Effective July 9, 2023, USPS will be implementing updates to various services. These updates will involve modifications to Hazardous Material (HazMat) labels and the introduction of a new service called USPS Ground Advantage™. Although these changes are quickly approaching, we are committed to providing you with all the essential details to ensure you are well-prepared.

What is USPS Ground Advantage™?

USPS Ground Advantage is a new service that combines domestic Parcel Select Ground, Retail Ground, and the domestic iteration of the First-Class Package Service. USPS Ground Advantage can be used for packages up to 70 pounds and 130 inches in length + girth but will compare actual and DIM weights like other USPS services. Other USPS Ground Advantage features include up to $100 in free insurance and a delivery window of 2-5 business days. 

Please note that if you have any outbound or return labels connected to the services that will no longer be available, USPS will continue to accept and process those labels until September 30, 2023.

HazMat label updates 

Back in April, we originally reported that some USPS HazMat changes would take effect in the spring. However, the Dangerous Goods Service Type Code (STC) updates and the new barcode banner text will now be implemented with the upcoming July 9th changes. As a reminder, USPS considers hazardous materials to be anything that can cause harm to people, property, or packages/mail. More information on USPS hazardous materials can be found on their website. 

USPS HazMat labels will include updated Dangerous Goods STCs, which are numerical sequences that categorize a package’s mail classification and attributes. This helps your package be handled properly and efficiently by the USPS. Additionally, the banner barcode text will now indicate that the package contains hazardous goods. 

Highlights of the July 2023 changes 

• USPS will raise the price of its first-class stamps to 66 cents, an increase of 4.8% from its current 63 cents.
• Parcel Select Ground, Retail Ground, and the domestic First-Class Package Service will become USPS Ground Advantage™. 
• HazMat labels will now include updated Dangerous Goods STCs and new banner barcode text.

For more information on the upcoming USPS changes, visit the Learning Center.

Also, if you missed the January 2023 USPS rate and service changes, you can find them below!

The United States Postal Service’s 2023 rate and service changes have been approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), and the updates will take effect on January 22, 2023. We’re going to address all of the upcoming changes, so you’ll have time to adjust accordingly and prevent negative shipping experiences for your customers.

Important USPS 2023 rate and service changes

More detailed highlights of the upcoming changes are: 

• Priority Mail® commercial rates will see an increase of 3.6%, keeping them below the rate of inflation
• Priority Mail Express® will see an increase of 6.7%
• First-Class Package Service will see an increase of 7.8%
• Priority Mail service prices will see an increase of around 5.5%
• USPS First Class Package International rates will see an increase of 6.2%
• USPS Priority Mail International® will see an increase of 5.9%
• USPS Priority Mail Express International® will see an increase of 5.9%
• Zone 1, Zone 2, and Local have traditionally seen the same shipping rates. However, Local will now be combined with Zone 1, and Zones 1 and 2 will have individual rates 
• The pricing for Parcel Select Ground won’t see any rate increases
• Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes® will no longer be available
• All Canadian Zones will be combined into one pricing zone for USPS Priority Mail International
• Commercial Base and Commercial Plus will be merged into one entity

Flat Rate Priority Mail changes

Flat Rate envelopes and boxes will be included in the 3.6% increase for Priority Mail services. USPS will continue offering Priority Mail Flat Rate envelopes and boxes through their website. Also, you’ll be able to order some of these supplies directly from your Stamps.com account.

Local Zone changes

Previously, Local, Zone 1, and Zone 2 all had the same shipping rates. Moving forward, there will no longer be a Local Zone, and Zones 1 and 2 will have two different shipping rates. If your business ships to customers who live close by or in the same state, you’ll see the impact of this change. The changes will be more noticeable when you’re shipping to customers in Zone 2, which is a 51-150 mile radius. 

Regional Rate Boxes are being retired 

Regional Rate A & B Boxes, used for 15-20 pound shipments traveling a short distance, will be discontinued. If your business uses Regional Rate Boxes after January 23, 2023, USPS will accept your shipment, but the cost won’t be calculated in the same way Regional Rate Boxes were. For this reason, USPS recommends using these materials by January 22. Additionally, check the automation rules currently running on your Stamps.com Online account to ensure this service isn’t applied to any of your shipments. 

