
Parcel Select is one of the services provided by USPS which was formed after the discontinuation of the Parcel Post service. Standard Post was offered to those customers who purchased postage for their mails from the post office whereas the parcel select was used for customers who preferred to buy postage online. As everyone wants to get their work done in the comfort of their homes, customers seem to be interested in finding out more about parcel select service. In this guide, we will take a look at the postage rate offered by parcel select lightweight and how can you use it to your advantage.
Parcel Select Lightweight
The parcel select lightweight service is a subdivision of the parcel select service, which is used for buying postage online. With the implementation of the parcel select program, the commercial owners, i.e., small and medium-sized businesses saw a huge profit. As most business mails comprise packages and marketing mails that are shipped using the USPS ground carriers, businesses gained more profit as they could purchase postage online with some major discounts.
If your business ships mails at regular intervals, then using parcel select might not be beneficial for you. But if you are a small to medium-sized business owner, sending many packages to places every day, then parcel select is likely to be suitable for your business.

So, What Exactly Is Parcel Select Lightweight and How Is It Different From Parcel Select?
Parcel select lightweight is a sub-service of parcel select and it is used for the following kinds of packages:
- Packages that are less than a single pound in weight
- Packages that are already pre-sorted by the businesses and are ready to enter the USPS destination facilities
Other than parcel select lightweight, i.e., ps lightweight, there are many more services such as USPS Parcel Select Non-Presort, Parcel Select Destination Country, and Parcel Select NDC/ONDC Presort.
Advantage of Using Ps Lightweight
One of the major benefits of using the parcel select lightweight service is that the customer will receive great discounts on the postage prices if they ship more than 50 mails per day. In a year, the total number of mails must be at least 50,000. If the count tends to be less than this, then you might not be able to avail of the discounts. If the count of the mails is greater than this, then your mails will be shipped via the standard parcel select.
Other than the major discounts offered, the postage rates are also great. Compared to other services such as FedEx and UPS, the postage rates for a one-pound package are approximately $5 to $7. Usps on the other hand offers postage rates of $1.30 to $3.30.
How long does mail forwarding last? Check it out here.
Features of PS Lightweight
Postage Rates:
With this service, you get postage rates that are determined per ounce. As mentioned earlier, the postage rates of other companies are significantly higher than USPS. USPS offers great postage rates that are almost half the price.
Discounts:
It is for companies that ship almost 50,000 packages per day. This service proves to be beneficial if your business ships approximately 50 or more packages per day. You might not be able to enjoy the discounts if you are shipping packages that are less than the given amount.
Presorting Mails
Presort refers to sorting the mails by their categories and grouping them as per their zip codes. Most of the time, business mails are sorted at the origin facility but sometimes, the mails are presorted by the businesses themselves. If the mails are presorted then they will be shipped to the Destination Unit, Sectional Facility, and the Network Distribution Center without much delay. Most businesses prefer to presort their mails as it not only speeds up the shipping process, but businesses get more discounts on postage if they choose to presort their mails before shipping.
The price of the Parcel Select lightweight packages is based on the weight of the mails, and the distance of the destination. Unlike other mail classes which either depend on the destination or the weight of the mails, the ps lightweight service uses both these factors to determine the postage price.
Reliable Delivery Times
Most business and marketing mail is delivered to the recipient within 2 to 3 weeks times. Unlike marketing and other business mails, this service has a delivery time ranging between 2 to 8 days. As mentioned earlier, the distance of the destination from the origin is also an important factor that determines the speed of delivery. Remember that with PS lightweight, time sensitive materials cannot be shipped as the delivery times vary due to the distance between the origin and the destination.
No Extra Surcharges
Most of the mailing classes might charge an extra amount for special services such as Saturday delivery or certain residential surcharges. They also do not charge extra for covering the fuel expenses.
Learn what to do with your missing FedEx package from here.
Delivery
Considering that you are shipping with USPS, you can deliver to any location in the United States, be it a military base, a residential area, or a PO box. As USPS is owned by the government, they cannot refuse delivery to any location except those which are not registered into their database.
Tracking
Another amazing feature of USPS Parcel Select Lightweight is that you get to have free tracking included with your package. Most USPS services do not have free tracking, but the ps lightweight offers tracking for both the senders and the recipient with zero costs.

