USPS’ 2nd Shipment Fee Increase for 2021

The United States Postal Service (USPS), an agency of the US federal government providing postal service, announced its second carrier fee hike effective this August 29.

As the volume of shipments increased, the carrier service’s commitment towards sending traditional mail has changed since the past decade as this period marks the emergence of the e-commerce industry.

Other factors that altered the carrier company’s operation are the high rates for labor and retirement expenses and the expansion of shipment points, in addition to the pandemic which impacted businesses all over the world.

What services will be affected by the price hike?

A few of the widely-used services of USPS are part of the cluster of postage fee increase this 3rd quarter. In that case, the price shift will be for First Class Mail, both domestic and international services with a 6.8% increase and Media Mail (legacy service) with a 10.86% increase.

Stallion users, please be reminded that no necessary action will be required from you. Our system will automatically reflect the shipment fee increase on August 29.

Here the following USPS services affected by this price surge:

USPS First-Class Mail

For this service, these may include letters, large envelopes, and thick envelopes. Delivery time is within 2 business days.

The First-Class Mail will have its increase by up to 6.8% beginning on its effectivity date. 

1. Tracked service - it is an inclusion of a ‘Thick Envelope’ package that is larger than postcards and letters. The maximum weight for First-Class Mail envelopes can be up to 13 oz. An optional Stallion Protection can be purchased upon the printing of the label.

2. Non-tracked service - these are USPS’ First-Class Mail letters, postcards, and flats without the tracking feature. The maximum weight for First-Class Mail letters is 3.5 oz.

USPS Media Mail

Media and educational data can include materials related to news, photography, cinema, etc. The maximum weight this service can cover is up to 50 lbs. The delivery time will be in 2 to 10 business days, including its tracking feature.

An increase of 10.86% will be added on Media Mail services on its time of effectivity. An optional Stallion Protection is available upon the printing of the label.

These are the following items you can forward under the Media Mail:

• Books (must be at least 8 pages)
• Playscripts and manuscripts (for books, music, and periodicals)
• Printed educational reference charts
• Printed music and test materials
• Medical loose-leaf pages and binders
• Video and audio recordings (e.g., CDs and DVDs)
• Computer-readable media (e.g., barcodes)
• 16-millimeter or narrower width films

NOTE: Advertising materials, comic books, video games, and computer & digital drives are not eligible under this USPS service.

Last March 2021, USPS announced their Delivering for America strategy, a 10-year plan that aims to attain financial sustainability while maintaining their trustworthy and cost-effective service. Within the first year of the implementation, the long-running postage service ensures on-time delivery by 95%. 

In addition, the strategic plan targets to reach every address by sending mail and shipments six and seven days a week through financing their universal service mission.

For our full list of services as offered by USPS under Stallion Express, you can visit this page to find out more.
Got any questions about this article? Feel free to ask us away by sending an email at [email protected] or by dialing 888-744-7779 to connect to our customer service team.

Aman Chopra

Aman looks after the content marketing department at Stallion Express. He is passionate about helping businesses grow by providing informative and up-to-date trends in the eCommerce industry. Outside the office, you can find him on the soccer field cheering on Real Madrid.