The U.S. plans to pull out of an international postal treaty, because it allows China to ship packages to the U.S. at discounted rates. That, according to the Administration, costs the U.S. Postal Service about $170 million a year.

President Trump says the Universal Postal Union agreement benefits China and other countries at the expense of U.S. businesses: It’s cheaper to ship merchandise from Beijing to New York than from San Francisco to New York.

“The current system has led to the United States subsidizing the imports of small packages from other countries,” Jeff Adams, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service, told the Washington Post.

Administration officials say the U.S. is willing to renegotiate the 144-year-old treaty, but will leave UPU if no agreement is reached. The treaty requires a year for a country to withdraw. Withdrawl might affect international rates for U.S. mailers, but not for at least six months.

“President Trump deserves tremendous credit for the administration’s focus on eliminating the anti-US manufacturer subsidy China receives from the U.S. Postal Service,” Jay Timmons, the president of the National Association of Manufacturers, said in a statement. “This outdated arrangement contributes significantly to the flood of counterfeit goods and dangerous drugs that enter the country from China.”

This comes as the trade war between the U.S. and China gains intensity, although the White House says it is separate.

UPU director Bishar Hussein says he will seek a meeting with U.S. officials.

[press release]
New Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee Members Appointed

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced the appointment of three members to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC).

Created in 1957, the CSAC evaluates all stamp proposals received by the Postal Service. Committee members, appointed by the Postmaster General, provide expertise on history, science and technology, art, education, sports and other subjects of public interest.

The new members are:

Ivan Cash
Ivan Cash is an award-winning interactive artist and film director, and the founder of Cash Studios of Oakland, CA.

Conceptually driven and genre bending, Cash’s media projects spark meaningful conversation and impact culture. His work has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, TIME, The Guardian, Fast Company, Buzzfeed, and The Atlantic. Three of his videos have been named Vimeo Staff Picks and two have been selected as Webby Honorees.

Cash has been recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 artist, an Art Directors Club Young Gun, and a PRINT New Visual Artist. His work has been exhibited around the world from the Brooklyn Museum to the Australian Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences and is in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London.

Spencer R. Crew
Spencer R. Crew is the Clarence J. Robinson Professor of History at George Mason University. He has worked in public history institutions for more than 25 years. Crew served as president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and worked at the National Museum of American History (NMAH), Smithsonian Institution for 20 years, serving as director for nine. At each of those institutions, he sought to make history accessible to the public through innovative and inclusive exhibitions and public programs. Crew is an active member of the academic and cultural communities, serving on numerous boards that work to generate enthusiasm for history among the public.

Crew is a co-author of The American Presidency, A Glorious Burden.

Mike Harrity
Mike Harrity is the senior associate athletics director, Student-Athlete Services, at the University of Notre Dame. He leads the areas of sports performance and student welfare and development, serves a lead role with primary benefactor groups.

Harrity has 17 years of experience at NCAA Division I institutions supporting 720 student-athletes across 26 teams at the University of Notre Dame. He directs all areas that impact the student-athlete experience, with a focus on optimally enhancing the academic, personal, athletic, professional and service-learning experience of each student-athlete from recruitment through alumni status. Harrity explored the subject of creating and sustaining cultures of excellence with 13 coaches and many of their team members, who have won 103 combined championships; the results of his exploration were published in his first book, Coaching Wisdom (2012).

Submitting Stamp Suggestions
Due to the time required for research and approval in the stamp selection process ideas for stamp subjects should be received at least three years before the proposed issuance. Each submission should include pertinent historical information and important dates associated with the subject. Proposals must be in writing and submitted by U.S. Mail. No in-person appeals, phone calls or e-mails are accepted. Mail your suggestion (one topic per letter) to the address below:

Stamp Development
Attn: Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300
Washington, DC 20260-3501

The Postal Regulatory Commission approved this request in its entirety on November 13th.

