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How to ship video games (Media Mail is not allowed)

Video games can't go by Media Mail. USPS says "Video games, computer drives, and digital drives do not qualify for Media Mail prices" (USPS, checked Oct 14, 2026). The cheapest tracked USPS service that takes them is Ground Advantage, with tracking and up to $100 of insurance included. At USPS's published commercial prices (for labels bought online), Zones 1-8: one game up to 8 oz costs $7.33 to $8.95, a 1-2 lb bundle $8.01 to $13.42 and a 5-10 lb console $10.35 to $26.39. At the Post Office counter the same packages cost $8.40 to $10.20, $10.05 to $19.80 and $13.75 to $40.85 (USPS Notice 123; holiday prices, in effect Oct 4, 2026 to Jan 17, 2027).

Platform labels can cost less: Whatnot charges $4.85 for a package under 8 oz and $7.75 for 1-5 lb; Mercari's Best-rate 4 oz label is $4.91 ($5.39 from Oct 19, 2026). A First-Class Mail large envelope is cheaper still, but a game in its case doesn't qualify: USPS says boxes, hinged or not, aren't flats (large envelope rules).

Rates verified on

Media Mail for video games
Not allowed
One game up to 8 oz, Ground Advantage, Zone 4 (USPS commercial price)
$7.86
Console up to 10 lb, Ground Advantage, Zone 4 (USPS commercial price)
$15.09
Whatnot label, under 8 oz, any distance
$4.85

Why video games can't go by Media Mail

USPS's Media Mail list takes "computer-readable media" and CDs and DVDs, which is why game discs look like they should qualify. USPS rules them out by name: "Video games, computer drives, and digital drives do not qualify for Media Mail prices" (USPS). The rule belongs to the mail service, so it applies to any Media Mail label, whether you buy it at the counter, online or through a selling app. Mercari, for example, sells prepaid Media Mail labels ($4.47 for 1 lb from Oct 19, 2026; tracker entry), and a game still doesn't qualify for one.

What can go wrong if you use it anyway, in USPS's own words:

  • The package can be opened. Mailing at Media Mail prices "constitutes consent by the mailer to postal inspection of the contents" (DMM 173), and USPS says all Media Mail packages are subject to opening and inspection.
  • Someone pays the difference. USPS says that if you include anything that isn't allowed, "you (or your recipient)" will pay higher postage (USPS). For postage due, the Domestic Mail Manual lists a payment adjustment charged through your label provider, returning the package to you, or delivering it and collecting the postage due from your buyer (DMM 604).
  • A mixed box counts too. USPS's warning covers including anything that isn't allowed, so a game packed with movies puts the whole box at the higher postage.
The postage you'd be short: Media Mail price vs commercial Ground Advantage for the same package, Zones 1-8, USPS Notice 123 effective Oct 4, 2026 (Ground Advantage includes the holiday add-on). Media Mail is priced by the pound, so an 8 oz game pays the 1 lb price.
Package Media Mail (not allowed) Ground Advantage, commercial Short by
One game, up to 8 oz $4.39 $7.33-$8.95 $2.94-$4.56
Bundle, up to 2 lb $5.13 $8.39-$13.42 $3.26-$8.29
Console, up to 5 lb $7.34 $10.35-$20.24 $3.01-$12.90
Console, up to 10 lb $11.02 $12.56-$26.39 $1.54-$15.37

What it costs: Ground Advantage by weight and zone

Ground Advantage takes packages up to 70 lb, with USPS Tracking and up to $100 of insurance included, and USPS lists 2-5 days for delivery against 2-8 for Media Mail (USPS). Commercial prices are USPS's published prices for labels bought online (Click-N-Ship and label services); platform labels can be lower. Retail is the Post Office counter. Zone 1 is nearest; Zone 9 costs the same as Zone 8 at these weights.

