What is the difference between Presorted Bulk
and First Class Mail?
What
is CASS Certification?
Are
there other benefits to using First Class mail?
What is
Bulk Mail and what are the major requirements?
Can
you mail my Standard size postcards at Bulk rate?
Are
there lower postage rates for Non Profit organizations?
What
if I want to mail the remaining leftover postcards?
Can I simply put
them in the mailbox if they already have your
"Postage PAID" indicia on them?
What
is the Difference Between the Presort Rate and
Automation Rate?
Should I include a return address on my postcard?
What is RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED?
What is Address
Service Requested?
What is the difference between Presorted
Standard (formerly Bulk Rate) and First Class Mail?
(TOP)
There are several differences including contents,
postage costs and preparation, and speed of delivery.
Personalized items (such as statements of account,
bills, etc.) cannot be mailed as Presorted Standard.
They must go as First Class Mail. Presorted Standard
is used for mailing of generic items (newsletters,
notices, etc.). Postage for Presorted Standard is
less than First Class but has to meet certain sorting
requirements established by the U.S. Postal Service.
Most First Class Mail will be delivered in 1 to
3 days within California and 1 - 6 days nationwide.
Presorted Standard usually takes 5 to 10 days for
delivery within California and 5-15 days nationwide.
What is CASS Certification?
(TOP)
The CASS™ system improves the accuracy of
carrier route, five-digit ZIP®, ZIP+4®,
and delivery point codes that appear on mail pieces.
CASS is offered to all mailers, service bureaus,
and software vendors who want to evaluate their
address-matching software and improve the quality
of their ZIP+4, CRIS, and five-digit coding accuracy.
This process is graded by the United States Postal
Service®, National Customer Support Center (NCSC),
and the results returned to mailers in order to
provide useful diagnostics for correcting deficiencies.
CASS enables the Postal Service™ to evaluate
the accuracy of address-matching software programs
in three areas: (1) ZIP+4 delivery point coding,
(2) carrier route coding, and (3) five-digit coding.
CASS allows vendors/mailers the opportunity to test
their address-matching software packages and, after
achieving a certain percentage of compliance, to
be certified by the Postal Service. CASS does not
measure the accuracy of ZIP+4 delivery point, five-digit
ZIP®, or carrier route codes in a mailer's existing
files. CASS enables mailers to measure and diagnose
internally written, commercially-available, address-matching
software packages. The effectiveness of service
bureaus' matching software can also be measured.
There are two stages in the CASS process: Stage
I, which is optional, and Stage II, which is required
for certification.
Are there other benefits to using First Class mail?
(TOP)
Yes. First Class offers a lower postcard rate that
applies to our smaller size cards such as 4x6 and
4.25x6. Our larger sized cards such as 8.5x5.5 or
6x9 can mail at the regular First Class letter rate.
One other benefit is that First Class automatically
includes the forwarding or return of mail if the
recipient has moved. Bulk mail is not forwarded
unless you use an Ancillary Service Endorsement
and pay additional fees for those forwarded and
returned pieces. Contact our Mailing Services Department
(EXT 1508) for more details.
What is Bulk Mail and what are the major
requirements? (TOP)
A bulk mailing is one that has a minimum
number of pieces (200), and is sorted by Zip code
when it is delivered to the Postal Service. For
PSC, the most commonly used bulk mail class is:
Non-Profit Standard Mail (formerly Third-Class Bulk
Rate): Minimum of 200 pieces, all the same weight
and size. Available for letters up to 3.4 ounces,
and flats up to 16 ounces. Content restrictions:
Advertising for credit cards, insurance and travel
is prohibited under all circumstances. Other advertising
must be "substantially related" to the
mission of the University (note: this requirement
can be difficult to interpret; please contact Mail
Services for assistance if you have any questions).
Can you mail my Standard size postcards at Bulk
rate? (TOP)
Yes, but it is rarely cost-effective to do so and
may actually cost more than mailing this size card
at the First Class postcard rate. Bulk rate only
offers discounts from the higher letter rate and
does not offer lower postage for postcard size pieces.
Are there lower postage rates for Non Profit
organizations?
(TOP)
Non Profit groups can apply to the U.S. Postal Service
for approval to mail at special Non Profit postage
rates. This class of mail is a lower priced Bulk
Mail rate with the same delivery timeframes. Once
this approval has been received, KAIEOS DESIGN STUDIO
can mail for your organization at this postage rate
once you have sent us the proper documentation.
This includes a completed Postal Service Form 3623
plus a request for additional entry on company letterhead
signed by a responsible organization official. We
will forward these documents to our local Post Office
for their approval.
What if I want to mail the remaining leftover
postcards? (TOP)
Can I simply put them in the mailbox if they already
have your "Postage PAID" indicia on them?
We only invoice you for the postcards we will be
mailing using KAIEOS DESIGN STUDIO's postal permit. In turn,
we pay the Post Office for each piece mailed at
the appropriate rate for the mailing class you specify.
If you want to mail your leftover cards, you will
need to place a postage stamp or meter imprint on
each piece.
What is the Difference Between the Presort
Rate and the Automation Rate?
Within Non-Profit Standard Rate there are two main
rates, the presort rate and the automation rate.
Both are sorted by Zip Code, but other preparation,
mail piece design, and addressing requirements must
be met. You should always try to qualify for the
automation rate , which provides the best service
and has the lowest postage cost. If you cannot qualify
for the automation rate, then you will have to use
the Presort rate. In this event, your postage and
production costs will be higher. Check out our "prepare
files to mail" section to determine if
you will meet automation requirements.
Should I include a return address on my
postcard? (TOP)
This is all up to your preference. Including a return
address enables you to update your list after each
mailing. You also may benefit by reducing postage
costs and increased sales (your information reaches
who you intend it to). We mail all small postcards
via First class mail, and bounced mail is returned
free of charge.
When you send out your postcards via First Class
Mail, the USPS automatically forwards your mail
to individuals or companies that have moved and
submitted a Change of Address (COA). However, that
forwarding is only good for 12 months. For the next
6 months, the Post Office will return the pieces
to the sender and indicate the new address that
they have on file.
What is RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED?
(TOP)
This service notifies the USPS to return
the piece to you with updated address information.
What is Address Service Requested?
(TOP)
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED means you want them
to forward the piece to the new address they have
on file and to separately send you a notice with
the new address information.
For Bulk Mail, both of these services are provided
at an additional fee on just the forwarded or
returned pieces. FORWARDING SERVICE REQUESTED
is an endorsement that will forward pieces at
no charge but will not provide a separate new
address notification back to you. For all ASEs,
your Return Address must be on the card. For more
information on Ancillary Service Endorsements,
go to the USPS website.
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