Basic Bulk Mail Preparation and Mailpiece Design

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• Basic Bulk Mail Preparation and Mailpiece Design
• Presented By Felicia Carter

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Basic Bulk Mail Acceptance and Mailpiece Design

• What is Bulk Mail?
• Basic Mailpiece Design
• Addressing Requirements
• Preparation Requirements

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What is Bulk Mail?

• The term "bulk mail" refers to quantities of mail
  prepared for mailing at reduced postage rates.
• Bulk mail" means discounted First-Class Mail and
  advertising mail (called "Standard Mail" by the
  Postal Service).
• The Postal Service uses the terms "bulk" and
  "presorted" interchangeably.
• Bulk rates are discounted from "single-piece"
  rates. "Single-piece" means that you pay the full
  postage rate.

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What is Bulk Mail?

• Bulk mail is a workshare process
• The Postal Service offers discounts for bulk
  mailings because you do some of the work that
  otherwise would have to be done by the Postal
  Service
• Mailers make an investment in time and
  technology, and the Postal Services costs are
  reduced and you pay less postage.

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Basic Mailpiece Design

• What is Mailable?
• Not everything. Some items cannot be mailed, for
  legal and safety reasons.
• It is the mailers responsibility to ensure that
  they do not mail anything that can injure postal
  employees, postal equipment, or customers mail.
• Some mailpieces are too small to be mailed --
  they are likely to get lost or jammed in postal
  equipment.
• Some mailpieces are too large to be mailed --
  they are simply too big for the Postal Service to
  handle. Some things are not the right shape to be
  mailed.

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Basis Mailpiece Design

• Letter Size Pieces

Min. Max. Length 5 11-1/2 Height
3-1/2 6-1/8 Thickness 0.007 1/4
NOTE Pieces exceeding 4 1/4 high or 6 long
must be at least .009 thick.
5" Min. Length
Maximum Weight First-Class 3.3 oz. Machinable
Presort 3.5 oz. Automation Standard
Presort 3.3 oz. Machinable Presort 3.5
oz. Automation
3 1/2 Min. Height
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Basic Mailpiece Design Nonmachinable Criteria
Basic Mailpiece Design

Aspect ratio (length divided by height) is less
than 1.3 or greater than 2.5
5"
Unacceptable 4 5 1.25

• Square
• Rectangular

4"
6"
Acceptable 4 6 1.5
4"
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Basic Mailpiece Design- Nonmachinable Criteria

• Polybagged, polywrapped, or enclosed in any
  plastic material Nonmachinable Mail

PLASTICS INC PO BOX 0000 ANYWHERE IN 46206-0001
U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT xxx City State
POSTAL FORUM 801 Mount Vernon Place NW Washington
DC 20001

• Also not permitted on automation-rate letter-size
  mail.

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Basic Mailpiece Design- Nonmachinable Criteria

• Clasps, strings, buttons, or similar closure
  devices Nonmachinable Mail

Also not permitted on automation-rate letter-size
mail.
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Basic Mailpiece Design- Nonmachinable Criteria

• Odd shaped items such as pens, pencils, or loose
  keys or coins that cause the thickness of the
  mailpiece to be uneven.

Also not permitted on automation-rate letter-size
mail. Letters must be uniformly shaped.
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Basic Mailpiece Design- Nonmachinable Criteria

• If it is too rigid (does not bend easily when
  subjected to a transport belt tension of 40
  pounds around an 11-inch diameter turn).

Automation-rate letter-size mail must be flexible.
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Basic Mailpiece Design- Nonmachinable Criteria

• Pieces exceeding 4 ¼ X 6 and less than .009
  thick.

6 to 11.5 Long
5 to 6 Long
3.5 to 4.25 High
Thickness .009 to .025
Thickness .007 - up to .016 for postcards -
up to .25 for letters
Automation letter rate pieces must meet the above
dimensions.
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Basic Mailpiece Design- Nonmachinable Criteria

• Has a delivery address parallel to the shorter
  dimension of the mailpiece.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT xxx City State
POSTAL CUSTOMER COUNCIL 475 LEnfant Plz
Washington DC 20260-0846
Automation rates require that the delivery
address be parallel to the longest dimension.
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Basic Mailpiece Design- Nonmachinable Criteria

• Booklet-type pieces having the bound edge (spine)
  along the shorter dimension of the piece or at
  the top, regardless of the use of tabs, wafer
  seals, or other fasteners.

