Can someone explain the difference between these two rates for the same box: Commercial Base and Retail/Post Office rates for Priority Mail Flat Rate. Commercial Base for medium FRPM box is $11.95 while Retail FRPM is $13.95.
any insights are appreciated
David
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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"
re: explain difference between Commercial Base and Retail/Post Office rates for Priority Mail Flat Rate
Based on something I shipped recently, I think I've figured out that you get the Commercial Base Rate if you purchase the postage through a label on PayPal or eBay. (At least it was true in my case. Not sure if it holds true in all shipping situations.)
The nice thing about PayPal is, I think, that you don't need a specific completed transaction to reference in order to purchase the label. I think you do with eBay.
But I could be all wrong about any of this.
Unfortunately, this means you can't use stamps on that shipment. (At one time a few years ago, the USPS had an application you could use where you could print the shipping labels (and get a discount, too, I think?) but still apply postage.)
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re: explain difference between Commercial Base and Retail/Post Office rates for Priority Mail Flat Rate
The reason you get the commercial rate through PayPal and ebay is because the two companies have contracts with USPS to get the rate and are allowed to pass it on to their users. The commercial rate also applies to businesses that ship large volumes of packages. I don't know what the threshold is.