The World Is Flat; New Flat-Rate Products Priced to Move International Shipments

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Feb 02, 2011, 10:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Postal Service has introduced simplified pricing and three new products to its portfolio of flat-rate shipping solutions, providing additional options priced to move messages, materials and merchandise across the country or around the world for one simple, low rate.

Leading the expanded lineup of flat-rate shipping options are the new Express Mail Legal Flat Rate Envelope and Priority Mail Legal Flat Rate Envelope, allowing attorneys, finance professionals, real estate agents and others to easily mail legal-sized documents, eliminating a fold in these important materials.

"Our Express Mail International and Priority Mail International flat-rate shipping options offer tremendous value in the marketplace for international shipping," said Pranab Shah, vice president, Global Business. "With the addition of these new flat-rate products and the move to uniform pricing for select Priority Mail envelopes, we're responding to the popularity of these products while simplifying pricing for customers."

Express Mail International offers service to more than 190 countries in 3 to 5 business days, on average. Like the standard Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope, the Express Mail Legal Flat Rate Envelope is priced at $26.90 to Canada and $29.95 to all other international destinations, including Mexico.

The new Priority Mail Legal Flat Rate Envelope also accommodates legal-size documents, with service to international destinations in 6 to 10 business days, on average. Rounding out the new offerings is the Priority Mail Flat Rate Padded Envelope, designed to provide cushioning for more fragile contents.

With the introduction of uniform pricing, the cost to mail up to 4 pounds in any of the six Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes smaller than 12.5" x 9.5", including the Priority Mail Legal Flat Rate Envelope and Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Envelope, is $11.95 to Canada and Mexico, and $13.95 to all other international destinations.

In addition to flat-rate envelopes, five Priority Mail Flat Rate Box options are available for international shipping. The Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box and Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box (two designs) can be used for shipping up to 20 pounds to international destinations for low flat rates. Click here for a price list of all Priority Mail International flat-rate shipping options.

Customers using Click-N-Ship to print mailing labels and postage for Express Mail International and Priority Mail International shipments receive online discounts and can order free package pickup, along with electronic filing of customs declaration forms.

Express Mail International and Priority Mail International flat-rate options boast an extensive list of product benefits to go along with their simple pricing and prompt, reliable service to international destinations, including sleek designs, free eco-friendly packaging, no fuel surcharges, and delivery six days a week to the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. For additional details or to order free shipping supplies, go to usps.com.

With their simplified pricing, expedited service, extensive set of benefits and world-wide reach, the expanded suite of Express Mail International and Priority Mail International flat-rate products offer flat rates for a round world.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $67 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world's mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 29th in the 2010 Fortune 500. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency six consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.

SOURCE U.S. Postal Service