Easy postage rate info from USPS

I finally found it -- all the information we need about new postage rates for bubble envelopes and small packages, fully explained and easy to use! It's a different page on the USPS site than the one I'd been using to try to find the information, and I hope it will be useful to others also. Here, they've simplified the presentation and explanation of the different postage rates, and it seems much more clear to me. I did post the info in the other thread on postage, but that thread had become fairly long, and I wanted this information to be easy to find.

Here's the page entitled "A Customer's Guide to Mailing" http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/intro.htm

Descriptions and definitions of "letter," "large envelope," and "package" http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/what.htm

Postage rates in an easy format http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/postage.htm

Note the 17 cent nonmachinable surcharge on letter rates (applies to bubble envelopes measuring less than 1/4 inch thick).

Bubble envelopes that are not more than 1/4 inch thick will cost 58 cents for the first ounce. An empty bubble envelope measures about 1/4 inch thick, so this rate only applies for a single layer of seed packets where the seeds aren't large.

Fat bubble envelopes (up to 3/4 inches thick) are "large envelopes" and will cost 80 cents for the first ounce and 17 cents more for each additional ounce, up to 13 oz.

Thanks, critterologist, that does really clarify it. I might add that the envelope size has to beat at least 3.5 x 5 or 3.5 x regular envelope sizes. I got scalped at the post office yesterday for irregular sizes.

This message was edited Jul 4, 2007 10:54 AM

Yes.. that's why the "what are you sending?" page is so good... it has descriptions for terms like "letter" including minimum and maximum dimensions.

Hmmm .... I wonder why all the 6" X 9" bubble envelopes I have been sending out are costing me $1.13?

I mailed some 5X7's on Monday.. They were $1.13 each.. I nearly dropped my teeth..They had only a few light weight seeds in them.. I was shocked..

Larkie

I don't think the USPS counter people have all got the new rates straight yet. I've mailed out a couple of BE's from here with 58 cents postage on them, and they've arrived just fine. I would question those charges, because they don't agree with new published info... even if those qualified as "large envelopes" because of their thickness, they should not have cost more than 80 cents.... I can't even figure out where a total of $1.13 would come from.

On the other hand friends, although the increase in postage, take a look at ordering commercially.
I bought 1 packet of seed that I "HAD TO HAVE" from Park's Seed. For 25 seeds I paid $3.50 for the packet and then $2.50 for it to be mailed.
I will happily send anyone $1.13 + for a bubble envelope from someone's garden (where the seed is usually more viable than commercial seeds). Trading seeds is still the best way to go in my opinion. Besides that, they mean more to me as they were from a friends garden :)

Kim

Oh, I agree... no plans to stop trading here, either.

BTW, somebody clarified on the other thread that some post office clerks are apparently charging postage on bubble envelopes as though they are all small packages (that's where the $1.13 comes from for a 1 oz. packet)... That doesn't seem right to me! I wonder if they'd do the same if it were a regular tan or white envelope with a bit of bubble wrap inside around the seeds....

I haven't mailed any bubble envelopes since the new rate change (seeds aren't ready here in Maine yet) so I'm not sure what our post office is going to charge *lol*. She is right up on making the most that she can so I'm sure I will be charged Priority rate *lol*. Either way, I still love trading and it's still alot cheaper than commercial seeds. I can't wait to start trading and winter sowing :)

Kim

Since I am paying more to get seeds in trade, I try to do several trades with per individual to make it more worth it due to the postage increase. And I do seem to get a lot more seeds for the $1.13 postage vs. the $1.00 commercial packets found in the stores. :-) I plan to continue trading seeds! I've had wonderful success with seeds received from DGers! :-)

I have searched the world high and low and have to tell you, DG's are the very BESTEST!

Kim

Still trying to figure out the BE thing...

Perhaps the problem is that the dimensions of bubble envelopes tend to fall between the min/max dimensions for regular and large envelopes... my 6x9" BE's actually measure 7 inches in width, so they're too wide to be a regular letter (even if you could consider them to be only 1/4 inch thick)... but at 9 inches in length they are not considered a large envelope, either (minimum length of large envelope is 11 1/2 inches).

That just does not make sense! There's something wrong with the definitions if BE's can't be considered a letter or a large envelope.

One possible solution is to use regular envelopes and line them with bubble wrap. The other is to do the same with a large manilla envelope which you cut to the demensions of the business envleope or the all purpose letter size envelope. They would have to honor those two sizes.
You could also make them from brown bags, which are sturdy. You also would have to cut them to the two acceptable demensions. We can get around this if we think about it a little.

Let me tell you what happened to me recently. I received a seed trade that was supposed to have some Coral Bean and Hyacinth Bean seeds in it. I don't know for sure, but I don't think it was that many seeds .... maybe 10 or so.

When I received the envelope from the person who sent them to me ...... I was quite bewildered. When I open the regular 4" X 9 1/2" envelope there was only one loose hyacinth seed inside. There was a smaller coin envelope and bubble wrap (which was flatten) also inside. The smaller envie was marked "hyacinth bean and coral bean seeds".

Turns out that the envelope went through the sorting machines and apparently caught the thickness of the envie .... and pushed and shoved all the seeds out of both envelopes and through the bubble wrap. There was a small hole in the bottom right corner where the envie had ripped. The larger envelope looked pretty beat up. Somewhere..... there are seeds in one of the main USPS branches! LOL! I always use bubble envies unless the seeds are really flat. I'd rather be sure they make it to their destination. :-)


This message was edited Jul 6, 2007 9:46 PM

Amen to that :) Or ask them to PERSONALLY (in front of you) to hand cancel the envelope. Then it goes into a different bucket and not through the sorter (worked for the post office.....know the loops *lol*)

Writing Hand cancel on regular envelopes will not help.. Machines cannot read..My postmaster SIL told me that if they are a certain thickness they go thru the machines no matter what.. I always use BE unless a tee tiny and very flat seeds..Better safe than sorry.. In the early days I learned the hard way.. I received many reg env.. with the seeds pulverized..bubble wrap and all..

Larkie

I agree, and if that means spending $1.13 to send BE's as packages, then so be it... but we might be able to cut down BE's or find ones the right size to qualify as large envelopes so we can send them for 80 cents... maybe the USPS will come up with a more logical way to handle BE's.

The PO is only one mile from me. I go and have them put their postage sticker on and then they put it in the roller free basket. But if you live a long way from the PO, that's not a solution.

Bubble Envelopes may not be a large envelope because

the last envelop i just sent [and forgot to weigh before i left the house] came to a 'buck 30' ! and it wasnt even a bubble.

probably because it was thick and a lot of seeds... but next time i will certainly be more aware before i get to the PO.