Priority Mail® Cubic will still be an option for shippers, as it has seen a rise in popularity, and sometimes even offers a lower rate than what was seen with Regional Rate Boxes. The biggest difference with Priority Mail Cubic is that supplies aren’t free. Parcel Select Ground offers: 

• An estimated delivery window of 2-5 days 
• A service for shipments up to 20 pounds 
• Uses the Commerical rates with your Stamps.com account 

How will the 2023 changes impact international shipping?

The biggest change to international shipments will involve your Canadian packages. Similar to the US Zones, Canada was previously broken down into 8 different pricing groups. Now, all of Canada will fall under Pricing Group 1. Also, USPS will change Turkey to Turkiye, so don’t be alarmed if the spelling of the country is updated on your labels to reflect this update. 

How can Stamps.com help?

In our recent study, 30.3% of customers stated that delivery costs were the most important factor in deciding whether or not they’d purchase from a business; the second most important factor was the speed of delivery. Rising USPS costs could mean raising shipping costs for your customers. However, you can still enjoy the discounted shipping rates included with your Stamps.com account to help offset these costs. 

Start your free 30-day trial today on Stamps.com.

You may have spotted a box called “HS Tariff” in the Stamps.com International Shipping Label’s Customs Information section. What is it and what is it used for?

The Harmonized System, or HS, Tariff code is used to classify physical goods and traded products for export to another country. In the Stamps.com software, you have the option of entering a six-digit HS Tariff, a value developed and maintained by the World Customs Organization (WCO).

Why would you need this code? The codes are used by countries’ customs services to assess product quotas and correctly levy tariffs. This is not necessarily a bad thing: your commodity may qualify for a preferential tariff under a Free Trade Agreement.

Getting Your HS Tariff Code
So where would you get an HS Tariff code? To locate a specific code, please visit: http://hts.usitc.gov/

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule allows you to classify a specific product or product type with a numbered code. It will also provide information on the Tariff Rate of Duty.

Are you an exporter of table-tennis equipment? In the Tariff Schedule search engine, type in “table-tennis.” Reviewing the results, you’ll see HS Tariff code 9506, which is for “articles and equipment for general physical exercise, gymnastics, athletics, other sports (including table-tennis).” What if you’re an exporter of extracts, essences and concentrates of coffee, tea, or roasted chicory? Then your HS Tariff code is “2101.”

The goal is to pick the most specific tariff code for your item. For example, knives with silver handles would have the Tariff Code of 7114.11.10. Tricycles, scooters, and pedal cars would be 9503.00.00.  Perfumed bath salts would be 3307.30.

Using HS Tariff Codes in Stamps.com
To use an HS Tariff code, please select “Commercial Sample” as the Content Type in the Customs Form. You’ll notice some codes are longer than six characters, the maximum limit for the HS Tariff code in the Stamps.com software. Don’t worry: because the HS Tariff classification protocol is used by almost the entire international community, participating countries can add more digits to classify items with more specific detail. However, the first six digits are the same across all participating countries. Because of this, only the first six are used on Stamps.com Customs Forms.

The Customs Form will also ask for a “Country of Origin.” This refers to the origin of the product, not the origin of the mailpiece as a whole. This is required for the sake of security and to prevent any illicit or fraudulent activity, or anything that violates existing export laws.

Once you enter the Itemized Package Content Details, Value, Weight, Country of Origin, and add each line item by clicking on the “Add Item” button, you will be asked to acknowledge the USPS Privacy Act Statement and Restrictions and Prohibitions. Review that, and click OK.

Your form is now ready to print. The HS Tariff Number will appear in a box on the left of your International Shipping Label/Customs Form.

Sometimes historical forces will affect what and where you’ll be able to mail.  In 1963, mail service was cancelled between the U.S. and Cuba, and mail was sent indirectly through countries such as Mexico and Canada.

However, direct mail service has been restored officially by the USPS as of March 16, 2016, thanks to the recent restoration of diplomatic relations between these former Cold War foes.  This lifting of the ban means that you can now send to Cuba First-Class Mail International® items, First-Class Package International Service® items, and Priority Mail International® Flat Rate Envelopes and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes.

