A major benefit of USPS shipping is its simplicity. All you need is to print labels and drop your parcels off in the mailbox or at the local post office based on the package quantity. But which forms of mail classes and shipping options are ideal for your business.

In this post, we will discuss some of the common USPS mail classes and the best shipping options so you can make a clear decision based on your business.

Why you need to know different USPS mail classes for your ecommerce

Typically, businesses ship thousands of packages every month. And even a difference of $1 in shipping costs can translate to a considerable profit margin.

For instance, you could have your packages delivered to clients within a day or two at a premium shipping cost, but you can save a significant amount in shipping charges if you choose a four-day delivery option.

It is for the reason above you should know various types of USPS mail classes. It will allow you to choose the right cost and speed for each package and offer your customers the most appropriate shipping option without cutting into your profits.

The six classes of USPS mails

The United State Postal Service categorizes its mails into six services known as classes. Each class of mail has a different postage price, service level, and pre-sorting requirement. For most packages, the content and postage will determine the type of mail class you choose.

Here are the six classes of the USPS mail:

• Priority Mail Express(the fastest mail of all)
• Priority Mail.
• USPS-Marketing Mail.
• First-Class Mail.
• USPS Retail Ground/ Package Services.
• Periodicals.

Let’s discuss these types of USPS mail classes in detail in the following section:

• Priority Mail Express

This is the fastest shipping option provided by USPS. It offers a guaranteed 1 or 2-day expedited delivery services by afternoon for all packages that are mailable. What's more, priority mail express includes a $100 insurance coverage fee.

This service can deliver every day through the year in most destinations in the US, including holidays and Sundays, at an extra cost.If delivering packages to your destination overnight is your top priority, then this is the ideal option for you.

However, most businesses do not require overnight delivery for their shipments, so you'll most likely use it in dire scenarios or if you want a competitive advantage by offering next-day delivery.

Usually, charges for Priority Mail Express depend on the weight and distance the package goes, except for instances when the postal services indicate a Priority Mail Express flat-rate shippingfor the package.

• Priority Mail

Priority mail is usually known to offer the best value for ecommerce shipping than any other USPS Mail Classes. Although it doesn't provide the 1-or 2-day delivery speed as the Priority Mail Express, it still offers a better speed at affordable rates.

The prices of Priority Mail is based on the distance the package needs to travel, i.e., the further it goes, the more you give in postage. And the exact distance is determined in "zones."

These shipping zones start from zone 1(destinations closer to you) to zone 9(the furthest destinations from you). The more zones a package crosses while in transit, the more fees are charged for the said shipment.

The U.S postal service provides special prices for Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes. Besides a weight limit of 70lbs, any package that fits into the USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping can be delivered at a flat rate price.

• First-Class mails

First-class mail is also a standard shipping option for those who are selling lightweight goods. Boasting a delivery speed of 1 to 3 days, first-class mail offers a cheaper shipping option for starting and growing online businesses.

This form of mail charges $0.55 for every envelope regardless of the distance the mail will travel. The postage fee also includes forwarding and return charges.

You can expand the First-Class Mail offerings by including additional services such as Certified Mail and Registered Mail. Remember, these services are only available at an additional charge.

Most businesses mailing for the first time uses First-Class Mail letters and postcards since there are no special requirements like a special payment method, mailing permit, or extra time for pre-sorting the mail if you use a single piece price. All that is needed is to place a stamp on it and drop the package at the nearest postal office.

• Periodicals

This is a class of USPS Mails that deals with magazines, newspapers, and other forms of periodical publications. Most online businesses will unlikely use this form of mail class unless they are dealing with physical print periodicals.

Periodicals are published at regular intervals, most preferably four times a year. The publication should be from a known publisher's office and compiled in the form of printed sheets.

• The USPS Marketing Mail

Ecommerce enterprises use the USPS Marketing Mail to send and receive marketing collateral. If you got coupons, flyers, catalogs, or promotional stuff to send, consider this class of the US postal service.

All prices for this mail class are bulk, and all mailing must have at least 50 pounds or 200 pieces of mail. In a nutshell, you cannot mail a single piece of an item with this class of mail, and there are prices for flat/large envelopes, parcels, letters, marketing parcels, and special select lightweight parcels.

• USPS Ground/Package Services

Package services is a common term applied for three different classes of mail, including Media Mail, Bound Printed Matter, and Library Mail. And every subclass is ideal for a special kind of mail. However, as an ecommerce operator, these options may not apply to you.

USPS Retail Ground and Package Services packages don't get expedited services and do not have free forwarding and return.

The USPS Retail Ground is mainly used for single-piece mails, including packages that should not be mailed as First Class Mails. This class also includes postal service tracking options at no extra cost.It is used chiefly for merchandise and gifts and does not have bulk prices.

Understanding the suitable mail class for ecommerce business.

For most online businesses, the mail class that meets their standard delivery needs and charges is Priority Mail. Because of its interesting flat rate feature and favorable speed, there are a lot of benefits in choosing it as the default shipping method from USPS.

However, choosing it will be based on the weight of the shipment, how quickly it should be delivered, and the amount you wish to spend.

On the other hand, marketing mail and priority mail express are also better options depending on the types of items or products you wish to ship.

Let’s look at the best USPS mail class for ecommerce businesses based on speed, items to ship, and costs in the section below;

• Speed: Priority Mail Express

Overnight shipping is increasingly becoming a common option among ecommerce businesses since customers want their packages delivered faster than ever before. So, if you want the best USPS mail class for ecommerce that offers speed, then this is the best option.

While it offers a good speed and competitive advantage for your business, this class charges much higher shipping costs than others. So it is advisable to charge your customers appropriately to avoid eating into your profits.

• Most cost-friendly: Priority Mail

Although this mail class is one or two days slower than Priority Mail Express, it is more cost-effective than the rest.

And as stated before, priority mail is the great default alternative when you are shipping through USPS. But remember, the prices in this mail category depend on the distance your package needs to travel, meaning the further it goes, the more money you need to pay. And the distance is measured in terms of shipping zones.

• Specific items mail classes: package services and marketing mail

The best USPS mail class for ecommerce in terms of specific items includes marketing mail and package services. These two are for marketing-related products only. There are still several benefits of using direct mail for your ecommerce services, so you can still settle for marketing mail for shipping your marketing and promotional merchandise.

Conclusion

USPS is one of the top shipping options for most people in the US. However, shipping with them can be very costly if you are unaware of how they classify their mailing classes.

There are six USPS mail classes: Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, Periodicals, First Class Mails, package services, and Marketing Mail. All these have special benefits tailored to different ecommerce needs.