Postage costs to increase next year
The cost of postage will increase on Jan. 22 of next year.
According to the Associated Press, the cost of first-class mail will increase by 1 penny to 45 cents. Postcards will rise 3 cents to 32 cents, letters to Canada and Mexico will increase a nickel to 85 cents and letters to other foreign countries will boost 7 cents to $1.05.
Prices for advertising mail, periodicals and parcels will also go up about 2.1 percent.
“Business itself is on a decline, but mainly first-class mail is on an overall decline,” said Darrel Kordie, Postmaster of the Mount Pleasant Post Office. “It is the product that people are most familiar with and creates the most revenue.”
Despite the increase in postage costs, some are confident business will not suffer further.
“Letter sending (will) still remain consistent even though all first-class mail will be going up,” said Linda Richter, office manager of the Central Michigan University Personal Postal Station.
Richter said she felt international students who write home may feel the greatest impact on CMU’s campus.
Holt sophomore Andra Overton agreed.
“I think the cost increases will most affect foreign international students who like to write home rather than send just an email,” she said.
Novi senior Kaitlyn Stanford said the Postal Service needs to experience change to keep up.
“Everything is going online, they either need to cut back or adjust to the changing times,” she said. “Things will eventually have to change for the Postal Service.”
Both Overton and Stanford said they write a letter home every couple of weeks to a month.
While traditional mailing methods are having a tough time, there are systems in place to enhance the customer’s experience, Kordie said.
“We’re getting better at parcel scanning,” he said. “This includes delivery confirmation, a scan at the point of delivery so that the customer knows when (a parcel) arrives and when it departs our facilities.”
