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USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

"This is part of a larger effort to simplify the Priority Mail rate structure and eliminate any redundancy between Regional Rate Boxes (RRB) and Priority Mail Cubic (PMC) shipments. PMC has proven to be the more popular option, offers the lowest possible rates for USPS shipping, and serves the same needs as RRBs. The only difference is that Regional Rate Boxes were free while cubic boxes are not. The Postal Service does not expect this to impact any shippers negatively. Furthermore, you can continue to use your Regional Rate Boxes until you run out."

Message 1 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

The announcement from USPS itself clarifies, "Customers may continue to use any of the boxes that remain in their inventory, but they will be treated as weight-and-rate packages."   The decision to discontinue Regional rates was clearly made months ago: the prices that will go into effect on January 22 were first proposed last October, and at that time no Regional rates were in the proposed pricing charts.

 

https://postaltimes.com/postalnews/priority-mail-change-regional-rate-boxes-discontinued/

Message 2 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

This Sucks so much.  As a Auto Parts seller, I have a lot of items that are over 3lbs but still fit in that regional rate A.  I use it regularly.  I have enough items listed in those boxes that I have a special "regional rate" area in my listed storage.

I guess I will have to look into the cubic rate boxes.  Still very disappointed.

Message 3 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

I used less RR after I found the cubic rate on PS. I did still use it some though. I'm actually excited that we can use the RR boxes for regular Priority tho b/c some of the sizes are really useful! I made sure and got some from USPS and now I'm wondering if I should request more since they won't be offered again. 

Message 4 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

I don't believe PMC is available on eBay?

Message 5 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023


@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

I don't believe PMC is available on eBay?


No it's not but you can buy it on Pirate Ship!

Message 6 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

Does anyone know if Shippo has PMC available? I already have 3 shipping accounts, eBay, Stamps.com and Shippo which I have rarely used. I though 3 accounts would be enough, maybe not. Dave

Message 7 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023


@postid wrote:

Does anyone know if Shippo has PMC available? I already have 3 shipping accounts, eBay, Stamps.com and Shippo which I have rarely used. I though 3 accounts would be enough, maybe not. Dave


I don't know about Shippo, but eBay and Pirate Ship are the only two I use and I find they both have enough options for all of my shipping needs. 

Message 8 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

I should have looked it up myself since I had a Shippo account. Yes, the do have PMC available and are recommending it for customers that were using the "A" and "B" boxes. I use 3-4 "A"s per month so the next "A" I would normally use I will use Shippo PMC instead. I see I have more than 4 simple ways to keep under .200 cu ft. using USPS boxes.

1. BOX4 7¼X7¼X5 = .197 cu ft

2. RRB-A1 10.125X7.125X5 = .209 cu ft  Cut the 10.125 down to 9.50 = .196 cu ft

3.RRB-A2  11.0625X2.5X13.0625 = .209 cu ft  Cut the 11.0625 down to 10.25 = .193 cu ft

4. 1097 11.625X2.5X 13.4375 = .225 cu ft Cut the 11.625 down to 10.5 = .199 cu ft

5. 1097 cut the 13.4375 down to 11.75 = .198 cu ft

6. 1097 cut the 2.5 down to 2.125 = .192 cu ft

Or just cut down any regular (1092, 1095 others) USPS boxes you have down to .200 cu ft or less.  This means never cutting a flat rate box to size as it will always ship at the Flat Rate price no matter what label you put on it.

Why I have used Shippo sometimes instead of stamps.com (or ebay shipping)

I sometimes rent something that has to be returned and I supply the return box with the shipment labeled to return the item in. Both stamps.com and ebay charge me more to return it than it costs me to ship it. Shippo costs the same. Dave

Message 9 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

It was mentioned elsewhere on the boards today that PayPal shipping, "ShipStation" is also offering  "cubic pricing". If you have a PayPal account you can sign up for it and then pay for the postage out of your PP balance (or credit card). To create a label for a non PP transaction, click on Create New Quick Label" in the upper right hand corner of the "Orders" page. At the present time it appears that you can't import your eBay or any other orders so you will have to copy and paste. It also looks like it doesn't do anything else automatically. Dave

Message 10 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

You do know that you can use the Postal Cubic rate for boxes upto .500 cubic feet, correct?

Message 11 of 12
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Re: USPS To Retire Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes effective January 22, 2023

Yes I do, and I should have mentioned it. I was just calculating what would work best for me, not necessarily anyone else. I can ship over 98% of my PM shipments in an "A" box, a padded flat rate envelope ($8.30 in US or Guam $9.20) or any PM box weighing under 2 lbs. The best value for shipping anywhere in the US for me using the cubic pricing would be keeping it under .200 cu ft. I then determined/calculated all of the different sizes that would work best. Dave

Message 12 of 12
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