Update (10/15/2009): We just got word that there will be no postage increase for direct mail in 2010. In the words of the USPS:
“Simply stated, there will not be a price increase for market dominant products including First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, periodicals, single-piece Parcel Post. There will be no exigent price increase for these products.
This is the right decision at the right time for the right reason. Promoting the value of mail and encouraging its continued use is essential for jobs, the economy, and the future of both the Postal Service and the mailing industry.”
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Since the wounds are still fresh from the May 11th 2009 postage rate increase, we wanted to sprinkle some potentially good news on the situation.
Dan Blair, chair of the Postal Regulatory Commission, recently stated that based on the current trend of inflation, the postage rate increase for 2010 would likely be less than 1%.
That being said, the USPS is allowed to file for an exception based on revenue shortfalls, but Mr. Blair said this is unlikely because they’re afraid it would drive more mailers from the system.
19 comments ↓
[...] Note: Are you looking for information on the 2010 postage rate? [...]
I hope you are right, but according to my information all package mail including flat rate priority mail will be increased after January 1st.
I ship a lot of flat rate priority mail and with the major increases over the past several years I will have to find some other way of shipping. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS GARBAGE. Don’t they know we are in a recession and they can say what they want but there is major inflation in the stores where I shop.
Hi Robert, unfortunately Priority and Express Mail rates are going up on January 1st. What’s not increasing is postage on First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, periodicals and single-piece Parcel Post.
For me this 2010 no rate increase for things the average Joe/Small Business sends out almost every day is great! It’s also refreshing to have a Mother’s Day that doesn’t involve having cards come back with not enough postage.
I’m sorry but I don’t believe the postage prices aren’t going up in 2010. I just came from their website and there is now a slash through the 44c on their stamps. Every time they’ve put a slash through the stamps, they dropped the news on us that postage was increasing. If they weren’t going to raise the stamps price, there wouldn’t be a slash through their 44c’s. Just be aware that unless it is written in stone – signed and stated by them – that postage isn’t increasing, then don’t believe it! Just don’t be surprised if it does go up!
Hi Kris – the USPS confirmed there will be no postage rate increase in 2010. I visited USPS.com and First-Class mail is at 44 cents with no slash. Maybe they were messing around with their website at the time you checked.
Note: If you’re mailing large volume direct mail campaigns like the ones we produce for our clients, this postage amount is of course much less.
Did the postage stamp go up to .45 in January 2010.
Nope, still 44 cents. Visit USPS.com for more info.
Just filled my pitney bowes meter and it downloaded a message about new rates. and will notify me fotr the next three days of new rates. Yet our letter carrier said around mothers day. Does anyone know? any web surfing brings me back here. It would be nice to know since I do a lot of mailings for this business.
Folks, no price increase in 2010 for First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, periodicals and single-piece Parcel Post. What IS increasing are the postal rates for Express Mail, Priority Mail and Parcel Select.
Here’s a good article from Pitney Bowes to back this all up:
http://www.pb.com/cgi-bin/pb.dll/jsp/Postalinfo.do?sitelet=RCEducation&catOID=-19121&lang=en&country=US
This is for Kris,
All pictures depicting US stamps have a black line through the denomination as a counter measure against counterfeiting. In this day and age a picture on the web or in print could be easily taken and used to produce fake stamps, so by putting a black line through the numbers it makes it very difficult recreate, i.e. getting the line out of the picture.
Let’s get real, let them fight for funding like every other business!
Why do bulk (especially, grrr, unsolicted junk mail) mailers seem to pay so little when it seems indisputable that it comprises the bulk of the USPS’s workload?
Answer: ‘Legalized bribery’ in the form of lobbiers and contributions.
Unfortunately, this’s just my opinion.
Save the rain forrests and start jailing Senate and Congress members.
Better yet (and more deservedly), start heavily fining and heavily taxing advertisers for unsolicited mailings (instead of making ‘Joe Plumber’ always paying for it).
Hi Wguru, postage rate increases affect all classes of mail including Standard Mail that is commonly used by bulk mailers. The postage rate for bulk mail is driven by volume and saturation. If a company is sending a lot of mail to a concentrated area, their postage rate goes down.
Ballantine,
I very strongly agree with wguru. On any given day I find crammed in my mail box 5 to 15 unwanted unsolicited mailers or catalogs. Despite my request to bulk mailers to remove me from their mailing list they continue to harass me with continued mailings. They simply ignore my request to bulk up their mailings to receive the lower rate. It annoys me and does not reduce your transportation costs, carrier’s time to sort and deliver it, nor is it thinking green. Take some time to rethink the theory and cost analysis of lower rates to bulk mailers.
Are “Forever” stamps gone forever?
I’m not sure Uncle Stevie, but this page off the USPS website has a phone number that might help:
http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/forever_stamp_facts.htm
For all to know – I went to my local post office and purchased 5 books of Forever stamps. The rate is expected to go up in January 2011 but according to the postal clerk Forevers will go on.