Stamp prices on the rise

On May 12, 2008, the United States Postal Service will be raising the price of first-class stamps 1 cent bring the cost to 42 cents.

The price hike comes only eight months after the last price hike. Skeptics say that the recent rise in stamps is due to the rising costs of gasoline. Prices of all US mail will be affected by the price change. Gus Pacchiega, a UVSC Postal Service worker said,

“All costs will change. International stamps will also be going up by 4 cents.”

With consumers already struggling to find ways to keep up with current economic demands, assurance can be made that the USPS is doing something to accommodate for price changes.

In April 2007, the USPS developed a Stamp called the “forever stamp” to ease the transition for consumers during upcoming price changes. Forever stamps can be bought at any USPS location and only cost 41 cents. Eric Shocker, a part-time USPS worker at UVSC said,

“No matter what the stamp price is, the “forever stamp” can be continued to be used just like the name suggests. Forever.”

The Postal Service has sold 5 billion Forever Stamps since the launch last April and plans to have an additional 5 billion in stock to meet the expected demand before the May price change.

Still with billions of these stamps sold, there are many who have not been informed of the “forever stamp.“ Chelsea Richins, a UVSC student said,

“I’m upset that prices are going up again. I just bought a book of stamps that my husband and I use to pay our bills and come May I’m going to have to make another trip to the Post Office to buy one-cent stamps. I wish I would have known about forever stamps before I bought these ones.”

Shocker mentioned that the Postal Service will still accept under-postage stamps for a month after the price increase, which will give lee-way to those who are unaware of the price increase.

The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.
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