According to what I'm reading on the USPS website, there are some significant changes coming to the way the US Postal Services charges for international letters.
Currently, to determine the postage for an international letter, you must know which category the country is placed in by the USPS. For example, right now, a 1-ounce letter to Canada or Mexico costs 85 cents to mail, but that same letter mailed to other countries costs $1.05. And, if you send thicker letters that weigh more than 1 ounce, the numbers vary even more. A 2-ounce letter to Canada will cost you $1.17; to Mexico, $1.44; to Eastern Asia, Europe or Australia, $1.92; and to Western Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and New Zealand, $1.85.
Beginning Jan. 27, 2013, those prices are all going up, with one exception. The new price for an international letter weighing 1 ounce or less will be $1.10, no matter where you're sending it. That means no more looking up country codes.
The cost for letters weighing more than an ounce will still vary. To mail a letter weighing more than 1 ounce and up to 2 ounces, it will cost you $1.10 for Canada (that's the only price that went down), $1.65 for Mexico, $2.05 for Eastern Asia, Europe or Australia; and $1.90 for Western Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and New Zealand.
Additionally, the cost of mailing a postcard from the U.S. to any international address is increasing to $1.10. That's a 5-cent increase for most of the world but a 25-cent increase for postcards to Canada and Mexico.
As part of the new prices, the USPS is unveiling a new Forever international stamp.
You may still use any combination of legal US stamps totaling $1.10 to mail international letters after Jan. 27, but the new stamp might make it easier and might save you some money. The new Global Forever stamp is round and will be sold in sheets of 20 at a total cost of $22. But, if the price increases in the future, Global Forever stamps that you have already purchased at the lower price still will be valid for mailing a 1-ounce or less letter, just like it works with domestic Forever stamps.
If you send a lot of international letters or postcards through the US mail, these may seem like big increases, but I still think it's a good deal. For $1.10, the USPS will pick up my personal message, make sure it gets to any country in the world, where another postal employee will hand-deliver it to my recipient. Even with the price hike, it's a great deal!
(I'll detail the changes to the domestic postage rate on Monday.)
Currently, to determine the postage for an international letter, you must know which category the country is placed in by the USPS. For example, right now, a 1-ounce letter to Canada or Mexico costs 85 cents to mail, but that same letter mailed to other countries costs $1.05. And, if you send thicker letters that weigh more than 1 ounce, the numbers vary even more. A 2-ounce letter to Canada will cost you $1.17; to Mexico, $1.44; to Eastern Asia, Europe or Australia, $1.92; and to Western Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and New Zealand, $1.85.
Beginning Jan. 27, 2013, those prices are all going up, with one exception. The new price for an international letter weighing 1 ounce or less will be $1.10, no matter where you're sending it. That means no more looking up country codes.
The cost for letters weighing more than an ounce will still vary. To mail a letter weighing more than 1 ounce and up to 2 ounces, it will cost you $1.10 for Canada (that's the only price that went down), $1.65 for Mexico, $2.05 for Eastern Asia, Europe or Australia; and $1.90 for Western Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and New Zealand.
Additionally, the cost of mailing a postcard from the U.S. to any international address is increasing to $1.10. That's a 5-cent increase for most of the world but a 25-cent increase for postcards to Canada and Mexico.
As part of the new prices, the USPS is unveiling a new Forever international stamp.
You may still use any combination of legal US stamps totaling $1.10 to mail international letters after Jan. 27, but the new stamp might make it easier and might save you some money. The new Global Forever stamp is round and will be sold in sheets of 20 at a total cost of $22. But, if the price increases in the future, Global Forever stamps that you have already purchased at the lower price still will be valid for mailing a 1-ounce or less letter, just like it works with domestic Forever stamps.
If you send a lot of international letters or postcards through the US mail, these may seem like big increases, but I still think it's a good deal. For $1.10, the USPS will pick up my personal message, make sure it gets to any country in the world, where another postal employee will hand-deliver it to my recipient. Even with the price hike, it's a great deal!
(I'll detail the changes to the domestic postage rate on Monday.)
looking forwqard to the forever international and planning on buying a LOT of them.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the pricing still being a great deal, and I think the new international stamps look beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI just found this wonderful, wonderful 2013 rate change calculator... and it's interesting to see the percentage changes.
ReplyDeletehttp://brittanysbest.com/2013/01/usps-shipping-calculator-for-2013/