How long does it take for Bulk Mail to be delivered?
When planning to use Standard Mail (the new USPS term
for Bulk Mail) you must allow sufficient time for it
to be delivered----generally between 5 days and 3 weeks.
Certain factors can get your mail delivered sooner than
later.
a) Barcoded Standard Mail is delivered faster than non-automated
mail.
b) A very dense mailing that qualifies for Enhanced
Carrier Route rates may be drop shipped directly to
the Post Office of Destination (Direct Distribution
Unit--DDU) and delivered within a day or two. Alternatively,
ECR mail may be dropped at SCF or BMC facilities, which
also hasten deliveries.
In most cases, it is relatively easy to estimate postage.
Multiply the number of pieces being mailed by the rate
at which they are mailing. However, that number will
usually be higher than your actual postage amount.
How soon can my mailing go out?
How soon do you want it to go out? Mailings are not done spur of the moment. The pieces must be designed, proofed and printed. As soon as you decide to do a mailing, you should contact all of those involved so that each can adhere to a strict time line. Once you determine your mail date (when the mail is to be taken to the Post Office), you must work backward and build in enough time for each step of the process to be completed; that way you will never miss a mail date. Here's a handy check list:
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Of course, this is very simplistic, and delays can creep in. However, if you don't plan, you will always be pressured, and quite often your mail will go to the Post Office later than you'd hoped. The answer is to get everyone involved sooner than later.
CASS is a United States Postal Service (USPS) acronym for Coding Accuracy Support System, which essentially means that your names and addresses have been compared to the national database or addresses authorized by the Postal Service, and that the correct +4 zipcode extention and delivery point barcode information have been appended. The bottom line is that you can process CASS Certified names and addresses at the discounted "automated rate" postage.
CloseNCOA stands for "National Change of Address". It is the file that the USPS maintains for individuals or businesses that have notified them that they have moved. These "move update" records are active for one year, during which time the USPS forwards mail entering their system from the old address to the new address. The NCOA file is not only useful for updating your database of names and addresses, it also may be required if you are doing "Automated Rate" mailings.
What is the difference between a Resident/Occupant list and a Consumer list?
A "Resident/Occupant" list is an addressing
format that is used when a mailing is targeted to an
entire area and needs to reach all the inhabitants without
consideration of other factors. It looks like this:
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A "Consumer" list takes into
consideration such factors as the recipient's age, gender,
income level, availability of phone numbers, presence
of children, etc. It looks like this:
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This type of list is used when specific
demographic or psychographic criteria are used to target
an audience. It is also necessary to use a "Consumer"
List if you intend to personalize other aspects of your
mail campaign.
That depends upon what you mean by a "postcard". The USPS defines a "postcard" as a single piece of card stock measuring no less than 3.5" x 5.5" and no larger than 4.25" x 6". Cards of that size qualify to be mailed at postcard rates. However, if you mean a "card" that is going to be mailed, it can be much larger. A direct mail piece on card stock must conform to the same minimum size as a postcard (3.5" x 5.5"), but it may be as large as 6 1/8" x 11" and still mail at "letter" rate.
CloseWhy should we put barcodes on address labels?
The primary reason is money. The USPS offers significant
discounts for mail that is prepared to utilize its automated
scanning and sorting equipment.
The secondary reason is also money. The USPS has invested
heavily in automating their processing facilities, and
in order to achieve their efficiency levels, they must
put as much mail as they can through that system. Automated
mail is processed at a much higher production rate.
Therefore, it gets through the sorting facility faster
and arrives at the destination Post Office much sooner.
And, as we all know, time equals money.