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USPS Raises Postage Rates Twice In 2021

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For the first time in 20 years, the US Postal Service is raising their prices twice within a single year.

The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has approved a mid-year price increase for a number of products and services that the USPS offers.  The new rates will go into effect at Midnight on Sunday, August 29, 2021.

Below are some of the notable changes impacting letters, postcards and certified mail:

  • First Class stamps are going up 3 cents; from $.55 to $.58
  • Certified mail fees are going up 15 cents; from $3.60 to $3.75
  • Electronic Return Receipt for Certified letters is going up 10 cents; from $1.75 to $1.85
  • Flats (large envelopes) are going up 16 cents; from $1.00 to $1.16
  • Postcards are going up 4 cents; from $.36 to $.40
  • International postage is going up 10 cents; from $1.20 to $1.30
  • Extra ounces are staying the same at $.20 per extra ounce (for letters and flats)

For individuals and businesses who rely on LetterStream as their valued print and mail partner, the new rates will go into effect at 4pm the last business day before the USPS implements their new prices.  This is because orders received after 4pm Pacific Time will not mail until the new rates are in effect on Monday.

As a reminder, LetterStream rarely raises our prices.  We simply increase our prices by the amount of the annual (in this case, semi-annual) USPS rate increases.

For more information regarding this price increase, visit the USPS website or download the complete list of August 2021 USPS rate changes.

Visit our website for more information about LetterStream and how to send your mail online without ever touching a piece of paper.

Pro tip:  if you want to get the old pricing but don’t want your mailing to go out before August 30th, you can always use our schedule job option to schedule your job to be mailed on a future date!

USPS Postage Rates 2021

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The proposed price changes that the United States Postal Service (USPS) filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) on October 9th were approved. Starting on January 24th, 2021, these new USPS prices officially went into effect.

The good news is that there wasn’t an increase in cost for First-Class Mail postage, but there was an increase in some other products. Here’s the list of some items that were unchanged by the 2021 rates:

  • First-Class stamps staying at $0.55
  • International Rates are staying the same at $1.20
  • Registered Mail staying the same at $12.60

Here’s the list of some items that did see an increase:

  • Certified mail fee went up from $3.55 to $3.60
  • Electronic Return Receipt fee went up from $1.70 to $1.75
  • Extra Ounces went up from $0.15 per ounce to $.20 per ounce
  • First-Class Postcard Rate went up from $0.35 to $.36

Sorry, this year we didn’t find any fees that went down for the products that we offer.

We should remind you that LetterStream rarely raises our prices. We simply modify our prices according to the USPS rate changes each year, and you can expect the same this year as well.

Review the USPS press release for January 2021 USPS postage rates.
Review and download the complete list of January 2021 USPS rate changes.

COVID-19 & Holiday Mail Delivery

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It has been a while since our last COVID-19 update, but that’s because nothing much has changed in our protocols or a capability to process mail.  Our systems remain strong despite large increases in web traffic and our team remains healthy because of the many safety measures that we’ve been operating under.

We do have some concerns however about how the United States Postal Service will keep up with the increase in mail volume this December.  There are large increases in package deliveries this year as shoppers avoid stores and shop online due to the Cornavirus.  These packages will take up truck and delivery vehicle space and may limit the amount of mail or the speed at which mail can be delivered.  We are already seeing our inbound freight shipments being delayed.  That said, we encourage all our customers to send mail early this year for timely delivery.

While not promoted heavily on our website, we do offer electronic delivery of documents in the event you have email addresses for your recipients.  If interested, please contact our support staff or your sales representative.

Coronavirus Update March 25, 2020 – Mailing Continues

LetterStream continues to print and mail your critical business correspondence.

Arizona, home of LetterStream, Inc., has yet to implement a shelter in place order but even if they do so, both the State and Federal language around Essential Services should allow us to remain operational for the foreseeable future.

Governor Doug Ducey issued an Executive Order on March 23, 2020 which classifies mail and shipping businesses as Essential Services.  A similar order came from the US Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on March 19, 2020 stating that “Postal and shipping workers, to include private companies” are a part of the Essential Critical Infrastructure.  That said, we believe we will continue to process your mail even if conditions worsen across the country.

