Presorted mail allows businesses and organizations to significantly reduce postage costs by performing a portion of the mail sorting labor themselves. This process involves preparing large volumes of mail according to specific postal service standards before the mail is dropped off. For companies that rely on mass communication, such as billing statements or marketing campaigns, leveraging presorting capabilities translates into substantial savings. Understanding the qualification steps and preparation methods is the foundation for unlocking these commercial discounts.
Defining Presorted Mail
Presorted mail refers to bulk mailing that the sender has prepared, sorted, and bundled according to the requirements set forth in the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) Domestic Mail Manual (DMM). The fundamental concept behind the discounted rate is that the mailer performs work the USPS would otherwise have to complete upon receipt. By pre-sorting mail pieces into groups destined for the same or geographically close locations, the mail bypasses several initial processing steps. This reduction in the USPS’s handling time is passed back to the commercial mailer as a lower postage rate. Preparation includes standardizing address data and physically grouping the mail pieces into prescribed containers with specific labeling.
Key Benefits of Using Presorted Mail
The primary advantage of using presorted mail is the reduction in postage expenditure, which is often a large operating expense for high-volume mailers. Presorted rates are lower than the retail single-piece rate, making the process financially worthwhile for businesses that meet the minimum volume thresholds.
Presorting also provides faster and more predictable delivery times. Since the mail is already organized by destination, it is routed more directly through the postal network, often bypassing initial sorting facilities. This streamlined processing reduces handling, resulting in a more efficient journey to the recipient. Predictability allows businesses to better schedule time-sensitive communications, such as invoices or promotional offers.
Understanding the Different Presort Levels
The depth of the postage discount a mailer receives is directly proportional to the fineness of the sortation, defined by various presort levels. The highest level of savings is achieved through 5-Digit sorting, where mail pieces are grouped for delivery to a single five-digit ZIP Code. A slightly broader category is 3-Digit sorting, which groups mail for all ZIP Codes that share the same first three digits, covering a larger geographic area or sectional center facility (SCF).
Mail destined for a wider area falls into the Automated Area Distribution Center (AADC) category, grouping mail pieces headed to the same automated processing facility. The least specific level is Mixed AADC, which consists of mail that cannot be grouped into any finer sort levels. To maximize savings, mailers utilize specialized software to analyze address lists and achieve the highest possible density at the 5-Digit and 3-Digit levels, ensuring the largest number of pieces qualify for the deepest available discounts.
Essential Requirements for Qualification
Volume and Physical Standards
To qualify for presorted commercial rates, mailers must meet several prerequisites established by the USPS. A fundamental requirement involves minimum volume thresholds: 500 pieces for First Class Presort mail and 200 pieces or 50 pounds for USPS Marketing Mail. The physical mail piece itself must also adhere to specific size and weight standards to remain compatible with automated sorting equipment.
Address Accuracy Requirements
Compliance with address accuracy standards is equally important, requiring the use of CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) certified software. CASS software standardizes addresses, verifies deliverability, and adds the full nine-digit ZIP Code (ZIP+4) and the Delivery Point Barcode necessary for automated processing.
Mailers must also satisfy the Move Update requirement, typically met through NCOA (National Change of Address) processing. NCOA processing compares the mailing list against a database of permanent change-of-address records filed with the USPS, ensuring mail is not sent to an outdated address. These mandatory steps ensure the mail is machine-readable and highly deliverable, which is required for commercial discounts.
The Step-by-Step Preparation Process
The practical preparation process begins with the mailer’s data file, where specialized presort software analyzes the mailing list and performs the required CASS and NCOA processing. This software sorts addresses into the most cost-effective presort levels, calculates postage, and generates electronic documentation.
The next phase involves printing the mail pieces, which must include the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb) printed directly on the piece. The IMb is a unique identifier that allows the USPS to track the mail and confirm automation requirements have been met. After printing, the physical mail pieces are sorted and placed into specific containers, such as plastic trays or sacks, according to the sortation scheme. Each container must have a tray tag or label that clearly identifies the destination and the presort level.
The final step involves submitting the required USPS documentation, typically a Postage Statement (3600 or 3602 series). This statement details the piece count for each presort level and class, certifying the mailing’s accuracy, and is presented to the USPS at a Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) for verification.
Choosing the Right Mail Class
Selecting the appropriate mail class for presorting involves choosing between First Class Mail and USPS Marketing Mail. First Class Mail is reserved for personalized and time-sensitive materials like invoices and statements, offering faster delivery standards and free forwarding services. Presorting First Class mail provides a discount while maintaining its priority status, making it the choice when speed is paramount.
Conversely, USPS Marketing Mail (formerly Standard Mail) offers the deepest postage discounts and is intended for advertising and bulk promotional materials that are not time-sensitive. This class has slower, non-guaranteed delivery times, making it unsuitable for urgent communications but ideal for maximizing return on investment for large-scale marketing campaigns. The choice depends on the urgency of the communication and budget constraints.