THE SACRAMENTO POSTAL CUSTOMER
COUNCIL
PRESENTS
A WORKSHOP IN USPS® CLASSES OF MAIL
DR. JANET LOCKHART-JONES
CURRICULUM MANAGER, POSTAL
EDUCATION
PITNEY BOWES, INC.
*
MAILPIECE DESIGN CONSULTANT
* CERTIFIED EXECUTIVE MAIL CENTER MANAGER
* CERTIFIED POSTAL PARTNER
* Sacramento PCC Education Chair
OBJECTIVE
Deep Dive
Immersion
Exploration
Knowledge
acquisition
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KEY TAKE-AWAY
• Understand mail class at a deeper
level and know how to use this
knowledge to make better shipping
and mailing decisions.
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OPENING QUESTION
• What are the two categories of
services where every class of mail is
in one or the other?
Mailing Services
&
Shipping Services
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MAILING SERVICES – MARKET DOMINANT
First-Class Mail®
 Single-Piece Letters & Cards
 Presort Letters & Cards
 Flats
 Parcels
 Outbound Single-Piece
International
Periodicals
Standard Mail®
Letters
Flats
Parcels
High Density/Saturation Letters
Every Door Direct Mail Retail Parcels
Package Services
Bound Printed Matter (BPM) Flats
BPM Parcels
Media, Library Mail
Alaska Bypass
Special/Extra Services
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Sacramento Postal Customer Council
SHIPPING SERVICES – COMPETITIVE/ PRODUCTS








Priority Mail Express™
Priority Mail®
First-Class Package Service™
Parcel Select®.
Standard Post™
Return Services
Mailer Services
Recipient Services
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Sacramento Postal Customer Council
ACTIVITY
• Match the class of mail with the corresponding distinguishing characteristics. Answers may
be used more than once. Some characteristics may apply to more than one mail class.
• Classes: a)PME b) First-Class Mail c)Periodicals d) Standard Mail e) Package Services
f) Priority Mail g) Retail Ground (formerly Standard Post)
Distinguishing Characteristics
1.
Published at least 4 times a year at a regular frequency
2.
Provides highly reliable expedited mail transportation and guaranteed delivery
3.
Sealed and not endorsed as a class that is subject to inspection
4.
A lower cost option where each piece must weigh less than 16 ounces
5.
Includes Retail Ground, Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail, and Library Mail
6.
Is a subclass that may exceed 108” in combined length and girth
7.
Delivery provided 7 days a week, 365 days per year
8.
This class of mail offers non-profit pricing
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QUESTION
• Which category of services was the
focus of the January 17th 2016 price
change?
A: Shipping Services
Which category of services was the
focus of the April 10th 2016 price
change decrease?
A: Mailing Services
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INSIGHT INTO THE APRIL 2016 RATE
DECREASE WITH THE EXIGENT SURCHARGE
REMOVED
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APRIL RATE DECREASE INSIGHT
With Exigent Removed (current)
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Pre-April 10th
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APRIL RATE DECREASE INSIGHT
With Exigent Removed (Current)
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Pre-April 10th
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APRIL RATE DECREASE INSIGHT
With Exigent Removed (Current)
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Pre-April 10th
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FIRST-CLASS MAIL PARCEL VS.
FIRST-CLASS PACKAGE SERVICE:
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
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MORE ABOUT FC PACKAGE SERVICE DOMESTIC
First Class Mail Parcel April 10th Pricing





Weight maximum set at 15.999 ounces
Only single piece pricing available; no minimum volume
Sacramento
Postal
First
8 ounces
is Customer
a single Council
price of $2.60
Intelligent Mail package barcode required
No ‘letter’ mail; packages subject to inspection





3 ounces or less has lower pricing
Label 400 required
Maximum weight is 13 ounces
Contents can be any mailable matter
Closed to Postal Inspection
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MAILING AND SHIPPING SERVICES
CHARACTERISTICS
1.
Content requirements
2.
Postal Service™ inspection
3.
Service objectives
4.
Pricing
• Single-piece (retail)
• Commercial
• Presorted, automation, “discount”, “bulk” based on minimum volume requirement within a
single mailing
• Discounted pricing when qualifying labelling used and/or qualifying payment and annual
volume met
5.