SPINE
U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT xxx City State
POSTAL FORUM 801 Mount Vernon Place NW
Washington DC 20001-3614
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Basic Mailpiece Design- Nonmachinable Criteria

• Self-mailers with a folded edge perpendicular to
  the address if the piece is not folded and
  secured according to DMM 201.13.02.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT xxx City State
U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT xxx City State
FOLD
FOLD
POSTAL CUSTOMER COUNCIL 801 Mount Vernon Place
NW Washington DC 20001-3614
POSTAL CUSTOMER COUNCIL 801 Mount Vernon Place
NW Washington DC 20001-3614
Automation rates require that self-mailers with
the fold along the shorter dimension have the
fold on the right or leading edge.
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Basic Mailpiece Design

• Flat Size Pieces
• Must be flexible
• Uniform in thickness
• Rectangular in shape

                                                            Minimum Maximum
                                                          Length 11-1/2 inches 15 inches
                                                          Height 6-1/8 inches 12 inches
                                                          Thickness 1/4 inch 3/4 inch
                                                          Flats exceed at least one of these dimensions Flats exceed at least one of these dimensions Flats exceed at least one of these dimensions
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Addressing

• Youve gone through a lot of time and expense to
  create a mailpiece that is attractive and
  effective. Now you need to make sure that it gets
  to your customer.
• The Postal Service processes your mail on
  machines that read address information and
  translate it into a barcode. When a machine
  misreads an address, that mailpiece may get
  mis-sorted or delayed.
• Believe it or not over 42 million Americans move
  every year.

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Addressing

• Delivery Address
• The delivery address is the most important
  information on your mailpiece.
• Use the following format for your delivery
  addresses
• Name or attention line JANE L MILLER
• Company MILLER ASSOCIATES
• Delivery address 1960 W CHELSEA AVE STE 2006
• City, state, ZIP Code ALLENTOWN PA 18104

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Addressing

• When is a Return Address Required?
• Mail of any class, when its return and/or address
  correction is requested
• Official Mail
• Mail paid with precanceled stamps
• Matter bearing a company permit imprint
• Priority Mail
• Periodicals in envelopes or wrappers
• Package Services (except unendorsed Bound Printed
  Matter)
• Registered Mail
• Insured Mail
• Collect on Delivery (COD) Mail
• Certified Mail if a return receipt is requested
• Express Mail if a return receipt is requested.
  The return address on the Express Mail label
  meets this standard

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Addressing

• Tips on Addressing
• Always put the address and the postage on the
  same side of your mailpiece.
• On a letter, the address should be parallel to
  the longest side.
• All capital letters.
• No punctuation.
• At least 10-point type.

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Addressing

• Tips on Addressing
• One space between city and state.
• Two spaces between state and ZIP Code.
• Simple type fonts.
• Left justified.

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Addressing

• Tips on Addressing
• Black ink on white or light paper.
• No reverse type (white printing on a black
  background).
• If your address appears inside a window, make
  sure there is at least 1/8-inch clearance around
  the address. Sometimes parts of the address slip
  out of view behind the window and mail processing
  machines cant read the address.
• If you are using address labels, make sure you
  dont cut off any important information. Also
  make sure your labels are on straight. Mail
  processing machines have trouble reading crooked
  or slanted information.

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Addressing

• Automated mail processing machines read addresses
  on mailpieces from the bottom up and will first
  look for a city, state, and ZIP Code.
• Then the machines look for a delivery address. If
  the machines cant find either line, then your
  mailpiece could be delayed or misrouted.
• Any information below the delivery address line
  (a logo, a slogan, or an attention line) could
  confuse the machines and misdirect your mail.

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Addressing

• Window envelopes must have 1/8 clearance between
  the address printing and any window edge
  throughout maximum insert shift.

1/8 Min.
1735 N LYNN ST ARLINGTON VA 22209-6030
1/8 Min.
1/25 Min.
National Postal Forum 810 Mount
Vernon Pl NW Washington DC 20001-3614
Logos should be placed above address line
.
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Addressing

• Tap Test

How is the Tap Test Performed? 2 Taps on the
bottom, then 2 taps on each end
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Addressing

• Tabbing Requirements

DOUBLE POSTCARD
BOOKLET
Tabs 2 Needed Spine
Bottom Sheets Multiple with
cover Basis Weight 20 lbs. (Cover)
Tabs 1 Needed Folded Edge
Prefer Bottom, Top Acceptable
Sheets Single Basis Weight 75
lbs.
FOLDED SELF-MAILER
FOLDED SELF-MAILER
FOLDED SELF-MAILER
Tabs 1 Needed Folded Edge
Bottom Sheets
Multiple Basis Weight 24 lbs.
Tabs 2 Needed Folded Edge Top
or Bottom Sheets
Single Basis Weight 20 lbs.
Tabs 1 Needed Folded Edge
Bottom Sheets
Single Basis Weight 28 lbs.
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Mail Preparation

