The United States Postal Service recently announced a postal rate increase that will go into effect on January 27, 2019.
Regular First Class mail (stamps and metered) will be increasing by $0.06 up to $0.56 each. First Class Presort will be increasing to $.428 each and Presort Standard mail will be $0.281. As postal rates continue to increase, we thought it would be a good time to detail the various types of mail classes and the features of each to help you make the best use of your targeted advertising dollars.
First Class
This is your regular stamped mail. It includes letters, postcards, large envelopes and small packages weighing 13 ounces or less. It is processed with the highest priority and goes to the front of the line ahead of all other mail classes. First Class mail is usually delivered locally in one business day and nationally within 3-4 business days.
First Class Presort
This offers the same speed and level of importance as First Class but needs 500 pieces to qualify and it’s around 20% cheaper than regular First Class mail. To receive the lower postage rate, the addresses must be NCOA updated, CASS certified, and sorted into “presort” order.
Presort Standard
Also referred to as “Bulk Mail” or “Marketing Mail”, this mail class only needs 200 pieces to qualify and is processed by USPS with the lowest priority. There is no guaranteed delivery time. Local mail could take 1-14 days and national is generally 7-21 days. While this mail class is common for marketing materials, never opt for this mail class if you have a deadline that’s near or expiration date included in your mail piece. Presort Standard mail is not forwarded if the addressee has moved nor will it be returned to you if it’s undeliverable. Like First Class Presort, to receive the lower postage rate, the addresses must be NCOA updated, CASS certified, and sorted into “presort” order prior to being mailed.
Pros to Presort Standard Mail:
- It’s the least expensive postage class: almost 50% cheaper than First-Class. This allows you to mail much more for much less!
- It also allows up to 3.5 ounces per piece without any increase in postage. If your mail is heavier than 3.5 ounces, the postage surcharge for being overweight increases gradually.
Make sure you have adequately adjusted your budget for the increased postage rates. And remember, targeted direct mail remains one of the best advertising methods to get results.
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