Postage payment methods
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MAILING SERVICES
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Sacramento Postal Customer Council
FIRST-CLASS MAIL®
•
Prices are the same no matter what the domestic destination and the price also
includes forwarding and return services.
•
Maximum weights
• Letter: 3.5 ounces
• Large envelope or Flat: 13 ounces
• Over 13 ounces: Priority Mai®
•
Must be sent as First-Class Mail®:
o Handwritten or typewritten material
o Bills, statements of account or invoices, and credit cards
o Personal and personalized business correspondence
o All matter sealed or otherwise closed against inspection
•
First-Class Mail® pricing includes:
o Postcards
o Letters
o Large Envelopes/Flats weighing 13 ounces or less
o Packages/Parcels weighing 13 ounces or less
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Sacramento Postal Customer Council
STANDARD MAIL®
•
Standard Mail® is mail matter that is not required to be mailed as FirstClass Mail® or Periodicals and must weigh less than 16 ounces.
•
A Standard Mail® mailing must have at least 200 pieces or 50 pounds
within the same processing category, i.e., all letters, all flats or all parcels.
Standard Mail is only for domestic mail and there are no single-piece
prices.
•
Payment is applied via meter, pre-cancelled stamps or permit imprint.
•
Delivery is 2-9 days and the delivery time is not guaranteed.
•
Mailers often use Standard Mail® to send out:
o Printed matter, flyers, circulars, advertising
o Newsletters, bulletins and catalogs
o Small parcels
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Sacramento Postal Customer Council
DETERMINING STANDARD MAIL
ELIGIBILITY
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Application Case Study: First Class or Standard Mail?
Jane L. Doe
111 Any Street
City, State 99999
Dear Ms. Doe:
According to our records, it's time for your skin cancer check-up and screening exam. If you have a history of skin
cancer or precancerous growths, it is important that you receive regular professional examinations to identify any new
areas of concern as early as possible. Many lesions can be detected in a precancerous state and treated to prevent the
need for future surgery. If a cancer does develop, early detection always makes treatment easier and less invasive.
We would be happy to reserve an appointment for you or answer any questions you may have. You may schedule your
examination at any of our offices with any of our providers. All of our providers are trained experts at identifying,
analyzing and treating precancerous and cancerous lesions using the latest and most effective technologies.
If you have a regular dermatologist independent from our group then please let this letter serve as a reminder that if you
have not already had your skin exam you should contact their office for an appointment.
We hope you are well, and would like to remind you to continue to use your sunscreen and other sun protective
measures. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Patient- ID> 129672
Sincerely,
The Physicians, Providers, and Staff
Dermatology Associates of City, State 99999
January 16, 2016
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Sacramento Postal Customer Council
Application Case Study: First Class or Standard Mail?
Church of IDM
Purley Gates Lane
Last City, State 99999-9999
January 1, 2016
Maggie Brown
12345 N. South Street
Last City, State 99999-9999
Dear Ms. Brown,
Please complete the enclosed pledge card for next year and return it at your convenience. Your generous
support is appreciated. Your records from last year are listed to assist in the completion of the pledge card.
Member ID
Quarter
Pledged
Donated
YTD
1776
1
$1300
$1300
$1300
2
$1300
$1300
$2600
3
$1300
$1300
$3900
4
$1300
$1300
$5200
Totals
$5200
$5200
If you have questions regarding this information, please contact Mr. C.P.A. Austin, our treasurer, at the
church office. His direct number is 999-999-9999.
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Best regards,
Ms. Church Secretary
Sacramento Postal Customer Council
PACKAGE SERVICES
•
A class of mail primarily intended for merchandise,
catalogs and other printed material. It is not an expedited
service.
•
There are four subclasses of mail in Package Services:
o Retail Ground (formerly Standard Post)– any
package service matter qualifies
o Media Mail – generally used for books, film, printed
music & test materials, sound recordings, loose leaf
pages
o Library Mail – used by libraries, universities, zoos to
mail educational and research materials
o Bound Printed Matter – permit imprint,
advertising/promotional/directory material, be bound
securely, not of personal correspondence
•
There is no minimum weight to be mailed using package
service and the maximum weight is 70 pounds for
Standard Post, Media Mail and Library Mail service. Bound
Printed Matter has a maximum weight of 15 pounds per
mail piece.
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PRIORITY MAIL
EXPRESS™
•
Priority Mail Express™ is a the only money-back guaranteed service. Service
standard is overnight to 2-day service (guarantee is not available December 22 – 25)
that includes insurance up to $100, proof of delivery, and online tracking at
www.usps.com.
•
Priority Mail Express™ is delivered 365 days a year (Sunday’s for a fee) to most
locations and is the only overnight service that will deliver to a postal mailbox and/or
PO Box.
•
Shipments are delivered in 2 to 3 days to more than 300 locations in Europe, Asia,
and Panama. Priority Mail Express International™ service is available between the
United States and more than 190 foreign countries.
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Sacramento Postal Customer Council
PRIORITY MAIL®
•
Priority Mail® receives expedited handling and transportation with the USPS® but it is
not a guaranteed service. Priority Mail® delivery service standards are reported as 1,
2, or 3 days (with 3-day service to locations such as Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii).
•
Except for Priority Mail® flat-rate envelopes and boxes, postage is determined by
weight, zone and sometimes physical package dimensions.
•
Commercial Base prices – discount provided for mailers using qualified postage
payment options (e.g. IM™® Package Barcode compliant solution like Online or PC
Postage, Permit imprint)
•
Includes free USPS Tracking™ and $50 to $100 of insurance when using a qualified
postage payment option and an Intelligent Mail® package or retail tracking barcode.
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Sacramento Postal Customer Council
PRIORITY MAIL® SERVICE
• Flat-Rate envelopes and boxes
• Pickup on Demand® and Carrier Pickup™ services
• Automatic insurance up to $100 for Commercial w/qualifying barcode
 Up to $50 for Retai w/qualifying barcode
• Free shipping supplies @ www.usps.com
• Electronic USPS Tracking™ service is free
• No surcharges!
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Priority Mail Retail vs. Comm Base
.
.
.
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.
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Save 50%+ over Retail in 4-25lb. range, Zones 1-5
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PRIORITY MAIL REGIONAL RATES
Potentially save even more with Regional Rate Boxes – The USPS best kept secret!
Box A1
Box A2
Box B1
Notes
 USPS Produced packaging only
 Packaging available only at USPS.com or at a Post Office
 Low cost shipping option for PC/online shippers
 IMpb required
 Regional Rate Box A – 15lb. Max weight limit
Sacramento Postal Customer
Council Rate Box B – 20lb. Max weight limit
 Regional
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Box B2
REGIONAL RATES VS. CBP
Notes:
a. “A” Boxes ship at the same
rate as a regular 2-lb
package. “B” boxes ship at
the same rate as a 4-lb
package
b. Use “A” box for items over
two pounds that fit in an
“A” box (up to 15 lbs.)
c. Use “B” box for items over
4 pounds that fit into a B
box (up to 20 lbs.)
Sacramento Postal Customer Council
A 15 lb. package shipped at Commercial Based
rates, priced by weight and zone, to Zone 8
in regular Priority Mail packaging will Cost
$44.85 vs. Regional Rate Box A to Zone 8, which
would cost only $10.77. Regional Rate Box
shipments require an online or PC postage
option and the Intelligent Mail® package
barcode. Regional Rate packaging is available
for free at usps.com.
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TIP 1: WHAT TO LOOK FOR?
•
What mail classes are using currently using and why?
•
What is your annual spend?
•
Who are you shipping/mailing to?
•
How do you select mail class?
•
What types of packages do you ship, and what do they
weigh?
Review your carrier bills to see
•
•
What the mix of carrier services are?
•
What percent of your shipping cost are surcharges?
•
How many of your shipments are 1 pound or less, and what service
is applied?
•
What zones do you ship to?
•
What percent of your carrier bills are adjustments?
“Doing nothing will cost you
something, usually more!”
Adjustment From Commercial To Residential
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TIP 2: BY SHIFTING DEMAND,
YOU MAY BE ABLE TO CONTROL
COSTS MORE EFFECTIVELY.
 Pick the mail class of service based on cost and
your service delivery objectives
USPS ®
 The USPS® is a great choice now for shipping
•
Free Tracking with IMpb
•
UPS and FedEx already use USPS for last-mile delivery.
 If you ship with only one carrier, this may not only
save a significant amount of money, but will help
mitigate the risk of shipping with just one carrier.
FedEx
Best rates to homes for packages up to 25 pounds,
shipments in zones 1 to 5
UPS
•
Carrier Usage
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