Six Years Old And Growing
Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes this month celebrate their sixth birthday, showing continued growth since their introduction Nov. 20, 2004, and debunking public perception that “shipping is complicated.”
Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes changed the dynamics of the shipping industry, according to Gary Reblin, vice president, Shipping Services. Their ease of use attracts business shippers with exceptional value, and their simplicity and convenience appeals to customers who no longer have to worry about weighing contents (up to 70 pounds for domestic shipments) or calculating postage.
Factor in their versatility for domestic and international shipping — along with the discounts and free package pickup — and Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes offer winning combinations that are easy on customers’ pocketbooks, including:
* No hidden fees or surcharges.
* Free packaging supplies available online, by telephone or in person at most Post Offices.
* Environmentally friendly packaging.
In addition, customers who ship online using Click-N-Ship or a PC Postage vendor qualify for a postage discount, free Delivery Confirmation and free package pickup.
As a shipping product of choice, Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes performance shows:
* Average year-over-year volume growth rate of 58 percent.
* Volume for FY 2010 at 127.7 million pieces, 77 percent above FY 2009.
* Revenue for FY 2010 at $1.2 billion, 63 percent above FY 2009.
* Nearly 12 million Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes shipped in September 2010 — the highest total for any September.
* More than 350 million Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes shipped since the service made its debut in 2004.
“The growth story for the Flat Rate Box is still being written,” says Reblin. “Its success shows the Postal Service has the ability to design a unique, innovative product line and compete effectively when given the opportunity to do so.”
Reblin also credits product success to the service performance of Postal Service employees, along with a multi-year award-winning advertising campaign featuring the familiar letter carrier Al, providing his simple advice, “If it fits, it ships.”