When you’re an e-commerce business owner, you know you have a lot of options when it comes to shipping, many of them with the United States Postal Service.
Well, not only does USPS offer some of the best prices around, but have you heard of Regional Rate shipping? There are two box types, A and B. What is a Regional Box A, you ask? Well, I’ve got the information you need just below, so keep reading!
What Is a Regional Box A at USPS In [currentyear]?
There are actually two Regional Rate Box A types, including a side-loading, taller and thinner box, and a top-loading, squatter, regular rectangular box in [currentyear]. Each comes with a weight limit of 15 lbs. Priority Mail Regional Rate boxes are designed to be an affordable shipping option for lighter packages going shorter distances.
To learn more about what Regional Box A is used for, how much it costs to ship, what the difference is between A and B, and even who can use Regional Rate, keep going!
What Is a Regional Box A Used For?
Regional Rate and Regional Rate boxes are for commercial and online customers who print their labels at home or the office (as opposed to getting them from the Post Office).
Regional Rate boxes offer low-cost Zoned Priority Mail shipping, and they’re available in A types and B types.
The A types are as follows:
- Side-loading: 11 1/16” x 2.5” x 13 1/16; these A boxes are thinner and taller, perfect for calendars and large books.
- Top-loading: 10 1/8” x 7 1/8” x 5”; these A boxes are shorter and squatter, perfect for shoes or other boxed items.
The weight limit is 15 lbs., but with Regional Rate pricing, weight doesn’t factor into the price.
You may be able to find Regional Rate boxes at your local Post Office, but most locations are limited in what they can order.
Therefore, your best bet is to order the boxes online, using The Postal Store. They’re totally free, and they even deliver them for free (your mail carrier brings them).
The only downside is that you have to order a pack of 10 or 25.
However, if you’re a business owner using Regional Rate shipping anyway, chances are good you’ll use the rest at some point.
Note, too, that there is an additional fee if you drop off your package at a Post Office. For Zones 1-4, that fee is $2.25, and for Zones 5-9, it’s $1.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Regional Box A?
The cost to ship a Regional A box via USPS depends on where it’s going (but thankfully, not how much it weighs, which can be up to 15 lbs.).
For Zones 1 and 2, the A box costs just $8.38. Zone 3 costs a mere $8.58, while Zone 4 is $8.88.
After Zone 4, the price jumps a bit more; Zone 5 costs $9.55, Zone 6, $11.55, Zone 7 $12.32, Zone 8 $13.54, and Zone 9, $26.37.
As you can see, the pricing for Zones 1-4 is clustered under $9; after Zone 4, you start to see the pricing look more like regular Priority Mail.
What Is the Difference Between Regional Rate Box A and B?
The difference between Regional Rate box A and B is size, the weight it can contain, and the price to ship.
Regional Rate Box B is slightly bigger, can contain up to 20 lbs. in weight, and as a result, it’s slightly more expensive to ship to most Zones.
What Does USPS Regional Box B Mean?
USPS Regional Rate box B maxes out in weight at 20 lbs. and also comes in two sizes:
- Side loading: 14 ½″ × 3″ × 16 ¼″; a taller, narrower box, shaped like a calendar
- Top loading: 12 ¼″ × 10 1⁄2″ × 5 ½″; a shorter, squatter box, more in the shape of a regular rectangle
Regional Rate box B starts out in price the same as box A, at just $8.88 for Zones 1 and 2.
Then it jumps a bit more than box A; Zone 3 costs $9.37, Zone 4 $10.12, Zone 5 $12.47, Zone 6 $16.61, Zone 7 $19.59, Zone 8 $22.51 and Zone 9, priced at $44.02.
Still, if you’re shipping something right at the 20 lb. mark, and you’re looking at regular Priority Mail, Local and Zones 1 and 2 shipping cost $21.95 right off the bat.
So, the heavier your item is, the closer it is to 20 lbs., and the more you save.
Can Anyone Use USPS Regional Rate Boxes?
Anyone that is printing labels online can use USPS Regional Rate boxes.
Regional Rate shipping is discounted especially for customers of USPS – or its third-party users like customers of Stamps.com – who aren’t making trips to the Post Office to ship.
To learn more, you can also see our posts on what is a package handler at FedEx, does FedEx deliver to PO boxes, and does FedEx charge by weight or size.
Conclusion
Regional Rate Box A is the smaller set of boxes used for Regional Rate shipping, the online-based, Flat Rate-ish shipping class that is for medium-weight packages going short distances.
If your item doesn’t fit in a Regional Rate Box A, consider trying one of the Regional Rate box Bs, which are slightly larger and slightly more expensive.
