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Postal service raising prices right before holidays: How much more will you pay?

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It will likely cost more to send packages this holiday season.

The U.S. Postal Service filed notice last week with the Postal Regulatory Commission is plans to seek a temporary price change for some services before the busiest shipping season of the year. The temporary adjustment to designed to “help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season,” USPS said in a press release.

The higher cost will cover Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage and, pending approval by the PRC, would go into effect at midnight on Oct. 6 and last until midnight on Jan. 19. No other products, including stamps, would see an increase, USPS said.

The planned price changes include:

Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage: Zone 1-4

Commercial:

  • 30 cents increase for Zones 1-4, 0-3 lbs.
  • 45 cents increase for Zones 1-4, 4-10 lbs.
  • 75 cents increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.
  • $3 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.

Priority Mail Zone 5-9

  • 70 cents increase for Zones 5-9, 0-3 lbs.
  • $1.25 increase for Zones 5-9, 4-10 lbs.
  • $2.75 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $7 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

USPS Ground Advantage Zone 5-9

  • 35 cents increase for Zones 5-9, 0-3 lbs.
  • 75 cents increase for Zones 5-9, 4-10 lbs.
  • $1.25 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $5.50 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage: Zone 1-4

Retail:

  • 40 cents increase for Zones 1-4, 0-3 lbs.
  • 55 cents increase for Zones 1-4, 4-10 lbs.
  • 95 cents increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.
  • $4 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.

Priority Mail Zone 5-9

  • 90 cents increase for Zones 5-9, 0-3 lbs.
  • $1.45 increase for Zones 5-9, 4-10 lbs.
  • $3.25 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $8.50 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

USPS Ground Advantage Zone 5-9

  • 50 cents increase for Zones 5-9, 0-3 lbs.
  • $1 increase for Zones 5-9, 4-10 lbs.
  • $2 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $5.85 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

Priority Mail Express:

Commercial

  • $1 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-3 lbs.
  • $1.75 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-3 lbs.
  • $1.50 increase for Zones 1-4, 4-10 lbs.
  • $3.95 increase for Zones 5-9, 4-10 lbs.
  • $3.50 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.
  • $7.50 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $8.95 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.
  • $13 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

Retail:

$1.10 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-3 lbs.

$2 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-3 lbs.

$2 increase for Zones 1-4, 4-10 lbs.

$4.85 increase for Zones 5-9, 4-10 lbs.

$3.90 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.

$9 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.

$9.75 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.

$16 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

According to ShipStation.com, USPS uses postal zones to determine the distance between an origin and its destination. Zones range from 1-9, with Zone 1 being a local shipment and Zone 9 the being furthest distance possible for a domestic shipment. The higher the zone, the higher the cost.

You can go here to input ZIP code and see the USPS Zone Chart.