The USPS said prices for Express Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Select, Parcel Return Service and some international shipping products will change on January 18, 2009. Overall, shipping services prices will increase an average of 5 percent. New for 2009 is Commercial Plus pricing for high-volume Express Mail and Priority Mail users. The new prices are available at http://www.usps.com/prices (click "New Shipping Prices" box).

This is the first time the Postal Service is adjusting prices for its shipping services on a different schedule from its mailing service price adjustments. Price changes for mailing services, including stamp prices, will be announced in February, and will be effective in May 2009.

The U.S. Postal Service also said it had concluded the 2008 fiscal year, ended September 30, 2008, with a net loss of $2.8 billion as the national economic slowdown lowered mail volume and as the Postal Service bore additional costs mandated by the Postal Act of 2006. But the USPS said it is not laying off employees. "Efforts to match our workforce to a reduced workload are focused on voluntary early retirements. Voluntary early retirement has been offered to a number of employees and to date, 3,685 employees have accepted the offer."