Readying for Another Postal Rate Increase

For instance, while the average increase sought from First Class Mail is a relatively modest 3.6 percent, the increases in those rate categories used most often by catalogers are substantially higher, i.e., 13.8 percent for barcoded, automation-rated flats and 7.5 percent for non-automatable flats.

To make matters worse, for those who mail catalogs weighing more than a pound, the USPS is seeking an average 18-percent increase in Bound Printed Matter rates. Then, as if to add insult to injury, the USPS is seeking to increase the Standard A parcel surcharge from the present 10 cents per piece to 18 cents per piece and increase Priority Mail rates (often used for fulfillment) by 15 percent. It almost seems as if the Postal Service is endeavoring to squelch mail order growth.