Printing postage with Stamps.com
You can print postage for these approved mail classes and types to Cuba easily using the Stamps.com program. If you need to send a First-Class Mail International letter or postcard, you can use our NetStamps feature and print postage using an Original NetStamps sheet.

To print International Mail with NetStamps, please follow the steps below:

1. Log in to your software and click on “Stamps.”
2. Under “Postage Details,” select “I want to specify the value for each stamp” by clicking on the white circle.
3. If you are unsure about the postage rate for your mailpiece, click on the icon bearing the image of a globe and the word “Int’l.” to access USPS’ International Mail Calculator.  Select the country, territory, or dependency to which you would like to send mail.  Select the Mailpiece Type and enter the weight of your mailpiece and click “Check Rates.”  You will be given a list of available mail classes and rates for the country you have selected.

For First-Class Mail International Large Envelopes/Flats, First-Class Package International Service, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes, you can click on the International tab in the Main Navigation Bar in your software.

Remember that package contents must be declared for U.S. Customs.  Stamps.com has made this process easy by combining shipping labels and U.S. Customs Declaration Forms into a single-sheet label.  You can use our Plain Paper option or a self-adhesive label like our SDC-1200.

Mailing restrictions
If you’re a business, don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of the new commercial partnerships that will result from the Cuban Thaw.  An easing of trade and travel rules means potential new markets.   We recommend staying abreast of postal regulations on shipments to Cuba, which are maintained by the USPS here: http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/ce_017.htm.

You have a Priority Mail International® Small Flat Rate Priced Box ready to be shipped to the country of Antigua and Barbuda. It weighs 5 pounds, but you’re not seeing an option for Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes in the Stamps.com drop-down mailpiece menu. What’s going on? The answer: the maximum weight for a Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Box is 4 pounds, so your mailpiece weighs too much for this flat rate box.

When preparing international shipments, it’s important to remember that there are weight limits depending on which mail class and packaging you’re using.

For example, the maximum weight for a Priority Mail Express International® Flat Rate Envelope or Small Flat Rate Priced Box is 4 pounds, and 20 pounds for Medium and Large Flat Rate Priced Boxes.

First-Class Mail International® Letters are capped at 3.5 ounces while First-Class Mail International Large Envelopes/Flats, these cannot exceed 4 pounds.

Variations by Country: Availability of Services 
An important aspect to shipping internationally is knowing that services vary by country.

For example, if you’re using Priority Mail International to mail something to Bolivia, Cuba, the Falkland Islands or Ascension Island, you would only be able to use Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes.

Want to ship using Priority Mail Express International Service? Do your homework, as this service is not available for more than 20 countries and dependencies, including Afghanistan, Iran, Greenland, Tuvalu, East Timor (Timor-Leste), and Suriname.

Variations by Country: Weight Limits for Non-Flat-Rate Mailpieces
The absolute maximum weight of all international packages is 70 pounds, but not all countries will accept this maximum weight. For example, 33 pounds is the maximum weight for a package going Priority Mail Express International to Taiwan, but it is 69 pounds for Nepal. Knowing that varying thresholds exist is an important step towards becoming a successful global shipper, and will help you determine what kinds of products you can ship to certain overseas markets.

These thresholds can also vary by mail class for the same country. For example, Bulgaria’s weight limit for Priority Mail Express International packages is 66 pounds, but 70 pounds for Priority Mail International packages.

Looking for a complete chart? You can find one here: http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immpg.htm or look at individual country listings at: http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/ab_001.htm.

Stamps.com recently released a Complete Guide to USPS International Shipping infographic, that includes tips for international shipping, shipping carrier cost comparisons, eBay’s top categories for international sales and much more!

Below is the complete infographic. Learn how to ship your USPS packages to international customers and expand your business globally by tapping into the growing demand for American-made products.  Download your FREE copy of the Complete Guide to USPS International Shipping eBook here!

Can’t see the Complete Guide to USPS International Shipping infographic? View it here (use your browser zoom to enlarge).

Want to learn more about expanding your business and selling to customers across the globe? Download the FREE eBook, Complete Guide to USPS International Shipping.