11-02-2016, 01:42 PM
There appears to be two service levels of "Parcel Select", parcel select lightweight, and parcel select ground.
Parcel select lightweight is for items under 1 pound. It's slower than priority mail or first class but appears to ship by air. It's a little slower but around the same speed of "parcel pool" (international bridge).
I recently have had some things heavier than 1 pound ship "parcel select ground" to Hawaii. These were initially transported via other carriers (fedex, UPS) until they reached California and were handed off to the USPS. The process to get to USPS took 3-4 days. After that, it took another 21 days for the item to get delivered.
I did some research and "parcel select ground" to Hawaii looks like it takes the barge, similar to media mail.
"USPS Parcel Select Ground
What is Parcel Select Ground?
Parcel Select Ground is a USPS mail class that offers ground delivery service at very low rates for large or heavy packages. When using this mail class, shipments can weigh up to 70lbs. and delivery ranges from 2–8 days. Rates are based on distance, weight and mailpiece dimensions."
It isn't available to the public (you can't go to the post office and get this service), you need a USPS business account like through Pitney Bowes, stamps.com, be a big merchant, etc.
Oddly, I have a business account and tried to calculate test shipment prices and the parcel select ground and priority mail prices from Hawaii to the mainland were exactly the same, but the delivery time frames were crazy different.
Key takeaway: If you are ordering something from the madland and "USPS parcel select ground" is a shipping option, add a few weeks to the shipping time compared to priority or first class mail.
Parcel select lightweight is for items under 1 pound. It's slower than priority mail or first class but appears to ship by air. It's a little slower but around the same speed of "parcel pool" (international bridge).
I recently have had some things heavier than 1 pound ship "parcel select ground" to Hawaii. These were initially transported via other carriers (fedex, UPS) until they reached California and were handed off to the USPS. The process to get to USPS took 3-4 days. After that, it took another 21 days for the item to get delivered.
I did some research and "parcel select ground" to Hawaii looks like it takes the barge, similar to media mail.
"USPS Parcel Select Ground
What is Parcel Select Ground?
Parcel Select Ground is a USPS mail class that offers ground delivery service at very low rates for large or heavy packages. When using this mail class, shipments can weigh up to 70lbs. and delivery ranges from 2–8 days. Rates are based on distance, weight and mailpiece dimensions."
It isn't available to the public (you can't go to the post office and get this service), you need a USPS business account like through Pitney Bowes, stamps.com, be a big merchant, etc.
Oddly, I have a business account and tried to calculate test shipment prices and the parcel select ground and priority mail prices from Hawaii to the mainland were exactly the same, but the delivery time frames were crazy different.
Key takeaway: If you are ordering something from the madland and "USPS parcel select ground" is a shipping option, add a few weeks to the shipping time compared to priority or first class mail.