Bulk Mailing Minimums...

[kdw75]

Can anyone shed some light on how it is that mail houses can bulk mail pieces that don't meet the minimums. We regularly group postcards, for example from multiple customers in order to meet minimums, but how can a mail house mail 150 pieces that aren't the same weight or thickness as anything else they have?

 

[Shawnd]

For 1st class you need to have a minimum of 500 to get presort rates, you can send 200 on your permit at single piece 1st class card rates.

Standard mail has a minimum of 200 for presort rates.

Only thing I can think of is they are fudging the paperwork and saying it is 200. Once they get put on Merlin that will stop real quick, or when they start enforcing Full Service.

 

[dennis.matl]

They are most likely using a mail manifesting system. It allows a mailer to combine pieces of multiple classes and weights into a single mailing.

More information is available on the USPS website
USPS - Manifest Mailing Systems

 

[kdw75]

They are most likely using a mail manifesting system. It allows a mailer to combine pieces of multiple classes and weights into a single mailing.

More information is available on the USPS website
USPS - Manifest Mailing Systems

Most definitely. I had not heard of this, and appreciate the info.

 

[oxburger]

If they are mailing most of their mail as full-service, they may not be required to have a minimum.

https://ribbs.usps.gov/intelligentm...docs/releasenotes/PostalOneReleaseNotes37.pdf

"Permit Imprint pieces will be required to be reported on a PS Form 3600 postage statement and deposited at a BMEU or DMU.
Permit Imprint pieces reported on a hard copy postage statement will still be required to meet the 200 piece minimum.
(Exception: Mailers that present the majority of their mail as Full Service mailings will not be required to meet the 200 piece
minimum for Permit Imprint Single-Piece mail submitted via electronic postage statement)."

 

[Shawnd]

Yea, I saw that yesterday on another forum, you would think they would have put that under a different spot other than Metered mail changes. We will be taking advantage of that change.

 

[oxburger]

You can't use the words Postal Service and think in the same sentence, you should know that. BTW Postal Service is an oxymoron.

 

[Shawnd]

Just a heads up if you haven't found out already, postcard rates are not eligible for the full service below minimum exemption, only 1st class letter sized mail.


http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/604.htm#5_0

5.1.2 Minimum Volume
d. Single-piece price mailings submitted either, under the terms of an approved manifest mailing system agreement with a minimum volume reduction provision, or when using electronic documentation, including piece-level barcode information, for First-Class Mail letters as authorized by Business Mailer’s Support (see 608.8.0 for address).


We are currently doing the authorization process, have to send them the mail.dat to look at as well as upload the job to the dashboard so they can check it, once you are cleared you can submit less than 200 1st class letter mailings.

 

[Shawnd]

We just got approved for the full service minimum exemption, make sure you have the .pdr record uploading to the dashboard if you are using .dat files, other than that it was an easy process to get approved. Just be aware that it will ding your FS% numbers since it is basic IMB, however if you are doing high volume it would take quite a bit to hit the threshold.

 

[Keith]

Does that work for first class only or can you apply for standard class minimum exemption as well?

 

[Shawnd]

1st class letters only at the moment, guessing it isn't worth the time for them to do it with STD.