USPS Reduces Pricing for High-Density Standard Mail Flats

USPS Pricing Change Effective May 11, 2009

New Address Requirements to Take Effect March 29, 2009

New Move Update Standards

USPS Reduces Pricing for High-Density Standard Mail Flats

The United States Postal Service is doing its part to stimulate the economy. Based on strong requests from the business community, the USPS has decided to lower its rate for high density Standard Mail flats. These rates were recently raised in the May 11, 2009 rate hike, but as of July 19, a decrease of 0.1¢ for the per-piece prices of both commercial and nonprofit mailings will take effect. High density pound prices will also change to match the saturation pound prices. Drop-ship discounts for high density flats will remain unchanged.

USPS Pricing Change Effective May 11, 2009

The price for a 1-ounce First-Class Mail stamp is set to increase from 42¢ to 44¢ on May 11, 2009. Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services (including Parcel Post), and Extra Services will also change.

USPS PDF for Detailed Commercial Pricing
See 'Commercial First-Class Mail' for details on discounts using Intelligent Mail Barcode

New Address Requirements for Automation, Presorted, and Carrier Route Flat-Size Mail

Starting March 29, 2009

The Postal Service will implement new address placement and formatting requirements for Periodicals, Standard Mail®, Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail®, and Library Mail flat-size pieces sent at automation, presorted, or carrier route prices. Also, there will be revisions for automation and presorted First-Class Mail® flats.

Elements of the address (how it appears) and its placement have new requirements:

• On All Automation Pieces
• Characters in the address must not overlap
• Address lines must not touch or overlap
• Each address element may be separated by no more than 5 blank character spaces

• Type size
• Must be a minimum of 8 points. Each character must be .08 inches high
• POSTNET or Intelligent Mail Barcode – if using either of these with a delivery point routing code, you can use 6-point type in all capital letters. Each character must be .065 inches high

• Delivery Address Placement
• The delivery address must be placed in the ‘top half’ of the mailpiece
• The delivery address can be placed on front or back of the mailpiece, but it has to be on the same side as the postage.
• The address may be parallel or perpendicular to the top edge, but not upside-down

Click here for more details from the USPS

 
New Move Update Standards

The USPS implemented new Move Update standards as of November 23, 2008. These standards help reduce the number of mailpieces that require forwarding, returns or are undeliverable-as-addressed. This is done by periodically matching a mailer’s address lists with customer-filed, USPS change-of-address orders.

Some of the USPS changes related to Move Update processing, include: 

• First-Class Mail Discount Price Mailings
• Increase the minimum frequency of Move Update processing from 185 calendar days to 95 days prior to date of mailing
  
  
• Standard Mail Mailings
• Extension of Move Update standards to include Standard Mail (letters, flats, parcels and not-flat-machinables)
• Minimum frequency of Move Update processing is 95 days prior to date of mailing

The mailer or its agent, must certify compliance with Move Update standards by signing postage statements in hard copy or electronic format, such as PostalOne! or Mail.dat

The Postal Service has created a transition period for Standard Mail customers, which extends to May 2009. During this transition period, mailers who are not compliant must select a USPS-approved Move Update method and use it with future mailings. After the transition period, noncompliant Standard mailings will be charged an additional 7 cents per piece for each piece of the mailing.

For First-Class mailings, if the mailer cannot confirm the Move Update method, the mailing will not be eligible for First-Class Mail discount prices. There will be an option to withdraw the mailing or pay the additional postage on the First-Class single-piece price for each piece in the mailing.

Contact your Redi-Mail sales representative to update your mailing lists today!

Click here for more details from the USPS