The U.S. Postal Service has announced it will raise postage rates on January 27, 2013, pending review by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). Priority Mail service will increase overall an average of 6.3 percent and retail prices will increase an average of 9 percent. About 3 percent of the increase is for free tracking visibility, which will now be included at no charge.The average price increase for Priority Mail Commercial Base will be 3.7 percent, available to those who use online postage services. This may be an incentive for online sellers who do not already use them to investigate such services. The Commercial Plus price category, which offers even lower prices to large-volume customers, will see an average price increase of 3.8 percent. Retail Flat Rate Box prices will be small, $5.80, medium, $12.35; large, $16.85, and large APO/FPOIDPO, $14.85. The regular Flat Rate Envelope will be priced at $5.60, with the Legal Size and Padded Flat Rate Envelopes priced at $5.75 and $5.95, respectively. Also beginning in January, there will be a new fee of $2.50 for expedited delivery of flat rate packaging supplies. The First-Class Mail Stamp price, which rose to 45 cents in January, 2012, will rise to 46 cents. The PRC will review prices before they become effective.
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