ALERT: USPS Reduces Size of Some Priority Mail Boxes

by: Ric

New USPS slogan should be... "Reduced package capacity... Same high prices.... And higher prices to come... USPS"

Wait until after the New year when the smaller packages see price increases on top of the reduced capacity.

by: Tunnelboy

At first I was thinking "Which Regional?". Then I took out one of my Regional A's and it must be the Regional B that is changing. Not the A. FWIW.

I'm super skeptical that anything would go faster no matter what you do. Would love to do side by side tests, and I'd put down a lot of money on the new size not making it a minute faster. This is more of a case of USPS saying "what makes things work easier for us?".

by: thebobman

Very bad news. I just ordered 300 B2 boxes. We sell older laptops, and a lot wont fit into a medium flat rate. The B2 is going to be barely larger, than the medium, plus, the new size might not be wide enough for some either. We might have to look into buying our own boxes and shipping ups, as by weight, the post office isnt competitive on a $50-$70 laptop.

by: smallstuff

Thanks for the heads up.  I may use this as an excuse to declutter my storage area and get rid of the rarely used priority sizes.  From your description, the size changes only affect flat rate and regional rate packaging.  I'm hoping they will post a detailed list of the changes somewhere.

by: Gumball

I have always said that one day, a size four box would be four inches as it has shrunk a couple time over the years from what it used to be.  

by: Nothingnewecrater

Did I blink reading this? Smaller size same charge? But no reduction in pricing? This hoax they created sure gave a lot of companies a license to squeeze the consumers more and more with each day that passes.Less might be more in some instances. But when it comes to shipping it isn't. They are still lieing about priority only taking 2 days. Last week it took 5 days. And I shipped a piece of art that was 12"x12"x15". The box and foam was heavier then the contents and it cost $44.50 to go from Fl. To WI. I was flabbergasted at that shipping price. They are pricing themselves right out of business.

by: ZZ

" Likewise for two sizes of the Priority Mail Box Weight and Zone.

Another Priority Mail Box Weight and Zone will see a 1/2-inch reduction in width and a 5/8-inch reduction in length."

Do I need to explain why this is so comical?

by: Mango

"We received the announcement by email"

How can I subscribe to such announcement emails?  I would like to receive these.  Thanks!

by: Actual Seller

What size reduction in Tyveks?
Any word on Padded Flat Rates?

by: comeonnow

Order your boxes now....and they will still use them....just like forever stamps. I can never fit anything in those flat rate boxes anyway. They made sizes I could hardly ever use.....give me a 12x12x12 flat rate box.....or 14x14x8........something besides sorry your insurance doesnt cover packages with only 3" depth anyhow.......

Shrinkflation.....smaller box....same price....what a deal! Sounds like an ebay-tion......

ComeOnNow

by: comeonnow

I should have said "accept the old flat rate boxes", as long as they arent re-used anyhow, in my meaning of "use them" them.....they arent measuring anything lately anyway. How is it I always get 1 and a half pound packages with 13oz labels? Nobdody is home!

They should put out a toll free bounty number when you get a package like that(or have to return one).....I can fix the USPS's funding issues just by just enforcing the rules at hand. Sorta like the IRS......well.....you might know what I mean....not enough money you get audited and pay extra, if you do have enough....a tax lawyer settles for pennies on the dollar.....and probably keeps that rest of that years taxes that would have gone to the gov't.

The loophole is.....they paid for the boxes already.....use them....if you use a lot....order and I bet they still have tons of old ones.......

ComeOnNow

ComeOnNow

by: Rexford

As much as you can, sell small lightweight products.  Problem solved.

I know that this will not work for everyone, especially established businesses that sell large items, but it never hurts to diversify.

by: theclutteredloft

Perhaps the head of "sortation" could explain how they will make boxes more visible by making them smaller?

by: railady

@thebobman - Yes it's one of the two B boxes that changed - and the new dimensions are on the website (I just checked). Hopefully they will send you the old stock... fingers crossed!!!

As far as continuing to use old boxes - have to agree they are like Forever Stamps purchased years ago.  I would not worry about new sizes if you are using the old larger ones.

@Nothingnewecrater - your problem is your package was more than 12x12x12 - as soon as it exceeded 1 cubic foot the DIM rates kicked in.

@Mango - go to USPS.com and create an account.  You should be able to order all the products direct (not having to go through Stamps.com etc. where not all of them are even displayed!!!) create an account to ship packages if you want and do all kinds of another things.

by: Ina

Updated the post above to add the table showing the details, not sure why USPS didn't issue press release.

by: Geetar

OOOO. I see. Going the OJ route. Was $3.49 for 64 oz. Now $3.79 for 60 oz.

Please get rid of this jerk!

by: unsuck

Last week USPS stealth dropped a "New service for cold chain packaging shipments" with no announcement or press release to be found anywhere (the only place we found it was on the Postal employee link site
👉link.usps.com/2021/09/13/keep-it-cool )

Now we have these changes to Priority Mail box sizes, again with no public announcement to found.

USPS was probably well overdue a "SKU rationalization" for the bizarre over-abundance of Priority Mail box offerings (as many of have only marginal differences in actual cubic volume), but there are businesses that invested considerable expense to have custom packaging insert molds created to drop-in Priority Mail boxes for shipping (and probably many other use cases that would warrant a much longer lead notice for phasing out products).

This lack of proactive communication is inexcusable (yet unsurprising).

by: Stone Cutter

Think USPS will price themselves out of business because UPS or Fedex is any better in pricing? ..I don't think so. Most sellers are using USPS because USPS has always been cheaper than the other carriers.

And I agree with "Rexford". It's time for sellers to review their business model. Sell smaller products that are lightweight and cost less to transport.

And "yes", I can get products from West Coast to East Coast in just 2 days. Pay extra on shipping by attaching insurance and watch your products fly cross country. Even during the busy times of last holiday season, I attached an extra $4.00 to insure a product that cost $250...The insurance buys me faster service.

by: Redpiano1

Ya know ... last year in the middle of the great lock-in, Amazon developed a pretty large package delivery network that touches every state.

Look for them to get into the retail shipping business next. If I'm not mistaken I think they already have a fleet of planes larger than UPS.

by: billly

Trump Ballot Blockmaster is now an engineer who destroyed millions of dollars in sorting machines and designed newer, state of the art sorters with gigantic magnifiers that make a smaller item more ''visible'' but require 5 extra days to deliver. Now he needs to work on designing a tracking device that locates ''lost'' parcels in less than a month and a personal ankle bracelet that sends a high voltage current up his spine every time he lies.