Additionally we are taking extreme steps to make sure our workforce is practicing CDC recommendations as well as embracing preventive measures as quickly as we implement them.

To improve Social Distancing we have taken three key actions.  First, we have asked that all administrative employees to work from home.  Secondly we have extended our normal operating hours allowing fewer people to be working at any one time.  And finally we have temporarily suspended the use of our Express Letter job type (click to learn more – Express Letter Temporarily Unavailable ). Each of these actions along with the commitment of all the amazing LetterStream team members should keep us positioned to get your mail out.

Thank you for your continued support of our business and for trusting us with your critical mail.

LetterStream – Coronavirus Update March 18, 2020

LetterStream is paying very close attention to the Coronavirus situation and is meeting and taking new actions daily.

At this point, we are still fully operational but we are reducing the number of active employees working at peak times in order to increase “social distancing” for our team.  And while we expect minimal impact, we do know that the amount of mail we can get out the door the “same day” it arrives is likely to be diminished.

Keep in mind that FedEx, Certified Mail, and Expedited mail will have the same priority as always and we believe we will continue to hit those targets.  The change will be in USPS First-class, NonProfit and Standard/Marketing Mail where customers may be accustomed to loading a job at 3pm and seeing it mail the same day, without paying for expedited service.  We foresee this being the most impacted and highly unlikely for weeks ahead.

Here are some things you can do to help us stay in step with you about your mailing projects.  If you need the mail delivered quickly, we highly recommend our FedEx overnight and 3-Day options.  If you absolutely need your mail processed quickly by LetterStream, pay to have your job expedited through rush or expedited services in the shopping cart.  If you just wish your mail would go out faster, I’d recommend trying to load your jobs earlier in the day. Lastly, please anticipate that delays are going to be occurring all around us and all around you.  Please work on plans to compensate for the new normal so that your mailings will go out as needed.

As always, if you have any questions you can contact our awesome Customer Service team, all of whom are working remotely.  Also, our website provides a lot of good help, solutions, and information via the Help button floating in the lower right corner of the screen.

Thank you for your business, for your frequent kind words and for trusting us with your critical mail.  Stay well and hunker down.

USPS Postage Rates 2020

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Mark Your Calendars!

The proposed price changes that the United States Postal Service (USPS) filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) back in October, were approved. Starting January 26, 2020, these new prices will officially be in effect.

LetterStream prices will reflect the rate changes starting on Friday, January 24th at 5pm Arizona Time (6pm EST), so we recommend planning ahead and approving your mailings before the price increases are officially in effect.

As it goes every year, any job in our system that has been approved and paid for prior to 5pm on the 24th will have the old postage prices, even if we mail it on Monday the 27th.  Following is a list of postage changes for some of our primary products.

Here’s the list of items unchanged by the 2020 rates:

  • First-Class stamps staying at $0.55
  • First-Class Postcard Rate staying at $0.35
  • Extra Ounces staying at $0.15 (for letters, not flats)
  • Flat base rate staying at $1.00

And some items that are experiencing an increase, such as:

  • International Rates going up from $1.15 to $1.20
  • Certified Mail going up from $3.50 to $3.55
  • Return Receipt going up from $2.80 to $2.85
  • Electronic Return Receipt going up from $1.60 to $1.70
  • Registered Mail going up from $12.40 to $12.60
  • Flats Extra Ounces going up from $0.15 to $0.20

Sorry, this year we didn’t find any fees that went down for the products that we offer.

Click here to review the USPS press release for 2020 postage rates.
Click here to download and review the complete list of 2020 USPS rate changes.

We should remind you that LetterStream rarely raises our prices.  We simply increase our prices by the amount of the USPS rate increases, and you can expect the same this year as well.

Again, LetterStream will be implementing these changes on January 24th, 2020 at 5 PM, so make sure you approve any jobs you can before the 24th to get the old postage prices.

2019 Postal Service Holiday Shipping Deadlines

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Santa isn’t the only one busy this Holiday season!

