EcommerceBytes-NewsFlash, Number 2693 - December 12, 2011 
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USPS Launches Express Mail Flat Rate Boxes for Overnight Delivery
By Ina Steiner
Costing $18.30 (retail) for a flat rate envelope, Express Mail is useful when overnight delivery of important papers or documents is required. Now the USPS is introducing Express Mail flat rate boxes that could help sellers when overnight delivery is the only option.
Last month the USPS announced new flat rate boxes for Express Mail priced at $39.95 and broadened the service to include flat rate boxes for customers who ship domestic parcels at retail, commercial base, and commercial plus prices. The dimensions of the boxes were initially unpublished, but we now know the two new Flat Rate Box sizes will measure 11 inches x 8 1/2 inches x 5 1/2 inches, and 11 7/8 inches x 3 3/8 inches x 13 5/8 inches.
Both boxes are priced the same $39.95, regardless of the actual weight (up to 70 pounds) or domestic destination. All existing Express Mail standards and postage payment methods for retail, commercial base, and commercial plus prices apply.
According to Vivian Li, Shipping Brand Manager for Dymo Endicia, the Postal Service has made significant progress generating awareness around the savings shippers can achieve using Priority Mail, and is extending its competitive services. "Express Mail is a great option to get your packages to their destination quickly," said Li. "It's perfect for the last minute holiday present, birthday present or time-sensitive items. With the success of Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes and all the USPS has done to increase awareness of Flat Rate options, it makes sense to extend it to Express Mail."
The new Express Mail Flat Rate boxes will be available on January 22, 2012, when new rates go into effect, including an increase of Priority Mail rates by 3.1 percent overall.
About the author:
Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com.
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