On USPS services

USPS (United States Postal Service) offers a wide range of (tradermarked) service names, which are quite often confusing & misleading for non-US consumers.
Here we'll try to analyze the most popular international USPS services.

1. Letter post (including the popular "small packets" service used for small parcels & packages)
   (tracking: not available for most destinations, unless you order an extra "Registered Mail" option for just 12.95 USD (wow!)):
   • First-Class International:
     • First-Class Mail International
     • First-Class Package International
   • Priority Mail International:
     • Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelope
     • Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Box
2. Parcel post (traditional big parcels & packages)
   (tracking: available for most destinations as usual):
   • Priority Mail International
     • (all variants, except the actual letter post ones)
3. EMS
   (tracking: available):
   • Priority Mail Express International
4. Collaboration with FedEx
   (tracking: available):
   • Global Express Guaranteed

References (and more reading):

1. USPS: International Price Calculator
2. USPS: DMM (Domestic Mail Manual) Notice 123 Price List
3. USPS Tracking
   See also on this blog: Online tracking of the international shipments
4. USPS denies Canada Post claims over international registered mail « Post & Parcel

(To be continued...)

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Last updated: 2014-02-04