barrelracer
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posted on January 6, 2001 02:29:15 PM new
I was at the post office mailing my small packet air mail to Germany and Canada today and the clerk asked me if I knew they were doing away with small packet air tomorrow, when the new rates take effect.
She said she thought there would be only air mail and economy air mail, but she was going for her training this afternoon to learn more.
So what's economy air mail? The mail bags hang from the wing? The boxes don't get a dinner?
Anyone know anything about this?
~Not barrelracer on ebay, don't pick on them!~
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dman3
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posted on January 6, 2001 02:50:42 PM new
As I have been hearing it they are more or less changeing the name of small packet shipping air and surfice like they changed book rate to media rate.
How ever I just shipped out packages out of the USA today small packet air and they didnt inform me of this as I heard it these are puposed changes to international deliverys and will take place later after the US rate incress.
so when international rate go up there will be economy air and sufice mail and global priority
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
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magazine_guy
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posted on January 6, 2001 02:55:16 PM new
I think they are mistaken.
Go to the international mail calculator:
http://ircalc.usps.gov/
click on the Postal Explorer at the bottom of the page. It lists all the changes, and the most recent international rates. SPA is still there, best I can tell.
S.
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rty
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posted on January 6, 2001 03:24:55 PM new
The International Rates change tomorrow, January 7, with some substantial increases in rates. No more Small Packet--there will now be "Airmail Parcel Post". "Economy" is surface mail.
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barrelracer
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posted on January 6, 2001 03:46:41 PM new
I guess at this point I can only be glad I am waiting for payment on one item to Canada.
I hope they change the USPS web site right away if there are rate changes, because I will be putting my international winners "on hold" till I can find out more.
~Not barrelracer on ebay, don't pick on them!~
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rty
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posted on January 6, 2001 03:56:56 PM new
I don't know the web page address right now, but the new International rate charts are included in the Post Office's Federal Register Vol. 65 No. 187. There are about 47 pages of information to wade thru, so it's probably easier to just wait until Monday when you can take a package to the post office for a rate quote or maybe find the changes made on the International Rate Calculator.
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CAgrrl
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posted on January 6, 2001 04:14:07 PM new
I'm glad this topic came up for discussion. I spent about 45 minutes yesterday trying to figure out how to quote shipping charges to the Netherlands on a package for a customer of mine. I still don't know what actual cost will be. I'm sure I'll lose money on the figure I quoted her, but once won't kill me as long as I can eventually get this figured out. I'm SO CONFUSED!!!!! Will be following this thread with interest.
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ExecutiveGirl
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posted on January 6, 2001 04:17:26 PM new
Does anyone know why there are no rates for Global Priority Tyvek envelopes and Global Priority Boxes on the USPS website?
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vargas
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posted on January 6, 2001 04:37:23 PM new
I happened to pick up a "clerk reference card for global delivery services" at the PO a couple of days ago.
Here's some information from the card.
International mail service is being restructured and there are new categories and names.
Air, Letter class and AO (Other Articles) Airmail will be called "Global Airmail" with two sub-categories -- Letter-post and Parcel Post
Surface will be called "Global Economy" with two sub-categories -- Letter-post and Parcel Post. The Economy rate begins at 1 pound for letter post and 5 pounds for parcel post.
For single-piece sales, there's no more service category for small packets, printed matter, sheet music and books.
If you send printed matter, the M-Bag option will be offered with no minimum weight restrictions.
There's sketchy rate info: Letter Post Airmail is 60 cents for first ounce to Canada & Mexico. All other countries are 80 cents for the first ounce. After that, rates are determined by five rate groups; Canada, Mexico, Western Europe, Far East and all other countries. Weight limit is four pounds.
Letter Post Surface rates start at one pound and there are five rate groups. One pound is $2.70 to $4.95, depending on rate group. Weight limit is four pounds.
Hope this helps a little. The card has a little more detail, but not enough to really get a handle on costs.
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magazine_guy
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posted on January 6, 2001 04:48:40 PM new
Yikes!
The international rates are indeed changing- and not for the better.
They are detailed in PO Bulletin #22038, which you can find in PDF format here:
http://new.usps.com/cgi-bin/uspsbv/scripts/content.jsp
S.
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Julesy
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posted on January 6, 2001 04:57:51 PM new
Cripes! I have two Japanese return customers bidding on a multitude of auctions all ending this weekend. I am going to charge a flat rate, even if I have to eat part of the cost, until I get a handle on the new rates on Monday.
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MrJim
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posted on January 7, 2001 05:17:14 AM new
Small Packets is now Global Airmail Letter Post. The rates went up about 20% across the board. As before, this method cannot be insured. (and the same size and weight restrictions apply) In order to insure a package, you have to use the Parcel Post, and in some cases it is cheaper to send it Express, which includes $500 insurance.
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barrelracer
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posted on January 7, 2001 07:22:19 AM new
The new international rates are available from the USPS web site.
It does look like the small packet air is now "Global Air Mail Letter Post"
Looks like I will be printing out the page and taking it to the post office for proof when I ship.
Rats, and I just had the clerks trained so well!
~Not barrelracer on ebay, don't pick on them!~
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Microbes
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posted on January 7, 2001 07:22:21 AM new
Am I the only one who wonders about a rate increase, when they raise letters 1 cent (3%) (what the general public does most), and hits packages for 20%, and calls the whole thing a 4% raise?
I wouldn't want to be a "new hire" at the post office, about 20% of our packages that where going USPS will now go UPS. Some one will wind up laid off...
