WARNING: 80 cents postage, (not 41) on 9x12 envelope.

[mile18blister]

I have seen or hear absolutely nothing about this other than on DU.

Thanks to TechBear_Seattle for first posting about additional postage on large envelopes:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x881364

The Postal Service must be taking lessons from the credit card industry with this under-the-radar move.

Complete postage rates at: http://pe.usps.com/RateCase2007/Notice123_PDF/Notice123.pdf

[aikoaiko]

1. I always doubled up on stamps with larger envelopes anyway

just to be sure. Usually its things like x-mas and birthday cards.

[aquart]

2. Even if the weight is the same?

[rucky]

5. Weight doesn't matter, just size and thickness.

now somebody explain that to my wife.

http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_5890646

[aquart]

11. How do you determine thickness?

This is extremely confusing.

[Spinzonner]

3. The Postal Service wants to promote and maximize automation

that is computerized scanning and sorting.

Oversized mail pieces work against that goal and make the process less efficient.

So they choose to charge more for them to cover the costs and motivate large mailers to do it less by making it more expesnive.

[magellan]

4. That's what airmail cost not long ago

And I bet it still gets lost and sits in some distant, out of the way post office for 5-10 days before arriving at its intended destination -- just across town.

Actually, USPS workers get nothing but my respect...it's the money-grubbing executive arm of the organization we could do without.

[mile18blister]

9. Didn't mean to slam USPS workers.

I just thought the management's emphasis on the $.41 "forever" stamp while not mentioning size rates was underhanded. My experience with ordinary workers has been very positive.

[magellan]

10. No, no -- I didn't think you were slamming them

The first part of what I wrote sounded like I was slamming them so I wanted to clarify, that's all. The new size rates changes are definitely underhanded! (And a pain in the arse as well!)

Did you know the rate changes also affect smaller publications, like Nation Magazine and Conservative Weekly? Less robust publications may go under because of it. Free speech is getting too expensive.

[Iris]

6. That's not a standard business letter size is it?

[mile18blister]

8. Standard business envelope is 4 1/8" x 9 1/2"

That costs $.41 for 1 ounce.

Max size for letter rate is 6 1/8" x 11 1/2".

If you don't want to fold your standard 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper it will cost at least $.80 to mail.

[KamaAina]

7. Gotcha!

No more lifting flats from the office for me. :( All the regular envelopes are pre-stamped with the agency's return address. :eyes: