Priority Mail versus Priority Mail Express

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greenacres2

Member
Joined
May 2, 2017
Messages
1,686
Location
Northwest IN
Hey all--just a "heads-up" to those who sometimes mail items using USPS provided boxes & envelopes. A while back (no idea when, but i'm thinking at least a year), USPS changed the name of their 1-2 day service from "Express Mail" to "Priority Mail Express", very similar in name to "Priority Mail", but significantly more expensive (about 3 x the price). The boxes & envelopes they provide (at no cost--a great benefit of using them) look very much like Priority Mail, but with more blue lettering and less red lettering.

Regular shippers (Ed & Dawn for example) would be will aware of this, but for those of us who only do this sometimes--grabbing the wrong box can be easy. If you purchase the Priority Mail postage online, tape the label on and drop it off--your computer doesn't know if you used the Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express box--if it was the wrong box, the recipient may have postage due of around $37.45 on a medium flat rate box, even though the service provided was the regular 3 day--in which case a little tap-dancing and kind words at the window MIGHT (or might not) get the difference waived. OR you may actually get the package in one day--in which case, no adjustment available.

If you're buying postage at the USPS counter instead of online--they'll tell you $53 or $61 for a Medium box, so you'll know right away to just say no. The home-printed version would just be delivered with the postage due.

So...keep an eye on which box you use, the difference is costly. The case i'm familiar with ended well, and everyone is happy--and while it did take 2 explanations, getting the refund didn't involve any irritable language or harsh words. :biggrin:

Keep turning!!
earl
 

magpens

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
15,913
Location
Canada
Interesting and good to know about ... even for an "outsider".

What gets me is the fancy names for postal services ... isn't there any "Ordinary" any more ? Same here in Canada ... nothing "Ordinary".
 

leehljp

Member Liaison
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
9,314
Location
Tunica, Mississippi,
I learned a long time ago to check the name on the box with the mail list. I automatically search for a sign with the price list when mailing anything other than a simple letter. Going back about 5 or 6 years ago, there was a price difference between EXPRESS and PRIORITY, even though the boxes or envelops looked the same. (I think the express was for international also.) Then there was the name change you mentioned.

I lived overseas for 26 years and became conditioned to look for that price list before mailing anything local or international. My family learned to do the same when mailing something to me overseas.

Being unaware of a simple name change can get expensive. Sometimes I think it is intentional.
 
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