There are so many options available for shipping with the United States Postal Service. I often find myself wondering which would best suit my needs. Here I will list a deeper explanation of what each class means so you will be able to make a decision that better suits your needs.

Express Mail: Overnight delivery to limited locations, sometimes, depending on the weather, travel conditions, the price of tea in China, employee motivation, and the spread of West Nile Virus.

Priority Mail: Getting your mail delivered is a priority. It’s just below mid-afternoon nap and getting in all of the required 15 minute breaks, but it is a priority.

First-Class Mail: This is the first class above not getting your mail delivered. New motto for this is “When it absolutely, positively has to get there eventually.”

Parcel Post: Parcel Post with less than partial care. If it gets there great, but if it doesn’t… well, what did you expect for what you paid?

Media Mail: We will alert the media if anyone actually uses this system. We alert the media because that is about all we are willing to do for what you are paying.

Library Mail: Everything you are sending will end up at the Library. The person you are writing to may come there and check it out but only for a week at a time.

Bound Printed Matter: When nothing else aside from cheapness maters this is the method for you. It won’t get to where you are sending it but you can say that you mailed it.


Now you know enough about the postal system to send mail. Get out there an enjoy the letter sending process.