USPS Priority Mail is a fast and economical shipping service that provides delivery to anywhere in the United States within two to three days. With Priority Mail, you can send packages up to 70 lbs. and enjoy free USPS tracking and insurance of up to $50.

Stamps.com customers enjoy discounts of up to 40 percent over the Post Office rate on all Priority Mail shipments! These discounts are automatically calculated by the Stamps.com software.

Priority Mail Rate Changes in 2021

Priority Mail rates saw an average increase of 3.6 percent from 2020 to 2021. A one-pound package traveling from Los Angeles to New York (Zone 8) currently costs $8.42, up from $8.25 in 2020.

USPS Priority Mail (Commercial Base Pricing)
INCREASE PER PACKAGE – 2021 rates vs. 2020 rates
Mailpiece Weight	2021	2020	Change
1 lb. – Zone 8	$8.80	$8.42	$0.38
2 lbs. – Zone 8	$11.69	$11.19	$0.50
3 lbs. – Zone 8	$16.45	$15.74	$0.71
4 lbs. – Zone 8	$18.96	$18.14	$0.82
5 lbs. – Zone 8	$21.96	$21.01	$0.95
6 lbs. – Zone 8	$25.75	$24.52	$1.23
7 lbs. – Zone 8	$28.93	$27.55	$1.38
8 lbs. – Zone 8	$32.49	$30.94	$1.55
9 lbs. – Zone 8	$36.12	$34.40	$1.72
10 lbs. – Zone 8	$39.67	$37.78	$1.89

Rates for Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes and Flat Rate Envelopes also increased in 2021.

Priority Mail Flat Rate (Commercial Base Pricing)
INCREASE PER PACKAGE – 2021 rates vs. 2020 rates
Mailpiece	2021	2020	Increase
Flat Rate Envelopes	$7.40	$7.15	$0.20
Legal Flat Rate Envelope	$7.70	$7.45	$0.20
Padded Flat Rate Envelope	$8.00	$7.75	$0.20
Small Flat Rate Box	$7.90	$7.65	$0.15
Medium Flat Rate Boxes	$13.75	$13.20	$0.40
Large Flat Rate Boxes	$19.30	$18.30	$0.70
APO/FPO/DPO Large Flat Rate Box	$17.80	$16.80	$0.70

Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes provide great cost savings over regular Priority Mail when your parcel is over two pounds. For example, a Priority Mail Regional Rate Box A that weighs five pounds for delivery to Zone 8 will cost $12.64 compared to $21.96 for regular Priority Mail.

Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes (Commercial Base Pricing)
INCREASE PER PACKAGE – 2021 rates vs. 2020 rates
Box A
	Zone 1 & 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6	Zone 7	Zone 8	Zone 9
2021	$7.83	$8.04	$8.34	$9.01	$10.89	$11.63	$12.64	$23.37
2020	$7.68	$7.92	$8.21	$8.92	$10.42	$11.13	$12.10	$18.69
Change	$0.15	$0.12	$0.13	$0.09	$0.47	$0.50	$0.54	$4.68
Box B
	Zone 1 & 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6	Zone 7	Zone 8	Zone 9
2021	$8.23	$8.64	$9.56	$12.36	$17.50	$20.10	$22.90	$42.98
2020	$8.07	$8.51	$9.42	$11.53	$16.72	$19.21	$21.89	$34.38
Change	$0.16	$0.13	$0.14	$0.83	$0.78	$0.89	$1.01	$8.60

Customers Express Need for Speed, UPS Invests to Deliver

E-Commerce sales are going through the roof. With this increase, there has also been a jump in customer expectations of how fast their purchases will get to them. 62% of U.S. online shoppers reported that fast shipping speed is the most important factor in a positive retail experience according to a 2019 survey from Avionos. UPS® Ground shipments are now faster than ever thanks to new strategic initiatives. Our Fastest Ground Ever allows U.S. customers to save an entire day on shipments to businesses and residences. Think about what a difference a day can make!

Routes to cities across the U.S. are faster than ever before. Now you can save at least one day on shipments to businesses and residential destinations. UPS is investing in innovative solutions that provide greater accuracy and speed for all our customers, from pickup to final mile. A few notable enhancements include:

• Network Planning Tools*(NPT) allows UPS to optimize the flow of up to 60 million packages with advanced analytics and Artificial Intelligence.

• Enhanced Dynamic Global Execution* (EDGE) uses real-time data to enhance strategic decision making.

• On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation (ORION) determines the most efficient delivery route to reduce our carbon foot print.

• Delivery Information Acquisition Device (DIAD) integrates AI to enable drivers to meet customers’ expectations.

• Convenient and secure UPS Access Point® locations have also helped UPS streamline. More than 12,000 UPS Access Point® locations have been added where customers can easily arrange to receive deliveries or accept returns, including CVS, Michaels, and Advance Auto Parts.

*NPT & EDGE will be fully deployed in 2020 Crush Deadlines and Bottom Lines

Speed and Reliability:

By the end of 2022, UPS will add more than 10 million pounds of additional air cargo capacity as 44 new aircrafts will join our fleet. This is the largest air capacity expansion in recent history.