USPS Ground Advantage, USPS Notice 123 effective Oct 4, 2026. Each weight is "not over." Prices include USPS's temporary holiday add-on, in effect Oct 4, 2026 to 12 a.m. CT Jan 17, 2027: $0.40 to $1.05 commercial and $0.50 to $1.40 retail at these weights. Platform labels can differ.
Weight Commercial, Zone 1Commercial, Zone 4Commercial, Zone 8 Retail, Zone 1Retail, Zone 4Retail, Zone 8
8 ozone game in a mailer $7.33$7.86$8.95 $8.40$8.80$10.20
15.999 oza boxed game or two $7.33$7.86$8.95 $10.05$11.10$13.65
1 lb $8.01$8.55$11.22 $10.05$11.10$13.65
2 lba bundle $8.39$8.91$13.42 $11.30$13.50$19.80
3 lba bigger bundle $9.04$10.07$16.30 $11.80$14.20$23.15
5 lba console $10.35$11.67$20.24 $13.75$16.60$27.45
7 lba console $10.61$12.55$22.88 $14.80$17.90$32.00
10 lba console with extras $12.56$15.09$26.39 $16.75$20.20$40.85
  • Under 1 lb, USPS's commercial price is one price. Since Jul 12, 2026, commercial Ground Advantage charges the same for 4 oz as for 15.999 oz (tracker entry). At the counter, a package over 8 oz costs $1.65 to $3.45 more than one up to 8 oz, so keep a single game in a light mailer.
  • Buy the label online. On a 5 lb console box to Zone 4, the commercial price is $11.67 against $16.60 at the counter. USPS says Click-N-Ship gets commercial rates (USPS).
  • Watch the box size on consoles. Ground Advantage boxes over 1,728 cubic inches (1 cubic foot) are billed at the greater of actual weight or length x width x height divided by 139. A 7 lb console in a 16 x 12 x 12 in. box is billed as 17 lb: $19.46 instead of $12.55 to Zone 4 at commercial prices (tracker entry).

Your exact weight and zone: postage calculator · every weight to 70 lb: Ground Advantage rates · USPS holiday prices

Can a game go as a large envelope?

A First-Class Mail large envelope costs $3.72 at 8 oz (USPS Notice 123), against $8.40 to $10.20 for an 8 oz Ground Advantage parcel at the counter. Most games don't qualify. USPS's rules for a large envelope:

  • It has to bend. USPS says "Boxes—with or without hinges, gaps, or breaks that allow the piece to bend—are not flats," and neither are envelopes that hold a box (DMM 101). A game case is a hinged box.
  • A loose disc or cartridge is a rigid insert. The envelope has to bend at least 1 inch without damage and then pass a second bend test for rigid inserts (DMM 201). It also can't vary by more than 1/4 inch in thickness or be more than 3/4 inch thick (DMM 101).
  • If it fails, it pays parcel prices. Notice 123 says large envelopes that are "rigid, nonrectangular, or not uniformly thick pay parcel prices."
  • No tracking. USPS lists no tracking for First-Class Mail unless you add a service such as Certified Mail (USPS), so you'd have no proof of delivery if a buyer says the game never came.

Platform labels

A label bought through a selling platform follows that platform's own price list. These are the label prices and rules on our change tracker, each checked against the platform's own page.

  • Whatnot. Since Jul 31, 2026, Whatnot's default label is Ground Advantage. Under 1 lb it's priced by weight only: $4.47 under 4 oz, $4.85 under 8 oz, $5.25 under 12 oz, $6.75 under 16 oz. Packages of 1-5 lb pay $7.75, so a 5 lb console costs less there than the $10.35 to $20.24 USPS commercial price (tracker entry). Buyers usually pay Whatnot shipping. From Nov 4, 2026, USPS charges for packages heavier than their Whatnot label go to the seller in Whatnot's rollout (tracker entry).
  • Mercari. From Oct 19, 2026, Best-rate Ground Advantage labels go from $4.91 to $5.39 at 4 oz, from $7.48 to $7.99 at 1 lb, from $12.83 to $13.99 at 3 lb. Packages over 1 cu ft or longer than 22 in. pay Standard rates, which rise more: 1 lb goes from $7.59 to $8.99. A boxed console can land in that group (tracker entry).
  • Poshmark. Buyers pay for Poshmark's standard label, which covers packages up to 5 lb. Heavier packages need a label upgrade, and you pay it from your earnings: $5.00 for 5.01-10 lb and $10.00 for 10.01-15 lb, so a 10 lb console costs you $5.00 in postage there (Poshmark). From Oct 26, 2026, Poshmark deducts the upgrade even if you ship on the standard label without upgrading, so upgrade first to get the right label (tracker entry).
  • eBay Labels. eBay says eBay Labels offers rates below USPS commercial pricing for most shipments (eBay, Sep 28, 2026), and during USPS's holiday prices it doesn't raise Ground Advantage or Priority Mail labels for packages up to 20 lb in Zones 1-8. Two exceptions: Ground Advantage cubic tiers .30-1.0 go up $1.18 to $2.84 depending on zone (eBay applies cubic pricing automatically when it costs less), and labels to USPS-designated rural ZIP codes are charged commercial rates (tracker entry). On Sep 19, 2026 it raised Ground Advantage labels $0.10 for packages up to 2 lb and $0.27 to $2.28 for 3-5 lb (tracker entry). Since Aug 8, 2026, 3-5 lb labels also cost $1.00 more to Zone 5 and $2.00 more to Zones 6-8 (tracker entry). eBay Labels shows the price before you buy.

Selling fees on a $10, $25, $50 and $200 game

What each platform leaves you from the sale price after its fees, computed with the same code as our fee calculators. eBay's fee page gives its own rates only to a short list of categories, and Video Games & Consoles isn't on it, so the most-categories rate applies. Amazon charges 15% for Video Games and Gaming Accessories and 8% for Video Game Consoles, plus a $1.80 closing fee per unit in both (Amazon Seller Central).

What you keep before shipping costs: sale price minus platform fees, with no shipping charged and no sales tax. In brackets: the fees. eBay 13.6% of the total + $0.30 per order up to $10.00, $0.40 above; Mercari 10%; Whatnot 8% standard-tier commission + 2.9% + $0.30 processing; Poshmark $2.95 under $15, 20% from $15; Amazon Professional plan, 15% for games and 8% for consoles + $1.80. Fee pages checked Oct 14, 2026.
Platform $10 game$25 game$50 game$200 game$200 console
eBay13.6% + $0.30/$0.40 per order $8.34 ($1.66)$21.20 ($3.80)$42.80 ($7.20)$172.40 ($27.60)$172.40 ($27.60)
Mercari10% of item + shipping $9.00 ($1.00)$22.50 ($2.50)$45.00 ($5.00)$180.00 ($20.00)$180.00 ($20.00)
Whatnot8% + 2.9% + $0.30 processing $8.61 ($1.39)$21.97 ($3.03)$44.25 ($5.75)$177.90 ($22.10)$177.90 ($22.10)
Poshmark$2.95 under $15, 20% above $7.05 ($2.95)$20.00 ($5.00)$40.00 ($10.00)$160.00 ($40.00)$160.00 ($40.00)
Amazon15% games, 8% consoles, + $1.80 (our calculator uses 15%) $6.70 ($3.30)$19.45 ($5.55)$40.70 ($9.30)$168.20 ($31.80)$182.20 ($17.80)

If the buyer pays shipping

eBay, Mercari and Amazon take their percentage from buyer-paid shipping too, and Whatnot's 2.9% processing fee covers it. Poshmark buyers pay Poshmark's standard label (up to 5 lb); you pay any upgrade, $5.00 on the 10 lb console. So the order can change once shipping is in the price.

