WASHINGTON — As part of its overall strategy to enhance its shipping offerings, the United States Postal Service today filed a procedural filing with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) notifying the commission of the Postal Service’s intention to replace its existing First-Class Package Service category with USPS Ground Advantage. USPS Ground Advantage will feature two-to five day service standards for packages up to 70 pounds.
The filing streamlines and simplifies package shipping options for customers and enhances the Postal Service’s ground product offering with the anticipated summer 2023 launch of its improved ground product — USPS Ground Advantage.
Improving Package Delivery For America
Over the past year, the Postal Service has focused on improving its package offerings by improving service reliability, lowering prices, and simplifying shipping product offerings:
- Lower Prices for Shipping Services. In January 2022, the Postal Service implemented new pricing for Shipping Services. As a result of implementation of approved price changes, shipping rates for USPS Retail Ground products reduced by 7 percent, and rates for Parcel Select Ground reduced by 12 percent, on average. USPS Retail Ground and Parcel Select Ground prices remain at the lowered, January 2022 rates. Pricing tables are available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/notice123.htm.
- Improved Reliability Through Upgraded Service Standards. In August 2022, the Postal Service implemented upgraded service standards for its USPS Retail Ground and Parcel Select Ground products, aligning service standards with the current First-Class Package Service product within the contiguous United States. Service standards for these products were accelerated from two-to-eight-days to two-to-five-days for the same affordable price.
- Simplifying Shipping Product Offerings. On October 28, 2022, the Postal Service was granted approval by the PRC to remove USPS Retail Ground from the Competitive product list, eliminate Parcel Select Ground from the Parcel Select product, and expand First Class Package Service to 70lbs among other enhancements. In today’s filing, the Postal Service is notifying the Commission of its intent to rename the First-Class Package Service product and introduce the Postal Service’s enhanced ground product — USPS Ground Advantage. USPS Retail Ground, Parcel Select Ground, and First-Class Package Service will be incorporated into USPS Ground Advantage.
The Postal Service’s focus on improving shipping offerings for the American public and business customers is in keeping with the Delivering for America 10-year plan to achieve financial stability and service excellence, defined as meeting or exceeding 95 percent on-time delivery across all product categories.
