The U.S. Postal Service is offering rate discounts to customers who buy the Global Express Guaranteed service online.
Global Express Guaranteed, the USPS' premium international shipping service, is an expedited delivery service offered as a result of an alliance with DHL Worldwide Express. It provides date-certain delivery service from designated U.S. ZIP codes to locations in more than 200 countries and territories. It consists of two mail classifications: Global Express Guaranteed Document Service and Global Express Guaranteed Non-Document Service.
The USPS is offering the rate discounts to customers who prepare and pay for their shipments online, offering a standard discount for all such transactions and volume-based discounts for customers who ship minimum volumes weekly.
The volume-based discounts will be calculated at three levels — five, 12 and 20 pieces per week — and will vary by destination. For online customers shipping fewer than five pieces per week, a standard discount of 5 percent off the rate that would otherwise apply will be offered.
The discounts will be applied automatically via the Global Express Guaranteed Web application. The postal service said the discount rate structure is comparable with that offered by other international shippers.
The discounts are limited to shipments prepared and paid for online because the online application can automatically track customer activity and volume for use in calculating rates, the USPS said. This capability is unavailable at retail terminals in post offices. The postal service also saves money when customers prepare and pay for shipments online.
The ruling is considered interim by the USPS, and while the project has started, the agency is taking comments on it until Sept. 10
