Overview
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is the national postal service of the United States and one of the largest parcel carriers in the country. It delivers mail and packages to more than 170 million addresses, and its services such as USPS Ground Advantage and Priority Mail are widely used by e-commerce brands for affordable US delivery.
Who is behind USPS
USPS is an independent agency of the US federal government, and it is required to serve every American community. In its 2025 financial year, which ended on 30.09.2025, operating revenue was USD 80.5 billion, up 1.2%, while total volume fell 3.3% to 108.7 billion pieces. USPS reported a net loss of USD 9 billion for the year and is working to grow its package business and cut costs.
Shipping and packages
USPS's shipping and packages business brought in USD 32.6 billion in revenue in 2025, up 1%, on 6.8 billion pieces. Growth came mainly from USPS Ground Advantage, its 2- to 5-day ground service for packages up to 70 pounds, which combines several earlier services. USPS says the package market is very competitive, as some large customers build their own delivery networks.
What USPS offers brands
- USPS Ground Advantage for low-cost ground delivery of e-commerce orders.
- Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express for faster delivery.
- Commercial package services, including Parcel Select for large shippers that enter packages deeper into the USPS network.
- Returns and international shipping services.
- Integrations with e-commerce platforms and shipping software, which offer commercial rates for labels and tracking.
Things brands should know
- Price changes. USPS raises prices regularly, including for Ground Advantage, which affects shipping budgets.
- Strong for light parcels. USPS is often cost-effective for small and light packages and residential delivery, including rural addresses.
- Duties on imports. Since the end of the US de minimis exemption, brands shipping from abroad to US customers face duties on small parcels, which affects cross-border delivery.
Why USPS matters for brands
USPS reaches every US address and offers some of the lowest rates for lightweight e-commerce parcels. For brands selling to US customers from a US warehouse, it is one of the core carriers to compare with UPS and FedEx.
How eBrands looks at USPS
eBrands works with brands on webshops, marketplaces and retail channels across Europe and North America, and US logistics is part of that work. If you want to see how a US shipping setup with carriers like USPS could support your channels, we are happy to talk it through.
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