Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
The court stated that the rules governing the rate increase was for exigent purposes, and defined "exigent" as being no more than two years. That period of time expires in August 2015. Based on the court ruling, USPS is faced with being required to roll back postage rates and fees back to the August 2013 rates.
USPS stated that it is "reviewing" the court decision.
If the rates are rolled back next month, that means that the forever stamps currently being sold for 49 cents will be worth 46 cents. Other rates and fees will have to revert back as well.
What this means is that the base rates to be used by USPS for future rate increases has to be the rates that were in effect prior to the exigent rate increases, and not the current rates.
I mentioned this yesterday to the clerks at my post office. It appears that they were well-informed about this situation.
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I appreciate the USPS and am glad that I can drop a letter in the box and two to three days later have my recipient have something tangible in their hands.
In years past (and I'm not that old) the cost of a book of stamps was negligible in the grand scheme of things. I mean, they always cost something but you almost took it for granted. You paid very little small change, you dropped it in the box and 48-72 hours later it was there; you could bank on it. But....the cost of postage has crept up. I still truly believe it's a real value.
Since the OP makes reference to the current postal rates, how do we stack up with other countries? I don't know this to be true but I have heard that most other places in the world pay MUCH less for cell phone service. I've been told that other places pay comparatively $15-$20 a month for an unlimited cell phone data plan.
Comparatively speaking, is our USPS still on par with the rest of the world?
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We pay significantly less for first class postage than almost every (or even all) other countries.
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05:28:53pm
"Significantly"
I'd estimate between 15% and 30% less depending on the country, exchange rates and general cost of living.
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Just as a comparison: mailing a standard letter costs € 0.69 in the Netherlands, € 0.72 in Belgium, € 0.62 in Germany and € 0.68 in France. Given the current exchange rate that would be around 50 to 60% more expensive than in the USA.
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International mail is even more expensive. From the US to any country in the world, the first ounce is just $1.20 right now. From other countries to the US it is often double that or more.
(Corrected to fix typo of postage rate.)
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Michael#'s...I see International mail from the US to any country as $ 1.20 for the 1st oz. , not $ 1.55 as your post mentions.
Mike in NC / meostamps
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It is also useful to consider the price of a postage stamp to the price of a gallon of gasoline. When I was a kid, postage was 5c and gas was 33c. Both have gone up about 10x. Just about everything has gone up by about 10x, so postage rates seem to be in line with everything else.
Lars
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02:50:27pm
The USPS has lost its appeal in federal court to have the postage rate increases from 2013 made permanent.
The court stated that the rules governing the rate increase was for exigent purposes, and defined "exigent" as being no more than two years. That period of time expires in August 2015. Based on the court ruling, USPS is faced with being required to roll back postage rates and fees back to the August 2013 rates.
USPS stated that it is "reviewing" the court decision.
If the rates are rolled back next month, that means that the forever stamps currently being sold for 49 cents will be worth 46 cents. Other rates and fees will have to revert back as well.
What this means is that the base rates to be used by USPS for future rate increases has to be the rates that were in effect prior to the exigent rate increases, and not the current rates.
I mentioned this yesterday to the clerks at my post office. It appears that they were well-informed about this situation.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
03:06:38pm
re: USPS Loses Court Appeal
I appreciate the USPS and am glad that I can drop a letter in the box and two to three days later have my recipient have something tangible in their hands.
In years past (and I'm not that old) the cost of a book of stamps was negligible in the grand scheme of things. I mean, they always cost something but you almost took it for granted. You paid very little small change, you dropped it in the box and 48-72 hours later it was there; you could bank on it. But....the cost of postage has crept up. I still truly believe it's a real value.
Since the OP makes reference to the current postal rates, how do we stack up with other countries? I don't know this to be true but I have heard that most other places in the world pay MUCH less for cell phone service. I've been told that other places pay comparatively $15-$20 a month for an unlimited cell phone data plan.
Comparatively speaking, is our USPS still on par with the rest of the world?
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05:00:27pm
re: USPS Loses Court Appeal
We pay significantly less for first class postage than almost every (or even all) other countries.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
01 Jul 2015
05:28:53pm
re: USPS Loses Court Appeal
"Significantly"
I'd estimate between 15% and 30% less depending on the country, exchange rates and general cost of living.
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re: USPS Loses Court Appeal
Just as a comparison: mailing a standard letter costs € 0.69 in the Netherlands, € 0.72 in Belgium, € 0.62 in Germany and € 0.68 in France. Given the current exchange rate that would be around 50 to 60% more expensive than in the USA.
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10:08:39am
re: USPS Loses Court Appeal
International mail is even more expensive. From the US to any country in the world, the first ounce is just $1.20 right now. From other countries to the US it is often double that or more.
(Corrected to fix typo of postage rate.)
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re: USPS Loses Court Appeal
Michael#'s...I see International mail from the US to any country as $ 1.20 for the 1st oz. , not $ 1.55 as your post mentions.
Mike in NC / meostamps
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re: USPS Loses Court Appeal
It is also useful to consider the price of a postage stamp to the price of a gallon of gasoline. When I was a kid, postage was 5c and gas was 33c. Both have gone up about 10x. Just about everything has gone up by about 10x, so postage rates seem to be in line with everything else.
Lars
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