery.

Let’s dive into what the changes look like for 2022 if the Postal Regulatory Committee approves the changes.

Please note: The rates below are based on USPS Commercial Rates, which are deeply discounted rates from retail rates. You can get these rates by using ShippingEasy for your e-commerce shipping. Also, the rates in the tables below reflect non-holiday USPS rates, and will not match the rates USPS implemented earlier this season. Find more information on those changes here.

Check out our blog for more answers to your USPS FAQs!

USPS Flat Rate 2022 Rate Changes

USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes and envelopes are very popular shipping services for many online sellers thanks to their simplicity, availability of free packaging, and competitive rates, regardless of package weight or destination. This year, the Small and Medium boxes and evenlopes are seeing around a 4.4 percent increase. Large boxes and APO/FPO/DPO Large boxes are actually decreasing. In 2021, they saw a full $1 increase, so it’s nice to see some leveling out on these services.

USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate	2021 Commercial Rates	2022 Commercial Rates	Price Increase
Flat Rate Envelopes	$7.40	$7.75	$0.35
Legal Flat Rate Envelope	$7.70	$8.05	$0.35
Padded Flat Rate Envelope	$8.00	$8.45	$0.45
Small Flat Rate Box	$7.90	$8.25	$0.35
Medium Flat Rate Boxes	$13.75	$14.25	$0.50
Large Flat Rate Boxes	$19.30	$19.20	-$0.10
APO/FPO/DPO Large Flat Rate Box	$17.80	$17.70	-$0.10

USPS Priority Mail 2022 Rate Changes

Priority Mail is the most popular shipping service for USPS. Millions of merchants use this method to ship packages daily.

Below we’ve put together an example of the cost of a 4 lb. package, comparing 2021 rates to the new 2022 rates going to various zones:

USPS Priority Mail	2021 Commercial Rates	2022 Commercial Rates	Price Increase
Zones 1 & 2	$8.10	$8.34	$0.24
Zone 3	$8.58	$8.84	$0.26
Zone 4	$9.21	$9.49	$0.28
Zone 5	$10.43	$11.54	$1.11
Zone 6	$14.80	$15.54	$0.74
Zone 7	$16.78	$18.03	$1.25
Zone 8	$18.96	$20.77	$1.81

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To get an idea of what the 2022 Priority Mail rates look like, the rate chart below outlines 2022 Commercial Priority Mail shipments up to 10 pounds:

2022 Priority Mail Rates	Local 1 & 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6	Zone 7	Zone 8
0.5 lbs	$7.37	$7.68	$7.90	$8.12	$8.59	$9.16	$9.68
1 lbs	$7.37	$7.68	$7.90	$8.12	$8.59	$9.16	$9.68
2 lbs	$8.02	$8.20	$8.49	$9.12	$10.96	$11.62	$12.66
3 lbs	$8.24	$8.60	$8.98	$9.93	$13.34	$15.03	$17.74
4 lbs	$8.34	$8.84	$9.49	$11.54	$15.54	$18.03	$20.77
5 lbs	$8.45	$8.89	$9.82	$12.71	$17.03	$20.81	$24.01
6 lbs	$8.56	$9.25	$10.25	$13.63	$18.53	$23.78	$27.43
7 lbs	$9.04	$10.21	$10.82	$14.50	$20.02	$25.80	$29.82
8 lbs	$9.18	$10.71	$12.07	$15.38	$21.53	$27.81	$32.21
9 lbs	$9.79	$11.08	$12.57	$16.64	$23.03	$29.83	$34.59
10 lbs	$10.29	$11.55	$12.92	$17.74	$24.52	$31.84	$36.77

USPS First-Class Package 2022 Rate Changes

First-Class Package service has been the most popular and cheapest USPS service to ship packages under 1 lb. Many small and medium-sized businesses rely on this cost-effective shipping method for small and light packages.

An important element to note is that the First-Class Package Service Commercial rates allow you to ship up to 15.999 oz packages. Retail rates only allow you to ship up to 13 oz packages with the service.

Similar to last year, USPS First-Class Package Service is seeing some of the highest increases in shipping rates as a percent increase. The lower weights and zones are seeing an over 10 percent rate increase over 2021.

