USPS: Are you ready for Cyber Monday?

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Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at 1:18 PM

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Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Are you one of the millions of shoppers who prefer going online rather than standing in line to buy holiday gifts? The Postal Service has what you need to know to get your package where it needs to go.

The Postal Service recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines for expected delivery by Dec. 25 to Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office (APO/FPO/DPO) and certain domestic addresses:

    Dec. 9   — APO/FPO/DPO (all ZIP Codes) Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
    Dec. 16 — APO/FPO/DPO (except ZIP Code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express Military service
    Dec. 17 — USPS Retail Ground service
    Dec. 17 — First-Class Mail service (including greeting cards)
    Dec. 17 — First-Class Package Service (up to 15.99 ounces)
    Dec. 19 — Priority Mail service
    Dec. 22 — Priority Mail Express* service

Alaska

    Dec. 2   — Alaska to/from Continental U.S. – USPS Retail Ground
    Dec. 18 — Alaska to/from Continental U.S. – First-Class Mail and Priority Mail
    Dec. 21 — Alaska to/from Continental U.S. – Priority Mail Express

Hawaii

    Dec. 17  — Hawaii to/from mainland – First-Class Mail and Priority Mail
    Dec. 21  — Hawaii to/from mainland – Priority Mail Express

USPS said the dates are not a guarantee unless otherwise noted. Dates are for estimated delivery before Dec. 25 and the actual delivery date may vary, depending on origin, destination, Post Office acceptance date and time, and other conditions.

To send packages to loved ones serving in the military or at diplomatic posts abroad, the Postal Service offers a discounted shipping price of $20.95 on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate Box. The price includes a $1.50-per-box discount for mail sent to APO/FPO/DPO destinations worldwide.

To handle this year's holiday surge, the Postal Service is expanding Sunday deliveries in high package volume locations. Mail carriers will also deliver Priority Mail Express packages on Christmas Day for an additional fee in select locations.

As a reminder, there are temporary price increases in place through 12:01 a.m. Central, Jan 22, 2023. The increase affects both retail and business customers for some of our more popular shipping products, including military shipping. International products are unaffected. These temporary rates help keep the Postal Service competitive and are similar to adjustments in past years to help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season. More information can be found on our website.

The temporary adjustment is part of Delivering for America, the Postal Service's 10-year plan for achieving financial sustainability and service excellence, which calls for appropriate pricing initiatives. Even with the temporary increase, the Postal Service has some of the lowest mail postage rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer great values in shipping.

For safety reasons, effective June 6, packages containing hazardous materials — in particular, lithium-ion batteries — must now be mailed by surface transportation using Parcel Select Ground or USPS Retail Ground, Parcel Return Service or Ground Return Service. The Postal Service issued the new requirements for shipping used electronics and other hazardous materials because items of this nature can cause fires and other dangers to mailers, air carriers, aircraft passengers and others.

Customers can find detailed information on common hazardous, restricted and perishable materials in the Postal Service's Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail.

Mail and packages weighing more than 10 ounces and/or more than a half-inch thick cannot be dropped into a collection box or left for a carrier to pick up if you're using stamps for postage. Instead, take them to a retail associate at any of our Post Office locations or use one of our self-service kiosks to weigh your packages and print shipping labels.

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