The PRC said, “Rate increases for Market Dominant products must meet certain statutory and regulatory requirements, the most prominent of which is that such increases be no greater than the rate of inflation, as determined by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. Conversely, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act requires, among other things, that rates for Competitive products must produce sufficient revenues to ensure they are not subsidized by Market Dominant products. The Commission found that the rates for both classes of mail meet all statutory requirements and may take effect, January 27, 2019, as planned.”

“No greater than the rate of inflation…” However, that is on average. The cost of mailing a one-ounce letter is going up 10%. The rate of inflation, October 2017 to October 2018, rose just 2.5%.

We can expect new Priority Mail and Express Mail stamps, as well as some definitives, on the date the new rates go into effect, January 27, 2019.

One major change proposed, however, is in First-Class Package Service—Retail: Right now, it’s a flat rate of $3.50 for up to four ounces. Under the October 10 proposal, the rate would range from $3.66 to $4.06 for up to four ounces, depending on distance. The service includes tracking.

To determine a domestic zone, use this tool on the USPS website. Choose the second tab, “Get Zone for ZIP Code Pair.”

[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2019

WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) today of price changes to take effect Jan. 27, 2019.

The proposed prices, approved by the Governors of the Postal Service, would raise Mailing Services product prices approximately 2.5 percent. Shipping Services price increases vary by product. For example, Priority Mail Express will increase 3.9 percent and Priority Mail will increase 5.9 percent. Although Mailing Services price increases are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Shipping Services prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions. The Governors believe these new rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with needed revenue.

If favorably reviewed by the PRC, the new prices will include a 5-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, from 50 cents to 55 cents. The single-piece additional ounce price will be reduced to 15 cents, so a 2-ounce stamped letter, such as a typical wedding invitation, will cost less to mail, decreasing from 71 cents to 70 cents.

The proposed Mailing Services price changes include:

The proposed domestic Priority Mail Retail Flat Rate price changes are:

First-Class Package Service, a lightweight expedited offering used primarily by businesses for fulfillment purposes, will move to zone-based pricing to better align with the cost of service and improve value based on distance.

The Postal Service has some of the lowest letter mail postage rates in the industrialized world and also continues to offer a great value in shipping. Unlike some other shippers, the Postal Service does not add surcharges for fuel, residential delivery, or regular Saturday or holiday season delivery.

The PRC will review the prices before they are scheduled to take effect Jan. 27, 2019. The complete Postal Service price filings with the new prices for all products can be found on the PRC site under the Daily Listings section at https://www.prc.gov/dockets/daily (see listing for Oct. 10). For the Mailing Services filing see Docket No. R2019-1. For the Shipping Services filing see Docket No. CP2019-3.The price change tables are also available on the Postal Service website at https://pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.

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

More details on the proposed rate changes can be found here.

“It won’t be a surprise to anyone (since the USPS hasn’t issued one in two years),” reports Foster Miller in The Stamp Collecting Forum, “but Mary-Anne Penner (Director, Stamp Services) confirmed to me today that, while the USPS will continue to issue press sheets with die cuts, there will not be any issued without die cuts.”

Penner answered questions during a seminar June 27 at American Philatelic Society headquarters in Bellefonte, Pa.

The USPS has established a new policy that all future US commemorative stamps will have automatic distribution to all post offices, reports Foster Miller in The Stamp Collecting Forum. “Post offices will still have to order new definitives based on their needs and inventory limits.”

Director of Stamp Services Mary-Anne Penner made the announcement during a Q&A session at American Philatelic Society headquarters in Bellefonte, Pa., June 27th.

Miller did not state if Penner gave a start date for the new policy.

[press release]
Canada Post proposes new postage rates for 2019
Price of a domestic stamp would increase to 90 cents

OTTAWA, June 21, 2018 /CNW/ – Canada Post is proposing to increase postage rates in 2019. The postage rate for domestic Lettermail™ items weighing 30 grams or less when purchased in a booklet, coil or pane would increase to $0.90 from the current rate of $0.85. The price of a single domestic stamp would increase to $1.05 from the current rate of $1.00. The rate change would take effect on January 14, 2019.

In January 2018, the Government of Canada unveiled a new vision for Canada Post focused on ensuring Canadians have access to high-quality postal services at a reasonable price, no matter where they live. This requires the Corporation to remain financially viable, generating sufficient revenues to support current and future services.

Canada Post works to strike the right balance between the need for greater revenues and ensuring it continues to provide good value to the people who rely on the postal service. While usage varies, the impact of the first increase since 2014 would be less than a dollar a year for the average Canadian household and about $14 per year for the typical small business. Canadians can avoid the cost increase by purchasing Permanent™ stamps at the current rate in advance of the change.

Canada Post is also proposing to increase rates for other domestic Lettermail, U.S. and international Letter-post items and domestic Registered Mail™. The current proposals will be published for comment on June 23, 2018 in the Canada Gazette Part I. Going forward, the Corporation will resume its annual review of regulated postage rates.

He may not have a stamp (yet), but Merle Haggard’s name is now on a U.S. Post Office. The Bakersfield, Calif., post office was named after the country music legend last Friday. About 300 people attended the ceremony, including his widow, sister and a band member… as well as local politicians.

Haggard is shown on the left in 1971, during the period when he all-but-owned country music’s top awards. He died on April 6, 2016 — his 79th birthday. Haggard was a native of the Bakersfield area.

Another, smaller, Bakersfield post office is named for another native son, Buck Owens. His son, Johnny Owens and the Buck Fever Band played for the ceremony. The band includes one of Haggard’s backup musicians, Norm Hamlet, who played for Haggard for 49 years.

There’s more on this story, including a video, at the Bakersfield Californian newspaper’s website.

[press release]
Wine sweeter than chocolate this Easter

Move over chocolate – wine has become the guilty pleasure of choice this Easter according to new Australia Post research.

Australians will spend on average $90 each buying wine online this Easter – more than double the average spend for chocolate ($43 each).

The buy-up comes as more Australians are buying online than ever before, with purchases surging a record 19.2 per cent last year, almost doubling growth in 2016.

Australia Post General Manager for eCommerce and International Ben Franzi said Easter was becoming a significant online shopping event as more Australians looked for more convenience.

“Online shopping is the new norm, thanks to competitive prices and the huge range available from Aussie retailers, all at our customers’ fingertips,” Mr Franzi said.

“Our research showed almost half of survey respondents want to buy their Easter gifts online to avoid crowds, while a further 43 per cent said online shopping was quicker and easier.

“We are also pleased that more of our customers are taking up our range of delivery options, such as Safe Drop, where a customer asks for a parcel to be delivered to a safe spot at their house so they can receive a delivery when they are not at home.”

The research, based on a survey of more than 2000 people, showed about a third of all Australians were planning to buy either chocolate or wine online ahead of the Easter long weekend.

Vinomofo Head of Marketing Kip McMillan said online wine sales typically lifted the week coming into Easter.

“Easter is a big deal for us as customers look for options outside of their busy schedules and closures on Good Friday,” Mr McMillan said.

“In fact this week we’re expecting to sell more than 90,000 bottles of wine, compared to roughly 70,000 last year.

“Australia Post’s fantastic delivery options have allowed us to distribute to our customers with ease, but for those eligible customers who still want to get their last minute orders in still can, even today!”

Australians will also spend on average $85 each on other types of gifts this Easter, such as books, fashion items and homewares, according to the Australia Post research.

VSC member Lefty Dundee reports…

USPS on eBay – On Vacation (?)

Home > eBay Stores > US Postal Service Store > All Categories
Search…
This store Seller is currently away. Please add this Store to your Favorites and come again when we re-open on Monday, 2/5/18.

This is why USPS has nothing for sale on eBay…
OK…
You have to go to www.usps.com/store It seems no eBay at the moment.

Added:

And here’s the likely explanation, from the stamp-selling part of the USPS.com:

Due to systems upgrades, orders placed Tuesday, January 30th through Sunday, February 4th will require an additional 3-5 business days for delivery. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

When there’s a major operation at SFS (including the annual full audits), everyone gets conscripted to work on it and other operations such down. In this case, you can’t sell stamps over the Internet if the computer systems are down!