Unlike prior rate changes, the rate change this past January barely got any coverage in the national media. Why?

With forever stamps, the general public doesn’t need to rush to their local post office and buy 1¢ or 2¢ stamps anymore. Therefore, the public doesn’t need advance notice to rush to the local post office and buy those small denomination stamps to equal the new rate.

Less people are using first class mail. Bills are paid electronically. Emails are used more often than printed letters. The demand for first class mail falls a little more each year. I don’t think we’ll ever see the end of all first class mail, but it is becoming less important in people’s lives.

In the past, postal rate increases were usually met with disdain by the public. Today, who notices if the rate is increasing or not? Many American’s, especially younger people below the age of 30, won’t even know about the new postage rate. They go to the post office once or twice a year and buy a booklet of stamps. Was the price 42¢ before? Does anyone remember the last rate?

The nice thing for the USPS is that rate changes are largely ignored now. They don’t have Congress or the public mad at them for increasing the cost of postage.