What you keep when the buyer pays shipping and all of it goes on the label: $7.86 for a game (up to 8 oz) and $15.09 for a console (up to 10 lb), the commercial Ground Advantage prices to Zone 4. We use one USPS price for every platform so the fees compare like for like; each platform's own label price changes its fee on shipping. In brackets: the platform's fee on that shipping charge, and for Poshmark the label upgrade you pay over 5 lb. No sales tax.
Platform $10 game$25 game$50 game$200 game$200 console
eBay $7.17 ($1.17)$20.13 ($1.07)$41.73 ($1.07)$171.33 ($1.07)$170.35 ($2.05)
Mercari $8.21 ($0.79)$21.71 ($0.79)$44.21 ($0.79)$179.21 ($0.79)$178.49 ($1.51)
Whatnot $8.38 ($0.23)$21.75 ($0.22)$44.02 ($0.23)$177.67 ($0.23)$177.46 ($0.44)
Poshmarkyou pay upgrades over 5 lb $7.05 ($0.00)$20.00 ($0.00)$40.00 ($0.00)$160.00 ($0.00)$155.00 ($5.00)
Amazon $5.52 ($1.18)$18.27 ($1.18)$39.52 ($1.18)$167.02 ($1.18)$180.99 ($1.21)

Who leaves you the most, by price

  • $10 game: Mercari leaves the most before shipping, $9.00 (Whatnot: $8.61). With buyer-paid shipping of $7.86, Whatnot leaves the most: $8.38 (Mercari: $8.21).
  • $25 game: Mercari leaves the most before shipping, $22.50 (Whatnot: $21.97). With buyer-paid shipping of $7.86, Whatnot leaves the most: $21.75 (Mercari: $21.71).
  • $50 game: Mercari leaves the most before shipping, $45.00 (Whatnot: $44.25). With buyer-paid shipping of $7.86, still Mercari: $44.21.
  • $200 game: Mercari leaves the most before shipping, $180.00 (Whatnot: $177.90). With buyer-paid shipping of $7.86, still Mercari: $179.21.
  • $200 console: Amazon leaves the most before shipping, $182.20 (Mercari: $180.00). With buyer-paid shipping of $15.09, still Amazon: $180.99.
  • With buyer-paid shipping, the top two are close: $0.17 apart on the $10 game, $0.04 apart on the $25 game, $0.19 apart on the $50 game. These use one USPS price for every platform; a platform's own label price can change the order.
  • Amazon: the 8% console rate is why the $200 console column differs from the $200 game column. The Individual plan adds $0.99 per item sold. Amazon's referral fee is a percentage of the total the buyer pays, including delivery charges, with no minimum in either game category (Seller Central).
  • eBay charges its percentage on sales tax too, which the tables leave out: eBay fees on sales tax.
  • Whatnot's commission falls at higher four-week sales tiers; the tables use the standard tier, which is 8% in every category except Coins.
  • Other prices: selling fees compared · where to sell calculator

Packing discs, cartridges and consoles

USPS's own packing steps (USPS: How to send a package), applied to games:

  1. Use packaging that doesn't bulge and is strong enough to protect what's inside, with room for cushioning so nothing shifts. USPS reminds shippers that packages go through automated machines alongside packages of up to 70 lb. USPS lists boxes and padded envelopes; a single game fits a padded mailer, while a console needs a box strong enough for its weight.
  2. Don't put a Ground Advantage label on a free Priority Mail box. USPS says if you use a Priority Mail box, you have to pay for Priority Mail service.
  3. Reusing a console or shipping box? Cover or black out all old logos, barcodes, shipping labels and addresses. An old hazmat mark on a reused box can cost $50: USPS charges that on commercial-price packages when it finds undeclared hazardous materials (tracker entry).
  4. Tape every seam with 2-inch-wide packing tape, and don't tie the box with string, cord or twine, which catches in USPS sorting equipment.
  5. Put a packing slip inside with your buyer's name and address.
  6. Measure and weigh the packed box before you buy the label. USPS says accurate size and weight help you avoid unexpected fees. Commercial labels now have to carry the box's length, width and height (tracker entry).
  7. Batteries: USPS says used items with lithium batteries "can only be sent via ground transport (can't go on planes)," and calls Ground Advantage the primary option for hazardous items that can't travel by air. That applies to a used handheld console or controller whose built-in battery is lithium. USPS Publication 52 says to identify hazardous materials when you make the label, Click-N-Ship included (323.1), and to mark a used device "Restricted Electronic Device" and "Surface Transportation Only" on the address side, with the device protected from switching on (349.221). On commercial-price packages, USPS charges $50 when it finds hazardous materials that weren't declared and labeled (tracker entry). Check the full rules in Publication 52 before you ship.

Holiday orders: for delivery before Dec. 25 in the lower 48, USPS recommends sending Ground Advantage by Dec 17, 2026 (tracker entry).

Questions

Can you ship video games by Media Mail?

No. USPS says "Video games, computer drives, and digital drives do not qualify for Media Mail prices" (USPS), even though it accepts CDs, DVDs and computer-readable media. Packing a game with movies doesn't get around it: USPS says that if you include anything that isn't allowed, you or your recipient will have to pay higher postage.

What happens if I send a video game by Media Mail anyway?

Mailing at Media Mail prices counts as consent to USPS opening the package (DMM 173). When USPS finds postage due, the Domestic Mail Manual lets it charge the difference through your label provider, return the package to you, or deliver it and collect the postage due from your buyer (DMM 604). At commercial prices, one game up to 8 oz is short by $2.94 to $4.56 against Ground Advantage (Zones 1-8).

What is the cheapest way to ship one video game?

USPS Ground Advantage is the cheapest tracked USPS option. Up to 8 oz it costs $7.33 to $8.95 at USPS commercial (online) prices and $8.40 to $10.20 at the Post Office, in Zones 1-8 (USPS Notice 123; holiday prices until Jan 17, 2027). Selling-app labels can cost less: Whatnot charges $4.85 under 8 oz. Mercari's Best-rate 4 oz label is $4.91 ($5.39 from Oct 19, 2026).

Can I mail a game in a large envelope with stamps?

Not in its case. USPS says boxes "with or without hinges" are not flats, and neither are envelopes that hold one (DMM 101); a large envelope that is rigid or not evenly thick pays parcel prices (Notice 123). A loose disc or cartridge counts as a rigid insert, so the envelope has to pass USPS's bend test (DMM 201). Large envelopes also have no tracking.

How much does it cost to ship a game console?

By commercial Ground Advantage, a console box up to 5 lb costs $10.35 to $20.24 and up to 10 lb $12.56 to $26.39, Zones 1-8; at the Post Office, $13.75 to $27.45 and $16.75 to $40.85. Whatnot's label is $7.75 for 1-5 lb. Keep the box at 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) or less: a bigger box can be billed by dimensional weight.

Can I ship a used handheld console or controller with a built-in battery?

USPS says items with lithium batteries are usually fine to send new, but used ones "can only be sent via ground transport" (USPS). Ground Advantage is USPS's ground service. Say the package holds hazardous materials when you make the label (Publication 52, 323.1), and mark a used device "Restricted Electronic Device" and "Surface Transportation Only" on the address side (Publication 52, 349.221). On a commercial-price package, USPS charges $50 when it finds hazardous materials that weren't declared and labeled.

Changes that affect what games cost to ship

From the change tracker, each checked against its official source.

  1. Whatnot Postage Effective

    Whatnot will bill sellers for USPS weight adjustments from Nov 4

    For US shipments sent on or after November 4, 2026, USPS charges for packages that weigh more than their Whatnot-generated label go to the seller's Whatnot ledger. Until now Whatnot absorbed them. For now Whatnot still covers dimension and hazmat adjustments, and it doesn't pass on UPS adjustments yet. Sellers whose first sale was on or after Sept 5, 2026 aren't part of this rollout, and neither are sellers who use their own labels.

    Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: n/a / n/a / n/a

    Not a set fee. You pay USPS's charge only when the packed box weighs more than the label says. To avoid it, weigh the packed box and fix the shipping profile before you buy the label. You have 45 days to appeal a charge, and USPS decides the appeal.

    Source: Whatnot help: Review and appeal carrier adjustments · verified

  2. Poshmark Postage Effective · announced

    Poshmark will charge you for heavy packages shipped without an upgraded label

    From October 26, 2026, if you ship a package over 5 lb on the standard label without upgrading it, Poshmark takes the upgrade cost from your earnings. Poshmark used to absorb this cost. The upgrade is $5.00 for 5.01-10 lb and $10.00 for 10.01-15 lb. A package over 15 lb on one label costs $15.00 at 15.01-25 lb, or the full USPS price over 25 lb.

    Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: n/a / n/a / n/a

    Only if you ship over 5 lb without upgrading: -$5.00 (5.01-10 lb), -$10.00 (10.01-15 lb), -$15.00 (15.01-25 lb on one label). Upgrading first costs the same and avoids a surprise deduction.

    Source: Poshmark Blog, Oct 8, 2026 · verified

  3. Mercari Postage Effective · announced

    Mercari Ground Advantage labels go up: 1 lb $7.48 to $7.99

    From October 19, 2026, most Mercari prepaid USPS label prices go up for new and existing listings. At the Best rate, Ground Advantage goes from $4.91 to $5.39 at 4 oz, $7.48 to $7.99 at 1 lb and $12.83 to $13.99 at 3 lb, and Priority Mail 2 lb goes from $15.29 to $16.29. Standard rates (packages over 1 cu ft or longer than 22 in) rise more: Ground Advantage 1 lb goes from $7.59 to $8.99.

    Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: -$0.51 / -$0.51 / -$0.51

    If you pay for a 1 lb Best-rate Ground Advantage label. 4 oz Best: -$0.48; 3 lb Best: -$1.16; 1 lb Standard: -$1.40. If the buyer pays shipping, Mercari's 10% fee on shipping rises: -$0.05 on 1 lb (fees.js mercariFees).

    Source: Mercari help: Fees on Mercari + Shipping change announcements (Sep 17, 2026) · verified

  4. USPS Postage Effective · until · announced

    USPS holiday prices: Ground Advantage up $0.40 to $0.75 on 0-3 lb parcels

    Temporary prices on Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, Ground Advantage and Parcel Select until 12 a.m. CT on Jan 17, 2027. A 0-3 lb Ground Advantage parcel costs $0.40 more at commercial prices in Zones 1-4 ($0.55 in Zones 5-9) and $0.50 more at retail ($0.75). Heavier parcels rise more, up to $7.70. Media Mail and First-Class Mail are not affected.

    Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: -$0.40 / -$0.40 / -$0.40

    If you pay for a 0-3 lb commercial Ground Advantage label, Zones 1-4. Same at any sale price. Retail: -$0.50; Zones 5-9: -$0.55 commercial, -$0.75 retail.

    Source: USPS newsroom, Aug 25, 2026 · verified

  5. eBay Postage Effective · until · announced

    eBay Labels skip most of the USPS holiday increase

    During USPS holiday pricing (October 4, 2026 to January 17, 2027), eBay Labels prices don't go up for Priority Mail or Ground Advantage packages up to 20 lb in Zones 1-8, or for Priority Mail Flat Rate. Ground Advantage cubic tiers .30-1.0 go up $1.18 to $2.84 depending on zone. Shipments to USPS-designated rural ZIP codes are charged commercial rates.

    Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: $0.00 / $0.00 / $0.00

    eBay Labels, packages up to 20 lb, Zones 1-8: no change. The same 0-3 lb Ground Advantage label at USPS commercial holiday prices costs $0.40 more (Zones 1-4). Cubic tiers .30-1.0: -$1.18 to -$2.84.