2022 USPS First Class Pkg (up to)	Zones 1 & 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6	Zone 7	Zone 8
1 oz	$3.37	$3.39	$3.42	$3.48	$3.58	$3.72	$3.86
2 oz	$3.37	$3.39	$3.42	$3.48	$3.58	$3.72	$3.86
3 oz	$3.37	$3.39	$3.42	$3.48	$3.58	$3.72	$3.86
4 oz	$3.37	$3.39	$3.42	$3.48	$3.58	$3.72	$3.86
5 oz	$3.76	$3.79	$3.81	$3.87	$3.88	$3.99	$4.15
6 oz	$3.76	$3.79	$3.81	$3.87	$3.88	$3.99	$4.15
7 oz	$3.76	$3.79	$3.81	$3.87	$3.88	$3.99	$4.15
8 oz	$3.76	$3.79	$3.81	$3.87	$3.88	$3.99	$4.15
9 oz	$4.34	$4.39	$4.42	$4.50	$4.68	$4.83	$4.98
10 oz	$4.34	$4.39	$4.42	$4.50	$4.68	$4.83	$4.98
11 oz	$4.34	$4.39	$4.42	$4.50	$4.68	$4.83	$4.98
12 oz	$4.34	$4.39	$4.42	$4.50	$4.68	$4.83	$4.98
13 oz	$5.49	$5.53	$5.57	$5.72	$5.96	$6.11	$6.28
14 oz	$5.49	$5.53	$5.57	$5.72	$5.96	$6.11	$6.28
15 oz	$5.49	$5.53	$5.57	$5.72	$5.96	$6.11	$6.28
15.999 oz	$5.49	$5.53	$5.57	$5.72	$5.96	$6.11	$6.28

USPS Media Mail 2022 Rate Changes

USPS Media Mail is a low-cost option for shipping physical media such as books, DVDs/Blu-rays, vinyl records, CDs, and magazines and other bound materials that are at least 8 bound pages. This shipping method takes longer to reach its final destination and be aware that USPS is allowed to examine the packaging to verify approved content. Media Mail saw a 10.77 percent back in August of 2021, and the rates are staying the same heading into 2022. The service allows parcels up to 70 lbs with a cost of $46.66, and below is a cross-section up to 10 lbs.

Weight (not over lbs.)	2021 Commercial Rate	2022 Commercial Rate
1	$2.89	$3.19
2	$3.45	$3.82
3	$4.01	$4.45
4	$4.57	$5.08
5	$5.13	$6.34
6	$5.69	$6.97
7	$6.25	$7.60
8	$6.81	$7.60
9	$7.37	$8.23
10	$7.93	$8.86

Regional Rate Shipping 2022 Rate Changes

Regional Rate service is a less-used but useful shipping service. This method lets you ship using preset boxes you can order online, and the rate is cheaper when shipping short distances. Both Regional Rate Box A and B rates increased across all zones. Regional Rate shipments are mainly designed to be shipped to Zones 1-4. Which makes for an interesting decision by USPS to actually lower the rates for Regional Rate Box B going to Zones 6 – 8.

USPS Regional Rate Box A	2021 Rates	2022 Rates	Price Increase
Local 1 & 2	$7.83	$8.38	$0.55
Zone 3	$8.04	$8.58	$0.54
Zone 4	$8.34	$8.88	$0.54
Zone 5	$9.01	$9.55	$0.54
Zone 6	$10.89	$11.55	$0.66
Zone 7	$11.63	$12.32	$0.69
Zone 8	$12.64	$13.54	$0.90
Zone 9	$23.37	$26.37	$3.00

USPS Regional Rate Box B	2021 Rates	2022 Rates	Price Increase
Local 1 & 2	8.23	8.88	$0.65
Zone 3	8.64	9.37	$0.73
Zone 4	9.56	10.12	$0.56
Zone 5	12.36	12.47	$0.11
Zone 6	17.50	16.61	-$0.89
Zone 7	20.10	19.59	-$0.51
Zone 8	22.90	22.51	-$0.39
Zone 9	42.98	44.02	$1.04

Parcel Select Ground 2022 Changes

Parcel Select is also a less-often used USPS shipping method. It’s slower and doesn’t offer the included tracking and insurance that comes with USPS Priority Mail. There are instances where it is cheaper, but many small and medium-sized business are willing to spend the extra cents to have those options available. That being said, Parcel Select Ground can be a way to shave shipping costs and improve margins. The rates for Parcel Select Ground will see an average nearly 15 percent decrease.

Here we’ve used an example of a 5 lb package to illustrate the increases for 2022. As you can see, Parcel Select Ground is the only method where we’re seeing an actual decrease in many instances. As a matter of fact, most Zones for packages 2 – 25 lbs are decreasing in shipping costs for 2022.

2021 USPS Parcel Select	2021 Commercial Rates	2022 Commercial Rates	Price Change
Local, 1 & 2	$7.95	$7.55	-$0.40
Zone 3	$8.38	$8.14	-$0.24
Zone 4	$9.28	$8.91	-$0.37
Zone 5	$11.35	$10.31	-$1.04
Zone 6	$15.97	$12.46	-$3.51
Zone 7	$18.19	$13.19	-$5.00
Zone 8	$20.56	$13.98	-$6.58
Zone 9	$20.56	$13.98	-$6.58

Are you overspending? Find out with our postage savings calculator!

Conclusion

While the USPS 2022 shipping rate changes will affect just about every e-commerce shipper, the increased rates still often beat UPS and FedEx services for most package sizes and destinations. Commercial Rates, as seen above, will be available from shipping platforms like ShippingEasy to give sellers substantial discounts off retail rates for packages.

Looking for more information on Flat Rate? Check out our blog!

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