Postal Rate Hike Whacks <1 lb Shippers

Reports Multichannel Merchant magazine: While catalogers got off relatively lightly with the 2009 postal rates increases announced last week, small parcel shippers got hit hard.

Postal rates for catalogs, or standard mail flats, will go up 2.3% effective May 11. But standard rate parcels are increasing an average of 16%.

The average 16% increase for standard rate parcels will mostly affect mailers that send items weighing less than 1 lb., such as apparel, toiletries or CDs/DVDs.