    Source: eBay Community Announcements (seller_news_team), Sep 28, 2026 · verified

  6. eBay Postage Effective · announced

    eBay Labels: Ground Advantage 0-2 lb up $0.10, Flat Rate up $0.30

    From September 19, 2026, eBay Labels prices went up $0.10 for Ground Advantage packages up to 2 lb, and by $0.27 to $2.28 for 3-5 lb, in Zones 1-8. Priority Mail up to 10 lb to Zone 8 went up $0.73 to $4.35, and Flat Rate packages went up $0.30. The changes don't apply to rural ZIP codes.

    Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: -$0.10 / -$0.10 / -$0.10

    If you pay for a 0-2 lb Ground Advantage label through eBay Labels, any zone 1-8. 3-5 lb Ground Advantage: -$0.27 to -$2.28. Priority Mail up to 10 lb to Zone 8: -$0.73 to -$4.35. Flat Rate: -$0.30.

    Source: eBay Community Announcements (seller_news_team), Sep 18, 2026 · verified

  7. Whatnot Postage Effective

    Whatnot makes Ground Advantage the default: $7.75 for 1-5 lb

    Whatnot's negotiated USPS Ground Advantage rate is $7.75 ($6.85 + fees) for 1-5 lb packages. Under 1 lb is priced by weight only: $4.47 under 4 oz, $4.85 under 8 oz, $5.25 under 12 oz, $6.75 under 16 oz. Flat Rate stays available at a temporary $12.99 through Nov 1, 2026.

    Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: n/a / n/a / n/a

    Buyers usually pay Whatnot shipping, so your net doesn't change directly. Watch Nov 1, 2026, when the temporary Flat Rate price ends.

    Source: Whatnot help: USPS shipping updates · verified

  8. USPS Postage Effective · announced

    Light parcels hit hardest: commercial Ground Advantage drops its ounce tiers

    USPS ended ounce-based price differences in published commercial Ground Advantage prices, so a 4 oz parcel now costs the same as a 15.999 oz one. Zone 1, 4 oz: $5.09 at January 18 prices, $5.50 after the April 26 increase, $6.93 from July 12, and $7.33 with holiday prices since Oct 4. Negotiated platform rates can be lower.

    Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: -$1.43 / -$1.43 / -$1.43

    4 oz commercial label, Zone 1: $5.50 (Apr 26 prices) to $6.93 (Jul 12). Since Jan 18 ($5.09) the total rise, including the 8% step, is $1.84.

    Source: USPS newsroom, May 11, 2026 + Notice 123 archive · verified

  9. USPS Postage Effective · announced

    USPS dimensional weight now divides by 139, not 166, and rounds sides up

    Since July 12, 2026, Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, Ground Advantage and Parcel Select boxes over 1,728 cubic inches (1 cubic foot) are billed at the greater of actual weight or dimensional weight, and dimensional weight is now length x width x height divided by 139 instead of 166. Each side is also rounded up to the next whole inch instead of to the nearest inch. A 16 x 12 x 12 in. box now bills as 17 lb instead of 14 lb.

    Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: -$1.24 / -$1.24 / -$1.24

    Commercial Ground Advantage, 16 x 12 x 12 in. box weighing 5 lb, Zone 1: billed at 17 lb ($17.02) instead of 14 lb ($15.78) at Oct 4 prices (the same $1.24 at July 12, 2026 prices). Zone 5: -$2.13; Zone 8: -$3.89. A 12 1/4 in. cube weighing 5 lb: -$6.34 commercial, Zone 1, at peak prices (-$5.94 at July 12, 2026 prices; USPS hasn't published the prices that follow Jan 17, 2027).

    Source: USPS final rule, Federal Register, May 15, 2026 (+ DMM 133 Jan 18 vs Jul 12, 2026) · verified

Sources

Rates verified on from each official page below.

Get postage and fee changes by email

The weekly Index tracks Ground Advantage, Media Mail and platform label prices and selling fees, with what each change does to a $10, $25 and $50 sale. Free, one email every Thursday.