On Thursday, June 12, 2014, the USPS temporarily suspended Electronic USPS Delivery Confirmation International™ service to 7 countries — Brazil, Denmark, France, Gibraltar, Italy, Luxembourg, and Portugal. The suspension is due to a recent performance evaluation of each country’s ability to scan packages on delivery at the international delivery address. The USPS determined these country’s local postal organizations did not reach a “satisfactory level” for package scans.
Electronic USPS Delivery Confirmation International tracking was added to these countries in July 2013 and January 2014 for First Class Package International Service, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes.
With Electronic USPS Delivery Confirmation International, shippers could see when a package was delivered to its destination using the package tracking number on the Customs Form.
Starting June 12, 2014 , customers who need tracking information for packages being delivered to these 7 countries should purchase Global Express Guaranteed service, Priority Mail Express International service, or Priority Mail International service.
Important: Packages will continue to include “E-DELCON SERVICE” markings on the shipping label/customs form during the suspension period! But NO TRACKING will be provided.
For more info, please see the USPS Postal Bulletin (page 46).
Stamp Out Hunger!
This Saturday, May 10, local communities across America will be asked to join the U.S. Postal Service and its letter carriers to combat one of this nation’s growing problems — hunger.
Hunger affects about 49 million people around the country, including millions of children and senior citizens.
The Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), Campbell Soup Company, Feeding America and other partner organizations are working together to collect non-perishable food donations on Saturday, May 10. It is the nation’s largest single-day food drive in local communities across America.
Last year, letter carriers collected 74.4 million pounds of food donations along their postal routes, the second-highest amount since the NALC’s food drive began in 1992. That brought the total to nearly 1.3 billion pounds for the food drive.
How to Participate in Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive
To participate in the Stamp Out Hunger food drive, residents are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 10.
Letter carriers will collect these food donations as they deliver the mail and take them to their local food bank or pantry, including many affiliated with Feeding America.
For more information about the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, visit www.facebook.com/StampOutHunger
Shipping Alert: Delivery Service to Ukraine Has Been Suspended!
USPS delivery service of letters and packages to Crimea and Sevastopol in Ukraine has been suspended.
Effective April 11, 2014, the United States Postal Service® has temporarily suspended mail service to Crimea and Sevastopol in Ukraine (postal codes 95000-99999).
Until further notice, all Post Office™ and other acceptance locations will not accept any mail destined to Crimea, Ukraine. The temporary suspension affects Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG), Priority Mail Express International®, Priority Mail International®, and First-Class Mail International®, First-Class Package International Service™, International Priority Airmail™ (IPA®) International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®), and M-Bag items.
For already deposited items addressed to these destinations, Postal Service employees will endorse them “Mail Service Temporarily Suspended – Return to Sender” and then place them in the mailstream for return.
Upon request, the Postal Service will refund postage and fees on mail returned due to the temporary suspension of service, if the package was mailed prior to April 17, 2014.
We apologize for any inconvenience this causes and will update our customers as soon as delivery service has resumed.
If you have any questions please call Stamps.com Customer Care at 1-855-860-7867. Or please visit the USPS Delivery Service Alert page located at http://about.usps.com/news/service-alerts/welcome.htm
Stamps.com customers now pay only $0.48 to send a First Class Mail letter (one ounce)
With the 2014 U.S. Postal Service rates starting on Sunday, January 26, 2014, a new “Metered Mail” rate was introduced for all online postage vendors (i.e. Stamps.com) and postage meters.
This new Metered Mail rate provides a one cent discount for one ounce First Class Mail letters – Stamps.com customers now pay only $0.48 instead of $0.49 to send a letter.
The one cent reduction equates to a 2% discount for all First Class Letter mail.
The USPS is introducing new rates and services this Sunday, January 26, 2014. To ensure a smooth transition for you and your business, Stamps.com has created the 2014 USPS Postage Rate Increase Guide.
A free, downloadable PDF designed to help you understand all the USPS changes, the Guide contains detailed rate information for each USPS mail class – both domestic and international – and includes tips and recommendations to help small businesses lower their postage costs. The guide also contains a comprehensive Q&A section to help with commonly asked questions around the 2014 USPS Postage Rate Increase.
The guide is free and can be downloaded at: http://www.stamps.com/whitepapers/2014-usps-postage-rate-increase-guide.pdf