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lindajean
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posted on January 7, 2001 11:11:15 AM new
microbes: I heard on the radio Friday that UPS and FedEx also announced a rate hike but didn't say when it would take place. They weren't going to be left behind!
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birdwatcher-07
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posted on January 7, 2001 11:30:59 AM new
UPS's rate increase takes effect February 5. I got a card from them about the rate increase.
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birdwatcher-07
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posted on January 7, 2001 11:35:45 AM new
can anyone clue me in about using M-Bag? I've never done it, but I do ship a fair amount of books internationally. Will I be able to use it for all kinds of printed matter, including books? Does it use an actual "bag" - and can I put boxes inside the bag? Sorry if these questions seem dumb! 
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abacaxi
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posted on January 7, 2001 11:53:27 AM new
M-BAG does use an actual bag, and you can have the books wrapped for their protection inside the bag (it might be required). It's only cost-effective for sending quite a lot of books to a single destination.
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Zazzie
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posted on January 7, 2001 11:54:10 AM new
M-Bag-----the post office has heavy canvas bags that have metal clips to secure them shut--just ask for them, they don't cost you anything---and you need an M-Bag form to fill out---plus the M-Bag address tag.
You can put one box or as many boxes that will fit into the bag--as long as they are going to the same address. Each bag must weigh a minimum of 11 pounds with charges starting at $8.80/per 11 lbs depending on where it is going ----then they charge you per pound after that--starting at 80 cents per pound if it is Books, magazines etc--again depending on where (Canada, Mexico etc)
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vargas
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posted on January 7, 2001 12:45:57 PM new
There's no minimum weight for the new M-Bag rates. Maximum weight is 66 pounds.
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Zazzie
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posted on January 7, 2001 06:16:08 PM new
Maybe there is no minimum weight---but I suppose they will charge you for 11 lbs if it only weighs 5 lbs.
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vargas
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posted on January 7, 2001 06:48:28 PM new
Yes, Zazzie, they will! But it's still cheaper than the "Global Economy Parcel Post Surface rates, which start at $15.75 for five pounds.
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birdwatcher-07
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posted on January 7, 2001 07:34:29 PM new
Thanks for all the info about M-Bag, folks! I am really worried that the loss international book rate mail will hurt all booksellers' sales to international buyers. 
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Zazzie
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posted on January 7, 2001 07:58:31 PM new
vargas---you've got all the angles covered--which is good !!
Yes--losing the International Book Rate is going to be tough. I'm glad I have my US postal box---but that is not a convenient option for many book buyers.
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uranis
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posted on January 7, 2001 09:14:34 PM new
The bottom line for me is this: I have been shipping the same 2 lb 2 oz box of Hockey Cards to Canada for almost 4 years. It used to cost my Canadian customers $8.00 for shipping, now its $14.25. They say its a 20% increase "across the board". Looks like 78% to me. Thats for the air rate. What confuses me is the "economy" rate is $1.00 more. Needless to say, my Canadians aren't going to pay that. I am leaning towards a "No International Shipping" policy. Its too costly and confusing now.
Dear Mr. President,There are too many states nowadays, please eliminate three.Abraham Simpson
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Randolph
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posted on January 7, 2001 09:15:57 PM new
We ship between 20-40 (or more) packages a day USPS. We also have regular pickup from FedEx whose rates are approximately equal to UPS. Had their rep come in and did comparison with new USPS rates and anything 2 lbs or heavier is now competitive with USPS. Only disadvantage is no free boxes or tape. But save daily trip to post office so we are going to try going with FedExGround. May want to talk to your UPS (who I find impossible to work with) or local FedEx Rep. Mine was actually surprised they were now competitive on the lower weight items.
Rannie Vernon
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AnonymousCoward
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posted on January 7, 2001 09:45:18 PM new
They don't call it small packets now, but encompass this in the newly named
"Global Economy Letter Post (Surface)" and the Global Airmail Letter Post classification.
I found this in
the USPS Mail manual. http://pe.usps.gov/cpim/ftp/manuals/imm/immc2.pdf
240 Letter-Post
...241 Description
....241.1 Definition
The letter-post classification encompasses all of the classes of international mail: letters and letter packages, post and postal cards, aerogrammes, printed matter, and small packets that were formerly categorized as LC (letters and cards) and AO (other articles).
edited for UBB
[ edited by AnonymousCoward on Jan 7, 2001 09:47 PM ]
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Zazzie
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posted on January 7, 2001 10:16:43 PM new
Can someone explain the Global Flat-Rate?? Thanks
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outoftheblue
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posted on January 7, 2001 10:28:41 PM new
Geesh! I can't see international rates going much higher. I just shipped a box to Japan and it cost $32.40. Shipping came to more than the total cost of the combined items.
I thought that it looked funny on the customs receipt to have $20.00 as a total value (slightly less than actual), and $32.40 postage attached to the box.
[ edited by outoftheblue on Jan 7, 2001 10:32 PM ]
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katiyana
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posted on January 8, 2001 09:40:42 AM new
I had an auction winner yesterday who notified me today they are in Italy.
I went to the International Rate Calculator - was pleased to see the changes up on the website so quickly - I rely on that so much, I'd HATE to see it lag behind.
Anyway, I've printed off the page and will take it with me to the post office to verify that what I used to ship Small Packet Airmail is now called Global Airmail Letter Post. I know is going to be a 6-7 oz bubble mailer package going, so once I have that verified, I'll be able to tell the winner than they're going to have to eat a $7 S/H charge for their $10 item.. not good!!
Hope I won't lose many bidders that way.. international sales had slowly but surely been creeping up in volume the past couple of months...
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