The Postal Service plans to discontinue offering Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes A and B, effective Jan. 22.
The boxes were introduced in 2011 to appeal to commercial customers by combining Priority Mail and Priority Mail International shipping with zone pricing. The boxes come in packages of 10 or 25 at no cost to the customer.
Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes A1 and A2 have a maximum weight of 15 and 10 pounds, respectively, for domestic and international shipping. Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes B1 and B2 have a maximum weight of 20 pounds for both domestic and international shipping.
After a return-on-investment review, it was decided to discontinue the products. Customers may continue to use any of the boxes that remain in their inventory, but they will be treated as weight-and-rate packages.
An alternative to Priority Mail Regional Rate boxes is Priority Mail Cubic, a sub-service of Priority Mail. Customers use their own packaging for shipping, but pricing is based on dimensions rather than weight. Priority Mail Cubic offers a similar cost savings to Priority Mail Regional Rate boxes.
Priority Mail Cubic packages must measure 0.5 cubic feet or less, weigh no more than 20 pounds and should not exceed 18 inches at the longest.
If approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes A and B will be discontinued Jan. 22, when price changes are scheduled to take effect.
For more information, email expeditedpackaging@usps.gov.
