From the 3rd of January, there are significant Royal Mail International Price rises coming. While the company has reduced or frozen a few prices with significant hikes to others, there will also be an underlying across the board price increase as the International surcharge will be raised from 4% to 6.5% on the 3rd of January. This additional 2.5% will impact the cost of everything you send overseas on your Business Account.
The last remaining temporary Air Carrier Supplements (for China, Japan, Israel, Iceland and Russia) will be removed with costs incorporated into pricing which does at least simplify postage costs.
We did find it unusual when Royal Mail announced in October that there would be no price changes in January for Retail Letter products. Now it transpires that domestic prices might remain at current levels, but retailers relying on Royal Mail for many of their international services are going to be hit hard.
International Price Freezes/Reductions- Tracked services
Prices for International Tracked services will be frozen or reduced for most countries.
Royal Mail are also introducing new International Tracked Heavier options up to 20kg (30kg for account customers), based around the medium parcel format:
- Existing Tracked / Tracked & Signed services for parcels up to 30kg (current item sizes apply)
- New products to be introduced for parcels up to 30kg, with dimensions up to 61cm x 46cm x 46cm
- These products are available to all destinations where Royal Mail currently offer International Tracked and/or International Tracked & Signed
International Price Rises – Untracked Legacy & Zonal Services
You will find most country-priced Untracked Business Products will attract International price rises from the 3rd of January.
Legacy international services will be hit with prices rises in the region of 15%-20%. Legacy products include:
- Untracked Country Priced Letters
- Untracked Country Priced Large Letters
- Zonal Service
Price Guides
Business Account
If you are a business account holder with Royal Mail you can check the full impact of the prices in the 3rd January business rate cards:
International Business Mail Services rate card
International Business Parcels rate card
Personal, Account, and Marketplace Sellers
For those that buy their postage online the price changes and new products available to you from the 3rd of January are detailed at: