| *UPDATE* Postal Service Mailing Services Prices to Change on May 11 |
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Change is inevitable; it surrounds us. Whether in our personal lives or in our workplaces, the one thing we can count on is change. Some embrace it, while others run screaming in the opposite direction. We love change and so does the United States Post Office.
In 2001 the USPS introduced sweeping changes in its rules, rates, and regulations. These new measures were enacted in order to create a more streamlined and meaningful set of guidelines that have resulted in increased efficiencies and quicker entry into the mail stream. In 2008, we faced the first of the proposed yearly rate adjustments envisioned by the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. This means that every May (with 90 days notice), postal rates may be increased up to and no more than the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. Simply put, on May 11, 2009, the cost of a first-class stamp will change from $0.42 to $0.44. Figuring out how this change will affect your mail is no small task, but who doesn’t love a challenge?
At Graphics and Mailing, we embrace change with open arms because it gives us the opportunity to help our clients shine. Changes in rules, rates, and regulations inevitably affect our customers’ mailing projects; it’s our job to ensure that these changes are smooth, barely-noticeable transitions, rather than uncomfortable and jarring speed bumps on the direct mail marketing path. We offer specific solutions to fit every change that the USPS introduces. Rate increase? No problem. New requirements for flat mail pieces? A breeze. Intricate and detailed regulation changes that read like the most complicated hieroglyphics before the French found the Rosetta Stone? Bring it on.
We live for change. Change affects us all. It keeps us on our toes, forcing us to find new techniques and technologies to reach our goals. Our goal is to be the best and to help our clients be the best. We covet the opportunity to help our clients grow their businesses and increase their returns on investment. Call or email us today to schedule an evaluation or your mail project or to set up a seminar about the effects of the changes in postal rules, rates, and regulations. Or, call us just to chat. Our numbers are 1-800-801-3247 and 334-263-3419. Our email address is This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Without change, there would be no need for improvement. We live for change; we embrace it. ****** WASHINGTON— The Governors of the U.S. Postal Service have approved new prices for mailing services, including a 2-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail stamp to 44 cents. Prices for mailing services are reviewed annually and adjusted each May. The new prices will go into effect Monday, May 11. Customers can continue to mail letters at today’s prices by purchasing the Forever Stamp before May 11. Forever Stamps were developed to help consumers ease the transition during price changes. Forever Stamps do not have a denomination and will be honored whenever they are used with no need for additional postage for a one-ounce letter mailing. On May 11 the price of the Forever Stamp will be 44 cents. The new prices are available at usps.com/prices. Rising operational costs make the price adjustments necessary; the increase tracks the 2008 rate of inflation. “The Postal Service is not immune to rising costs which are affecting homes and businesses across America today,” said Postmaster General John Potter. “Even with the increases, the Postal Service continues to offer some of the lowest postage prices in the world.” For the average household, the First-Class Mail stamp price change will represent an additional $3 over the course of the year. When compared to annual increases in other household expenses, such as groceries, healthcare and utilities, the Postal Service continues to be an economical choice for shipping and mailing during tough economic times. For First-Class Mail, there will be no changes in the current additional ounce price, which remains at 17 cents. “Whether you’re a consumer or run a business, the Postal Service continues to offer a good deal during a time when we’re all looking for ways to save,” said Stephen M. Kearney, senior vice president for customer relations. “Our range of shipping and mailing options and low prices make the Postal Service the smart and easy choice.” The Postal Service has taken bold steps in recent years to adapt products and services to meet changing economic realities and the ways businesses operate and consumers live today. In Post Offices across the country and through usps.com, the Postal Service offers businesses and consumers easier access, quicker transactions, greater convenience and on-time delivery. The Postal Service set record on-time delivery scores for the delivery of First-Class Mail in 2008 and was voted by consumers as the most trusted government agency for the fifth consecutive year. # # # Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources on the new prices are available at:http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/newpricing.htm. An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.
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