Alongside an announcement of new Mailing Services price changes for January 2018, the U.S. Postal Service also announced price changes for Shipping Services that will go into effect on January 21, 2018.

The rate change will reflect an average 3.9 percent increase across all shipping services. The changes will affect both domestic and international shipping products, including Priority Mail Express®, Priority Mail® and Parcel Select.

Like last year’s changes, the 2018 USPS shipping rate changes are mostly consistent with those of its competitors. FedEx recently announced an average rate increase of 4.9 percent for various shipping products. UPS also announced an average rate increase of 4.9 percent that will go into effect December 24, 2017.

Here’s what you need to know:

Priority Mail Express

Priority Mail Express (PME) rates will increase by an average of 3.9 percent overall. PME services are split into a Retail price category and two discounted Commercial price categories (Commercial Base and Commercial Plus) although the pricing for both commercial options remain aligned to offer the same discounts compared to retail. Ultimately, customers who use Commercial priced PME will on average save 11.3 percent over Retail PME. Commercial prices are available when using PC Postage products like SendPro.

Priority Mail Express Retail: 3.9 percent price increase

Priority Mail Express Commercial Base: 3.7 percent price increase

Priority Mail Express Commercial Plus: 3.7 percent price increase

Priority Mail

Priority Mail (PM) offers a pricing structure similar to that for Priority Mail Express, including a Retail and two Commercial price categories (Commercial Base, and Commercial Plus that offers better discounts based on volume). Learn more about Priority Mail vs. First-Class® Mail.

PM prices will see an average increase of 3.9 percent overall, with Retail prices increasing by an average of 0.8 percent, Commercial Base increasing 6.2 percent, and Commercial Plus prices increasing 6.1 percent.

PM Flat Rate Retail prices will increase as follows:

Flat Rate Envelope: $6.65 to $6.70

Legal Flat Rate Envelope: $6.95 to $7.00

Padded Flat Rate Envelope: $7.20 to $7.25

Small Flat Rate Boxes: $7.15 to $7.20

Medium Flat Rate Boxes: $13.60 to $13.65

Large Flat Rate Boxes: $18.85 to $18.90

Commercial Base offers a 9.4-percent discount off retail on average and Commercial Plus provides an even greater bargain at 12.7 percent. Customers with significant volume can continue to seek deeper discounts from USPS for Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express through Negotiated Service Agreements.

Parcel Select

USPS Parcel Select services will see average price increases as follows:

Parcel Select, 1 pound and above: 4.9 percent price increase

Destination-entered: 6.3 percent price increase

Non destination entered: 4.1 percent price increase

Parcel Select Lightweight (under 1 pound): 7 percent price increase

Other Notable Domestic Rate Changes

Parcel Return Services: 4.9 percent price increase

First-Class™ Package Service – Retail: 14.5 percent price increase

First-Class™ Package Service – Commercial: 3.9 percent price increase

Retail Ground™: 3.9 percent price increase

International Changes

Prices for a range of international shipping products will increase by 3.9 percent each:

Global Express Guaranteed (GXG)

Priority Mail Express International (PMEI)

Priority Mail International (PMI)

International Priority Airmail (IPA)

International Surface Air Lift (ISAL)

ISAL M-Bags

Airmail M-Bags

USPS will continue to offer matching Commercial Base and Commercial Plus discounted rates off retail but make deeper discounts available through Negotiated Service Agreements.

Shipping can be challenging. Our new 2018 Guide to Office Shipping helps make shipping easier to navigate.

Visit Postal Information for more details on the January 2018 USPS rate change.