The usps.com site posted the final rules for the new US postal rates today (March 23). I checked out m-bag rates and here they are (from page 24 of the Final Rules):

Rate Group/ Weight not over 11 lbs./ Each add'l. lb.

RG 1 (Canada)/ $18.70/ $1.70
RG 2 (Mexico)/ $24.20/ $2.20
RG 3 (Europe IC/Israel)/ $31.35/ $2.85
RG 4 (Japan/Aus/NZ)/ $49.50/ $4.50
RG 5 (all other countries)/ $43.45/ $3.95


The 5-10 lb. m-bag I was curious about is only for drop-shippers. Ah, well. :(

Hope my posting this keeps someone from being "blindsided" after May 14.

Hi Megi ~

Many thanks for this and for the post in the B/C forum about no more surface shipping if proposed U.S. Postal Service changes are OK'd.

I'm sending my last surface m-bag May 2 before the cost increases kick in (assuming they're OK'd).

My brain is still freezing up over the myriad of charts and proposed new charges ... sigh ... but thanks for posting it.

I got the heads-up about the rates from CheriePie on this forum, actually (giving credit where it's due). Since then, I've been trying to keep up with it and pare down or avoid potentially expensive mailing obligations.

Some of the international USPS changes have the potential to be positive -- flat rate boxes as well as envelopes, tracking, and maybe the 5 to 10 lb. M-bags, if they're not restricted to businesses or drop-shippers, which is what I'm trying to find out. :)

On Monday, 3/12 I surfed around looking for a date on/by which the Board of Governors (?), the group who will vote on proposed changes, is set to vote.

The best I could find was an item dated March 8, saying the vote was set for this current week, but no specific day was mentioned.

I'll keep checking. I'm a bit concerned that the vote would make changes effective IMMEDIATELY, which would be a bad thing financiallyfor me, as I have a hefty m-bag to send to Austria in the next few weeks. I might send it early to ease my mind ...

:bow: thanks for the acknowledgment Megi! :D

Nope, the changes wouldn't take place before May 2007 as it says on this page and I quote:

"In addition to the product changes, we are restructuring international mail prices. The international changes would become effective when we change our domestic prices in May 2007."


Unfortunately, I didn't have time to make heads and tails out all the details regarding the m-bags so I can't add anymore to what's already been stated here... :shrug:

Rate case approved by Board of Governors and takes effect May 14 at 12:01 am.

link

I read the decision (well, as much of it as I could concentrate on) and nothing was said about m-bags or any international mail services. They did approve the US media mail cost increase, naturally.

So, again, if and when anyone finds out about the 5 to 10 pound m-bag size, please post the details.

It sounds like I need to be wrapping up catsalive's and the Aussie convention m-bags by May 1, also!

(I'm at my new address now, in case anyone was waiting to send stuff!)

FranciJo, could you pm me your address? I have 2 books to add to cats' m-bag. Also, did you receive Storm Warning from me? I think I mailed it in January...

Sure Ri, I'll PM you now with my address. I'll check on the book. Usually I journal them right away, so I don't know! It may take a while as everything we own is in boxes yet. (But the books are first on the list to unpack! Who needs clothes or dishes?! Find my books!) :wink:

FranciJo, could you please send me your address as well? I have a book I would like to send to CatsAlive. Thanks.

I'll have to PM you, too, FranciJo. I have a book for the Convention. I'll try to read it by like soon. :blush:

Ye-ouch!!!

Whoa!! That is quite an increase!

So how much should organizers tell people to enclose for each book now? $3.00-$5.00? Still cheaper than mailing a book direct to Europe or Australia from the US.

Thanks again for posting this info

Whooo! :thinking: That'll knock their m-bag sales on the head.

Looks like mine & the Aussie Con. bags will be off before May 14th. I feel very lucky that FranciJo offered when she did. :hug:

At $3, probably. At $5, not so much.

For most books that I've sent (mass markets) the average weight has been around 8 oz. That's $7.20 to send to England & Australia.

Even if it's 12 oz, that's only $8.80 to England and $8.65 to Australia.

When you count in $2 to mail it to the m-bag sponsor... well, really, I'll send it direct if all I'm going to save is 20 cents.

I'm not at all saying that m-bag organizers should have to pick up slack or anything of the sort, just that it may not be worth it to do them unless people are going to be collecting a lot of hardcover books.

How much does an m-bag usually weigh? Do they tend to go over the 11pound limit?

For Europe, if it stayed within 11 pounds and there were 16 books (or more) in the box, then $2 per book would cover it.

Perhaps some of the m-bag veterans (!) could give an idea of how much they usually weigh.

They'll still have Global Priority, I think... most mass markets (unless they are really thick) can fit into the smallest flat rate envelope (which currently goes for $5.25) - I've found this to be a very good way to send smaller books to far off places.
(The larger flat rate is the size of a normal priority envelope at currently goes for $10.50)

I will keep this in mind! I have 13 books for camis' m-bag so far and will be sending it before the increase!

No more small Global Priority envelope after May 14. :angry2: This is why I've been fretting; I use them a lot for bookrings. The large one will still be available for $11.00 (lower for Canada) under its new name, Priority Mail International.

See pages 5 through 6 in the link:Final Rules

I'd like to send Butterfly-Noir's M-Bag before the rate increase, but I still haven't received the books fireflywishes had collected for her. I've only had a few sent directly to me, so if anyone has any for Butteryfly, there is plenty of room.

Think I'll go pm firefly to see if those books were ever mailed.

I'll be sending mbags to Marlene, Giz-Angel, and Kislany just prior to this rate increase so if people want to get books in, please send them SOON! Thanks!

I haven't discussed with Kislany yet, but Marlene's and Giz's mbags will be the last I'll be sending to them. :)

Look Rosie beat me too it :D

I've just spoken to Xall and this will be my last M-bag as well.

*note to self: get Jebbie's and Xeyra's M-bag sent out quickly!!!*

I only caught this up now! Hon, I'm going to ask you to send most of the books you have in there for me. I'm going to have to scrounge up the money for them but I can't afford those awful rates! Divide them in two M-Bags?

I've posted a discussion thread thingy in chit chat about this, just so as many people as possible know :D

We've discussed it yesterday with Rosie, and for now, this will be also my last mbag she is doing for me. - at least until we see how it goes on. :unsure:

Also, zzz has decided that the one I'll be sending at the end of April will be his last for the time being

I am shocked. so from 11.00 dollars my M-Bag went to 3 times as much? :blink:

I think it is ridiculous. we need to strike. :whistle: