Ways To Save Money With The New Rates
The Board of Governors of the Postal Service has acted on recommendations from the Postal Rate Commission to change domestic rates, fees, and classifications for all classes of mail and special services, effective 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2002. The following are ways to save with the new rates.
First-Class Mail
- Address Change Service (ACS) offers the least expensive way of correcting address moves. Using ACS on your Periodical-Class mail ensures you meet the move-update requirements for First-class mail discounts. The cost of ACS electronic address change notices remain at 20 cents per noticed compared to the manual notice which has increased to 70 cents each.
- The First-Class additional ounce rate remains at 23 cents. If you presort and automate your mail you will pay a lower fee of 22.5 cents.
- The First-Class card rate continues to be the best bargain out there. The First-Class card rate is 14 cents lower than the First-Class letter rate and 3.8 cents lower than Standard-Mail. You can mail the second half of a double postcard at no additional charge and only pay postage for any responses coming back. You save additional money in printing and lettershop costs when using a postcard over a letter package.
- Always presort and prepare you mail to meet postal automation requirements to maximize your postage discounts.
- Priority Mail is a much less expensive option than Express Mail, saving $14.00 on a one pound package. The new priority flat rate envelope allows you to mail whatever you can fit in the envelope, regardless of weight for $3.85.
- If speed of delivery is not important you can mail a 13-ounce package at the First-Class flat rate for $3.13.
Business Reply Mail
- Pay your annual accounting and permit fees prior to June 30th if they are due in July or August. You can pay the current rate up to 60 days prior to the renewal rate. These rates have increased significantly so move fast if you want to save.
- Pay your PO Box Rental fee up to 30 days prior to the renewal rate. Save even more by renewing for a year. This will need to be completed by June 30th to take advantage of the current rates.
- Take advantage of the high volume QBRM program to save an additional 5.2 cents on every business reply mail envelope or card returned. You will need to pay an $1800 fee up front for any three consecutive month period to qualify. This could be a real bargain if you plan on having over 34,615 pieces returned during the same 3-month period. Multiple publications under the same permit account qualify for the reduced rate. You can time the additional fee payment based on your direct mail drops and estimated responses.
Periodicals
- The Ride-Along rate is now a permanent rate. You can mail a Standard-Mail piece with your publication at the Periodical rate for an additional 12.4 cents per piece. The rules are now much simpler than when it was a test and you can now use the same postage statements as your regular periodicals.
- Have your printer/bindery drop ship your publication for additional savings. The incentive to drop ship has increased to $17.00/m to the DDU. Drop shipping to the ADC is still a bargain at 8.00/m. New is the $2.00/m discount to drop ship to the SCF.
- New is the $5.00/m discount to palletize you mail for local entry and 15.00/m if your printer/bindery takes advantage of destination entry. Check with your printer for additional charges to take advantage of this program. You will need to advise Kable to palletize you mail prior to selecting your files for your next issue.
Standard-Mail (previously third-class)
- The destination entry discount has increased to $21.00/m to the BMC, $26.00/m to the SCF and $32.00 to the DDU. Take advantage of this discount for your Standard-Mail publication or your direct mail promotions. Kable News Company offers BMC discounts for any direct mail greater than 100,000 pieces, so consider Kable to do your direct mail.
- Heavier letters, up to 3.5 ounces are now eligible for the automation letter rate
Other
- Combine automation and non-automation presorted flats in the same package.
- Always take measures to ensure address accuracy. The better your address, the faster your delivery at the lowest cost. Contact your Kable Account Representative or Postal Affairs Manager for additional information.
- Prepare your mail to meet postal automation requirements for the fastest delivery at the lowest cost. Kable guarantees your postage at the automation rate if you let us print your materials.
- Beware of the non-machinable surcharge. First-Class and Standard-Mail presorted letters will now be categorized and labeled as either machinable or non-machinable. The non-machinable letters, which are pieces that can not be processed on postal letter sorting equipment or for which the mailer has requested manual processing, will now be assessed an additional surcharge. A higher non-machinable surcharge will be applied to non-letter mail.
Additional information is available on the postal website at www.usps.com/ratecase or by calling ASK-USPS at (800) 275-8777
If you have any questions or concerns about postal issues, we're here to help. Please feel free to contact Jerry Imbriani at (815) 734-5200 or Norm Abraham at (740) 375-2364.
