USPS Ground Advantage, AKA First Class Package More Expensive, But Insurance Included

[joseh1445]

I just printed a label for 1 package.  Weight, 5 OZ.  First Class Price, was about $4.14 give or take couple cents.  Now, same 5 OZ, was $4.44 Ground Advantage. 

Although, you now have up to $100 Insurance.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Prices depend on Zone as well as weight.  The online postage cost for First Class packages weighing 5 ounces was $3.99 - $4.44 and the price for Ground Advantage is the same. You are comparing a Zone 8 prices against a price for a closer Zone; for instance the cost to ship 5 ounces to Zone 4 is (and was) $4.15.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Although this is the 'retail' rate and not what we pay via eBay; this gives you an idea of the various 'zones' (further it gets, more it costs)- was same with 1st Class (this is GA from USPS website)

Weight Not Over6 Zone1,2,3,4,51 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

4 oz	$4.75	$4.85	$4.90	$5.00	$5.05	$5.10	$5.15	$5.25	$5.25
8 oz	5.40	5.50	5.55	5.60	5.65	5.70	5.75	5.85	5.85
12 oz	6.15	6.25	6.30	6.35	6.40	6.45	6.55	6.65	6.65
15.999 oz	7.60	7.75	7.85	8.00	8.15	8.25	8.40	8.55	8.55
1	7.60	7.75	7.85	8.00	8.15	8.25	8.40	8.55	8.55
2	8.50	9.00	9.55	10.25	11.00	11.80	12.90	14.90	14.90

[nobody*s_perfect]

Here are the current online rates:

http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/notice123.pdf

[stainlessenginecovers]

Ah, good to know (and strange they give a 'bigger' discount' on some vs. others (from the retail rate)

[joseh1445]

I understand about Zones.  But now Insurance is no longer an option, but Mandatory.  Which is the only change that I can see so far.  

[shado-x]

I just printed my first USPS Ground Advantage Labels and the rates were the same as First Class, both options were given.  Yeah  🎆   But items over 1 lb can be cheaper than US Priority; however, this is where "Parcel Post" comes into play-----how long does it take to get to clients over 1 lbs with USPS Ground Advantage over US Priority?  Don't need the ambiguous hassle from an arm of the US Government.

[joseh1445]

Check your date.  I think you were able to print the label with today's date.  

[geo2061]

All in all any price increases seem to be rather mild - some cases look to be cheaper

For me, insurance is a Big Plus - nice for the moderately priced items in my Store

(that i shipped with USPS First Class anyway)

Add to it the increase to Media Mail prices ($3.92 <1#)

and many more of my customers will be given an upgrade to Ground Advantage

(was my standard practice to upgrade many of my DVD sales before the change anyway)

[slippinjimmy]

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@shado-x wrote:

I just printed my first USPS Ground Advantage Labels and the rates were the same as First Class, both options were given.  Yeah  🎆   But items over 1 lb can be cheaper than US Priority; however, this is where "Parcel Post" comes into play-----how long does it take to get to clients over 1 lbs with USPS Ground Advantage over US Priority?  Don't need the ambiguous hassle from an arm of the US Government.

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Ground Advantage over 15.99oz is simply a renaming of Parcel Select, Parcel select was a ground service ALWAYS, now Ground Advantage (1lb+)is a hybrid system with some going surface and some going air, the delivery standard has been reduced by a couple of days and the rates have had some slight tweaks.

Obviously Priority remains as the faster service and you pay more for that.

If you have been shipping First Class Package there MAY be 1 or 2 extra days for delivery depending on the delivery location but in general there will not be any significant change. Although the delivery window for First Class packages was extended a few years ago I have not noticed much if any difference with almost all of my FCP shipments arriving in 3 business days with SOME distant zones (and rural locations) 4 business days. A lot of the difference is simply down to the day of the week and th e time of day that they initially get in the hands of USPS.

I also use a lot of Media Mail which is supposed to be the slowest service USPS offers, it can be quite a bit slower than FCP and especially Priority but looking at hundreds of shipments I'm usually seeing delivery in 5 business days.

Much of the delivery time is dependant on where you are shipping from, where you are shipping to, how many pickups you local P.O. has, how far away are you (or your customer) are from the closest regional USPS facility.

[dbfolks166mt]

     I had posted this information a couple of days ago after talking to the USPS national support center and confirming that in fact Ground Advantage had the insurance coverage regardless of the size or weight of the item. It also presents an opportunity/alternative to priority mail and I have modified most of my listings that are over 1 pound to offer either Ground Advantage or Priority mail since both have insurance but in most cases the Ground Advantage is cheaper for the buyer although possibly a bit slower on the delivery time. For example.

[bobbyd-610]

If USPS Ground Advantage is the same or close to USPS First Class, then why when I put Ground Advantage as another option next to my First Class option for my 7 oz. package,  the price went from 4.75-5.25 first class to 6.99-9.03 Ground advantage?  Same exact package!!

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@bobbyd-610 wrote: ..why when I put Ground Advantage as another option next to my First Class option for my 7 oz. package,  the price went from 4.75-5.25 first class to 6.99-9.03 Ground advantage? ...

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Because eBay hasn't updated the listing form yet.  It's still showing the old Parcel Select Ground prices, so any weight up to 1 pound shows the 1-pound old rate.  But if you go ahead and list it, the listing itself will have the correct, new Ground Advantage rate. And so do labels. It's just the listing form that's lagging.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

enter your weight and dims and select 'calculate based on buyers' location. 

[wytcar]

USPS is not an arm of the US government.