In 2020, UPS has added even more capacity and network enhancements including:

· Five new regional “super hubs” in Atlanta, DFW-Arlington, Indianapolis, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. These facilities will help improve time in transit, reliability, & flexibility across our network.

· UPS® Smart Logistics Network, which continually evolves to incorporate real-time data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technological advancements.

· These significant investments will enable us to drive operational and sustainable improvements for our business, and provide greater accuracy& speed among our global network.

Our Fastest Ground Ever not only buys you time, it also provides peace of mind. The most recently available information from ShipMatrix shows UPS leading the industry in on-time deliveries too:

With UPS’s Fastest Ground Ever, merchants can crush both deadlines and bottom lines for their customers. Try out the new and improved system enhancements and rest easy knowing that your package is in the UPS network.

Wednesday, February 10, 2021,  10:00 AM Pacific Time / 1:00 PM Eastern Time

In an increasingly competitive e-commerce space where customers want free shipping and to receive their orders faster, small businesses need more cost-effective choices and flexibility to meet customers’ demands. Through our collaboration with UPS, Stamps.com users can now access discounted rates of up to 62% off UPS 2nd Day Air® and up to 48% off UPS® Ground Daily Rates services.

Topics covered in this webinar:

• Get an overview of UPS shipping services
• Learn the benefits of shipping with UPS through your Stamps.com account
• Find out how to easily add UPS Shipping to your Stamps.com account
• Plus much more!

WHEN:  Wednesday Feb 10, 2021 – 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET

SIGN-UP:  https://stamps.zoom.us/webinar/register/3116111880062/WN_lbV9pqaLTPew8ZC0WXux_Q

When did the new USPS rates start?
The 2021 USPS postage rate increase went into effect on Sunday, January 24, 2021.

Is the price of a First Class Mail letter (1 oz.) increasing in 2021?
If you purchase postage at the Post Office, the rate will remain $0.55. If you print postage online (via Stamps.com), the Metered Mail rate will increase by one cent to $0.51 in 2021, a 4 cent discount off the Post Office price. Each additional ounce will increase by 5 cents to $0.20.

When printing postage online for First Class Mail letters, do I get a discounted rate?
Yes, customers who print postage using Stamps.com save 4 cents per letter, paying only $0.51 instead of $0.55 (Post Office rate) – a 7% savings! This discount is known as the “Metered Mail” rate and is available for all postage printed using an approved PC Postage/online postage vendor such as Stamps.com or through a postage meter.

Can I buy $0.51 “Metered Mail” rate postage stamps at the Post Office?
No, the “Metered Mail” rate $0.51 postage stamps can only be printed using an approved PC Postage/online postage vendor such as Stamps.com or through a postage meter. The “Metered Mail” $0.51 stamps cannot be purchased at the Post Office.

When printing shipping labels online, do I get a
discounted rate?
Yes, customers who print postage online automatically qualify for discounted shipping rates from the USPS. Customers who print USPS shipping labels can received discounts up to 40% when purchasing Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express or First Class Package Service. These discounted rates are automatically calculated when you print a shipping label inside the Stamps.com platform.

Can I print UPS shipping labels inside Stamps.com?
Yes! Along with USPS shipping services, Stamps. com now allows you to print labels for UPS shipping to fit your needs. Learn More about UPS Shipping in Stamps.com.

Has the USPS added new fees for larger/heavier packages in 2021?
Yes, the USPS has added an overweight/oversize surcharge of $100 for packages that exceed the 70 lb. maximum weight limitation or the 130-inch length plus girth maximum dimensional size limit.

Has USPS international shipping rates changed in 2021?
Yes, as with domestic rates, international rates have also increased in 2021. Additionally, the number of country groups has increased for USP international shipping services. Country groups are used to determine shipping rates for international packages based on the distance and country the package is traveling to. Priority Mail Express International country groups are increasing from 17 to 20, Priority Mail International country groups are increasing from 17 to 20, and First Class Package International Service country groups are increasing from 9 to 20 in 2021.

I am a Stamps.com customer. Do I need to take any actions to get the new rates after January 24, 2021?
No, if you are a Stamps.com customer, you do not need to take any action. Stamps.com will automatically update all USPS rates inside the software and web-based version.

Starting January 24, 2021, the USPS will implement new rates for domestic and international mail classes as well as its Special Services. Want to learn more about these changes and how they may impact your mailing and shipping? We’ve created a new guide for our customers detailing the USPS rate and service change for each mail class. This Postage Rate Increase Guide

includes side-by-side rate comparisons so you know how much you’ll pay on and after January 24, whether you pay retail rates or discounted Stamps.com rates. This guide also includes general shipping suggestions and a Frequently Asked Questions page to help answer any questions you might have about this rate increase.

This guide includes 2021 postage rates for:

• First-Class Mail
• Priority Mail Express
• Priority Mail
• First-Class Package Service
• Parcel Select Ground
• USPS Retail Ground
• Medial Mail
• Global Express Guaranteed
• Priority Mail Express International
• Priority Mail International
• First-Class Package International Service
• USPS Special Services