USPS is at it again

The post office has announced an 8% rate increase, effective 4/26 due to the increased price of fuel. This, coming on the heels of the January rate increase which we discussed below, no longer leaves us with any other options. The thin margins on hardware unfortunately makes it necessary to increase our base shipping price.

We have not increased our selling price of hardware, except to pass on only the additional we are paying, since 2021! This, despite the fact that our costs for running the business have increased, as we are sure, so have all of your costs, both at home and in your business.

Effective 4/26 our base shipping fee will increase from $9.49 to $10.25, an 8% increase. If the USPS ever removes this fuel surcharge (without adding a different rate increase in its place) will will lower the price back down.

We know price increases hurt, and we are trying our best to hold the line, but eventually we are put in a position in which we have no other option.

Our previous announcement is below.

As we are sure you are already aware, the USPS increased rates yet again this January.

We looked at all the alternatives, trying to not increase our base rate shipping, but we were losing money on most shipments. We didn't want to up the price for everyone, so we have come up with an alternative.

We have relied almost exclusively on Priority Mail, and that has gone way up. Therefore, we have decided that in order to keep our prices low we have to start using other services. Starting right now, we will be shipping by a combination of Priority Mail (when it is reasonable), USPS Ground Advantage, and UPS Sure Post. The last two are less expensive, and that will allow us to keep our base rate where it is (we hope).

This is the important thing for you: If you need something quickly, just tell us to ship Priority Mail in your comments box at check-out. If the rate for Priority Mail is more than the base rate, your shipping cost will be adjusted upward to our cost (and we still get pretty decent discounts off the USPS prices one pays at the counter).

Thank you for your understanding.