USPS has announced a price increase for their package rates this holiday season. The said seasonal price hike started on October 1 and will last up to December 26. Aside from the price hike, USPS' package delivery will also be slower in the coming months.

The said hike will affect first-class mails, per Vox.

In relation to this, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said mail delivery adjustments is part of USPS' 10-year plan to achieve financial sustainability as well as service excellence.

USPS Updates You Need to Know

Due to the said price hike, USPS reminded everyone to send gifts as early as possible, per Cnet. As mentioned, the seasonal price hike and the slow mail delivery has already started. The said rate increase and shipping delays are part of USPS' plan to stabilize its finances due to problems caused by the pandemic problems. The said plan is called "Delivering for America."

In line with this, USPS will increase the delivery costs from 25 cents up to $5 to ship a parcel. Delivery cost also depends on the service provider that the sender chooses, as well as the distance the parcel must travel. Along with the said increase, USPS is using a combination of a packages' dimension, per Packlane.

USPS is also providing a handy calculator to compute a parcel's delivery price.

Keep in mind that this price increase is not applicable for letters.

In addition, the cost of the Forever stamp also increased from 55 cents up to 58 cents. Meanwhile, international stamps will increase from $1.20 to $1.30.

Read Also: Child Tax Credit Updates: Deadline for Signing Up to Get $600 or More, Eligibility, Non-Filer Tool

USPS Will Be Slower and Expensive

The new service standard for both first-class mail and packages will lengthen the delivery time to 30 percent of its volume, which means longer distances will take five days to arrive instead of two to three days.

USPS has shared the list of price increase for the holiday season. The list of the said price increase for Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, USPS Retail Ground, and Parcel Select Ground are the following, per Cnet:

• Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Boxes, and Envelops: 75 cents
• Zones 1 to 4 with 0 to 10 pounds: $0.25 increase
• Zones 1 to 4 with 11 to 20 pounds: $1.50 increase
• Zones 1 to 4 with 21 to 70 pounds: $2.50 increase
• Zones 5 to 9 with 0 to 10 pounds: $0.75 increase
• Zones 5 to 9 with 11 to 20 pounds: $3 increase
• Zones 5 to 9 with 21 to 70 pounds: $5 increase

Reasons Why USPS Deliveries Will Be Delayed

In a separate report, Cnet further revealed the reasons why USPS deliveries will be delayed, some of which are:

• Weather: Deliveries could be delayed due to floods, natural disaster, severe winter storms, as well as power outages.
• Wrong Address: Incorrect delivery address could also cause some delays.
• Holidays: Since holiday is the busiest time for Postal Service, USPS reminded everyone to limit last-minute shopping and plan instead.

As mentioned, USPS has shared tips for everyone to avoid longer delays of their parcel. Senders should plan ahead, keeping in mind that long distance mail should be sent early.

Related Article: USPS Slowdown 2021: Major Changes in First-Class Mail and Package Delivery, New Rates