• Annual Fee - 175.00
• 200 pieces (or 50 lbs) minimum
• Printed material or merchandise lt 1 lb
• Deposited at designated entry point
• Sorted into bundles, trays and/or sacks
• Postage paid on all pieces

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Mail Preparation

• Mailers who elect to presort their mailings must
  pay postage by
• 1. Permit Imprint,
• 2. Postage Meter
• 3. Precanceled Stamps
• An annual mailing fee must be paid once each
  12-month period at each post office of mailing.
• The fee may be paid in advance only for the next
  12 months and only during the last 60 days of the
  current serviced period. The fee charged is that
  which is in effect on the date of payment.
• A mailer paying this fee may enter clients
  mail as well as the mailers own mail.
• Presorted mail
• 1. Cannot be deposited in collection
  boxes, mail boxes, or other mail receptacles
• 2. Cannot be given to a letter carrier
• 3. Must be brought to a business mail
  entry (BMEU), a detached mail unit (DMU), or to a
  designated post office where it is accepted
  and verified by postal employees.

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Mail Preparation

• Payment Methods

Permit
Precanceled Stamp
Meter
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW
YORK, NY PERMIT NO. 1
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
5
9
O.16
NON PROFIT
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW YORK, NY PERMIT NO. 3
10
PRSRT STD
5
0.23
PRSRT STD
3 Options
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Mail Preparation- Machinable Mailing

• 3-DIGIT/ORIGIN AADC MIXED AADC
• (Optional) (Required)
  (Required)
• Rate AADC (1) Rate AADC Rate MXD ADC

Rate .113
Rate .113
Rate .164
NP STD
Rate .204
Rate .204
Rate .255
AADC SPRINGFIELD 010 STD LTRS AADC
MACH MILWAUKEE WI

MXD MILWAUKEE WI 530 STD LTRS MACH WKG
MILWAUKEE WI
SPRINGFIELD MA 010 STD LTRS 3D MACH
MILWAUKEE WI
(1) AADC Rate for Any 3-Digit/Origin Tray for
the Origin SCF Containing Fewer Than 150 Pieces.
3 digit origin trays required for FCM and
optional for STD mail. Postcard-Size Pieces
Always Banded Other Pieces Banded Only If
Placed in Less-Than-Full Tray or Overflow Trays.
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Mail Preparation

• Machinable Tray Label

• Barcoded Tray Label

LINE 1 (Destination LINE 2 (Content) Label
Barcode Numeric Human-Readable of Barcode LINE
3 (Origin)
Machinable
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Mail Preparation- Nonmachinable Letter

• More money and more work.

5-DIGIT 3-DIGIT ADC MIXED
ADC (Required) (Required)
(Required) (Required) Rate 5D Rate
3 digit /ADC Rate ADC Rate MXD ADC
Rate .278
Rate .307
Rate .429
Rate .195
NP STD
Rate .369
Rate .286
Rate .398
Rate .520
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Mail Preparation- Nonmachinable Mailing

• Nonmachinable Tray Label

LINE 1 (Destination LINE 2 (Content) Label
Barcode Numeric Human-Readable Barcode LINE
3 (Origin)
MILWAUKEE WI 530 STD LTR 3D
MANUAL MILWAUKEE WI
5300155407
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Mail Preparation- Presorted Flats

• 5-DIGIT 3-DIGIT ADC
  MIXED ADC
• (Required) (Required)
  (Required) (Required)
• Rate 5 digit Rate 3 digit
  Rate ADC Rate MXD ADC

Rate.195
Rate .259
Rate .293
Rate .389
NP STD
Rate .321
Rate .385
Rate .419
Rate .515
5
3
A
X
PHILADELPHIA PA 19118 STD
FLTS 5D NON BC
TOPEKA KS
PHILADELPHIA PA 191
STD FLTS 3D NON BC
TOPEKA KS
ADC PHILADELPHIA PA 190
STD FLTS ADC NON BC
TOPEKA KS
MXD KANSAS CITY KS 66340 STD
FLTS NON BC WKG
TOPEKA KS
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Helpful Information

• WWW.USPS.COM/PRICES
• http//pe.usps.com
• http//ribbs.usps.gov
• 1-800-ASK-USPS

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Basic Bulk Mail Preparation and Mailpiece Design

• Questions?