ever heard of the term “priority mail bucket”? that’s what we think, most people haven’t! Cubic Priority Mail is one of the US Postal Service’s best kept secrets. uu., and we’re about to tell you. Think of it a bit like “animal style” for in-and-out burgers, except you’ll save tons of money on shipping packages instead of ordering secret sauce.
index
- what is priority mail cubic?
- how much does priority mail cubic cost?
- priority mail cubic in action
- you can also use cubic for a polyethylene or padded envelope
what is cubic priority mail?
We’re glad you asked! Bottom line: priority mail cubic (or “cubic” for short) is a secret service you won’t find at the post office, but it’s the cheapest and fastest way to send small packages. priority mail cubic is not priced based on weight; instead, the outside dimensions of your package determine the price. Like all Priority Mail services, Priority Mail Cubic delivery happens in 1-3 business days, comes with free package tracking, and even includes $100 of insurance at no extra cost. If you’re thinking priority mail cubic shipping sounds like a no-brainer right now, you’re absolutely right. however, it does have some restrictions, which we describe below:
- no dimension of your package may exceed 18 inches
- the total weight of your package may not exceed 20 pounds
- the total volume of your package must not exceed 0.5 cubic feet
if your package meets the above requirements, you’re good to go!
pro tip: priority mail cubic is best for shipping small and heavy items. therefore, this is the best kind of mail for situations like honey and jam shipping, coffee shipping, candle shipping, and more.
how much does the priority mail bucket cost?
Depending on the size of your package, five different cubic price tiers will be included. pricing tiers are determined by cubic feet and we’ve included those tiers in the chart below.
To calculate which cubic price tier your package is in, follow these steps:
- measure the length, width and height of your package. When measuring your package, always round down to the nearest quarter inch. for example, if the height of your package is 6.3 inches, round down to 6.25.
- once you have the dimensions, multiply them all together (height x width x length). then take that number and divide it by 1728.
- the resulting decimal is the size of your package in cubic feet. use the table above to determine the price level, always rounding fractional results to the next level (example: if your package is 0.24 cubic feet, it will fall in the 0.3 level).
Not in the mood to do the math? You can use this handy Priority Mail Cubic Calculator. just type in your dimensions and it will automatically tell you what price tier your package is in. The calculator also makes suggestions to help you get the most out of your package size investment!
pro tip: be smart with your package dimensions! If the contents of your package allow it, it’s a good idea to plan your package to fit as small a level as possible. The best part is: Since cubic pricing isn’t based on weight, you can fill your pack to the brim! just make sure the total weight doesn’t exceed 20lbs. doing this can drastically reduce your shipping cost. In fact, your shipping costs will be so low that your business can offer free shipping, which is a tried-and-true way to build customer loyalty. makes sense, right? don’t worry… your secret is safe with us.
priority mail cube in action
Want to see how the Priority Mail Bucket compares to the competition? Let’s try a simple exercise. Imagine you have an 8x8x8 box that weighs 10 pounds and you would like to ship it from Los Angeles to Denver. the distance between those cities is about 1,016 miles, which puts your shipping rate in zone 6 (you can see that in the chart above). If you ship the box via USPS Priority Mail with a 3-day transit time, that price at 2020 USPS Commercial Rates would be $26.67.
Using cubic shipping, that same package (at the 0.3 cubic tier) would cost just $10.98 for zone 6. That’s about 41% less! !
cubic also far exceeds ups and fedex ground prices. for the same 10 pound package, fedex ground (transit time 4 days) would cost $19.00. After residential delivery surcharges are applied, the UPS rate would be similar. Applicable fuel surcharges would also apply to both UPS and FedEx, which could push both costs up to $20 or $21. considering the $10.98 rate you can get with cubic priority mail, there’s simply no comparison.
you can also use cubic for a poly or quilted envelope
Believe it or not, priority mail cubic isn’t just for boxes! You can also use usps cubic for a soft pack or padded envelope. this process is known as “box-in-a-bag” shipping. Just like with regular boxes, you’ll need to make sure your sides are no more than 18 inches in each direction. in addition, the total weight of the envelope cannot exceed 20 pounds.
here’s the thing, though. you will need to measure the dimensions of the envelope before you put anything in it. just measure the length and width of the envelope (since envelopes don’t technically have a height dimension). when you add up the length and width to get the total inches, that number will determine which price tier your envelope falls under. the total number of inches cannot exceed 36.
pro tip: you can’t use expandable or pleated envelopes! if your envelope expands, it technically has a third dimension (height), so you’ll measure it the same way you would a box: length + width + height.
ready to start saving money on shipping?
in the words of sage dj khaled, “they don’t want you to know about cubic priority mail!” but guess that? We want you to know Cubic Priority Mail shipping is simply one of the cheapest ways to ship with USPS, and you can get started right now. There are several shipping software options that sell priority mail cube postage at discounted prices. however, they are all a bit different and some are certainly better than others. Before you start shipping, we suggest you do some research to see which one best suits your needs.
Looking for the right shipping software for you?
For the biggest discounts on all USPS shipping services, check out our guide:
choosing the best shipping software