We all get sucked into the hustle and bustle of shopping, wrapping, ordering, and MAILING!

The USPS becomes Santa’s little helpers as they deliver about 2.5 million pieces of mail this week alone and about 800 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Years. (WBRZ)

When sending out letters and packages to family and friends and want them to make it to the desired location by the big day, to do so make sure you follow the USPS shipping deadlines schedule.

Dec. 18 – APO/FPO/DPO (except ZIP Code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express

Dec. 20 – First-Class Mail (including greeting cards)

Dec. 20 – First-Class Packages (up to 15.99 ounces)

Dec. 20 – Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail

Dec. 21 – Priority Mail

Dec. 20 – Alaska to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail

Dec. 22 – Alaska to mainland Priority Mail Express

Dec. 22 – Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail Express

Dec. 23 – Priority Mail Express

If you want more information about these deadlines go to WBRC.com

Happy Holiday!

LetterStream gives back with The 2019 Code Red Water Drive!

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A quick update on the water drive for Phoenix Rescue Mission.
Brown Community Management (https://www.brownmanagement.com/) invited us to participate with them again this year to help the Mission replenish their water supply of bottled water for needy and homeless individuals. And we gladly joined them again.
The Phoenix Rescue Mission is committed to reducing hunger and homelessness throughout Maricopa County. Their annual fall water drive replenishes their inventories as they work to prevent heat-related deaths in the valley. The water drive is called Code Red (https://phoenixrescue mission.org/codered) and we certainly encourage you to get your company involved in assisting in this event or finding others as a great way to give back.
We’d like to thank Brown Community Management for inviting us to participate. And a big thanks to OPACS (OPACS.com) who provided a box truck with a lift gate and a pallet of water to make this a record year for Brown and LetterStream in our contributions. But the biggest thanks goes to the LetterStream employees who grabbed a pallet, a case or just a bottle and dropped it off selflessly for the benefit of those less fortunate. Our LetterStream team donated 7,800 bottles of water.
Our next event is our annual Toys for Tots toy drive. If you are inclined, stop by and drop off an unwrapped toy if you are in the area. Or better yet, find a way to bring your organization together and share in the joys of giving through an event that you organize.

LetterStream Celebrates Sweet 16.

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A quick but heartfelt thank you to all our customers, employees (present and past), vendors and encouragers who have cheered us on in some way over the years.

We say a big Thank You! October 2019 is LetterStream’s sweet 16th birthday.

It has been fun to serve all those who enjoy our service these many years. And one fun fact… as nearly 25 new users discover and sign up for our services each day now (including LetterStream.com, OnlineCertifiedMail.com, and MailMyLetter.net), to send one letter or 10s of thousands, we signed up our 16,000th user this month too!

Thanks everyone!!

Las Vegas Debt Connection Symposium and Expo 2019

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LetterStream takes on Vegas!

Come say Hi, and meet some of our LetterStream team. There are many ways that you can meet us, but in this case, all you have to do is stop by our booth. Were talking about the Las Vegas Debt Connection Symposium and Expo being hosted at the Red Rock Hotel, September 10th-12th, 2019. Our booth at this Expo will be stocked with our fantastic and passionate staff.

This Expo will be “focusing on networking and connection with clients, service providers, product suppliers, agencies, and attorneys- at a whole new level… This symposium and Expo’s concept is to have an opportunity to meet peers and other industry professionals, as well as finding new products and services that might make your job easier, better, more efficient, more productive, etc.”  (DCSE)

LetterStream is going to have staff on hand to explain why outsourcing print and mail projects makes the most sense, as well as showing how mail managers can get their important mailings out the door in as little as two minutes. We’re sure there will be many questions about how Certified Mail can be sent and tracked online without ever going to the post office, and will be more than happy to answer every last one of them.

Please stop in and see us about your first-class mailing, statement mailing, payment coupon booklet printing, FedEx letters, annual meeting notice, postcards, certified mail, and any other mailing projects that you might need for a better solution.

Be sure to stop by booth #202, and say hello. We will be awaiting your arrival. See you soon!