Cost of Using Parcel Select Feature
The pricing of USPS parcel select is relatively cheaper than the prices offered by its competitors. Pricing of this service depends on the following features:
- Weight of the package
- Shape and size of the package
- Distance of the destination from the origin
Apart from the above factors, if the weight of the package exceeds in volume by 1 cubic foot, then the customer will have to pay postage which depends on the actual weight of the package or the dimensional weight. Dimensional weight is determined based on height, weight, width, and girth. When the prices of all the USPS shipping services are compared, you can see that parcel select offers the lowest price. Additionally, you can use the parcel select signature service to have your mails attested when they reach the recipient. For more information on Parcel Select prices, make sure to check the postage rates for Parcel Select Lightweight Rates.
Other Factors That Might Increase the Cost of the Item
The factors mentioned above have a great impact on the amount you pay for postage. If there is an increase in the standard measurements of weight or shape/size, then you might have to pay extra for postage. You need to consider the following restrictions before you ship your package to save yourself from having to pay extra surcharges.
Oversized Packages
Packages that are shipped through this service should follow the standard weight and size/shape criteria which are 70 pounds and 108 inches (combination of both girth, height, and weight). If the size of the parcels exceeds the given measurements, then you will be charged extra.
Non-machinable Items
A non-machinable item refers to an item that does not satisfy the shape criteria. If the shape and size of the package is odd, then it is said to be a non-machinable item. It is called non-machinable, as such packages cannot be processed by the machines. Instead, they must be processed by hand. Any item that is considered non-machinable will have non-machinable postage. The following kinds of items are also considered as non-machinable items:
- Any item that is beyond 27 inches in length or 17 inches in height
- Items weighing less than 6 ounces
- Items that have more than 24 ounces of liquid stored in them
- parcels that have the shape of a tube, rolls or cans
What Is Parcel Select?
Parcel select is one of the USPS ground delivery services which offers cheaper postage rates for businesses that are shipping mails in bulk quantities. Some businesses save extra money by already presorting their mails and having them dropped at the closest Parcel Center. This service is only available to online customers and can’t be requested while you are at the post office. Parcel Select offers the following set of services to their customers:
- Parcel Select Ground – NDC Presort
- The Parcel Select Ground – Destination Entry
- Parcel Select Ground – ONDC Presort
- Parcel Select Ground Lightweight
Compared to its competitors that have high postage values, USPS makes sure that the customers get to avail major benefits on not just the cost but also get to enjoy the benefits of shipping mails with ease. The pricing options provided are relatively cheaper yet competitive in terms of the current market value. Additionally, USPS also offers last mile delivery for other shipping companies to deliver mails to areas that are less populated, including certain rural and urban areas as well.
The Postal Services Parcel Select service delivers to major destinations by saving extensively on the cost and enhancing their delivery network. Using parcel integrators, the customers are provided specific postage rates, estimated delivery times, billing, insurance, tracking, delivery confirmation, etc.

Conclusion
Most of the time, ground shipping might not be the best solution to having your mails delivered on time. Apart from the delay in deliveries, you might also be aware of the tossing and turning of packages while they are placed in a truck. When compared to shipping mails through the air, ground delivery does not seem to be reliable. However, if you have a lot of domestic customers, then Parcel Select might be a good option to consider. Although there are many reliable and trustworthy services out there besides Parcel Select Lightweight, it is important that you must be aware of all the shipping options you have access to.
Does FedEx do drug test? Learn about it from here.
Hope you enjoyed reading this blog!!!…
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ’s)
With ps lightweight, time sensitive materials cannot be sent as the delivery time will take days or even weeks.
There isn’t a specific time to get your mails delivered. Most of the time, this service takes approximately 8 to 10 days or 2 weeks.