What to Expect in January 2012

Published December 2011

The USPS^® has again submitted a proposal to the Postal Regulatory Committee (PRC) for postal price and regulation changes that will take effect on January 22, 2012. This proposal is much gentler than the exigency proposal they filed last year, which would have led to significant price increases for some mailpiece types. The current proposal’s price changes are CPI-capped at 2.133%, and while some discount programs have been discontinued, others have been added.

Following are some of the changes you can expect to see next year:

• First-Class Mail^®
  • Price Increases: Single piece letters will increase from $0.44 to $0.45 and postcards from $0.29 to $0.32
  • Classification Change: First-Class^™ presorted parcels will be reassigned to the competitive products category as First-Class Package Service
  • New Discount Program: Presorted First-Class letters up to two ounces will be charged at the single ounce price
• Standard Mail^®
  • New Mailing Category – Marketing Parcels: For parcels containing information and/or product samples whose purposes are to encourage recipients to purchase a product or service, make a contribution, support a cause, form a belief or opinion, take an action, or provide information to recipients. Alternate or simplified addressing required.
  • Classification Change and New Mailing Category – Parcel Select Lightweight Parcels: Machinable parcels and irregular parcels mailed at regular rates that are not mailed as Marketing Parcels will be reassigned to Package Services under a new category called Parcel Select Lightweight Parcels
  • Discontinued - Non Flat-Machinables (NFM’s): Pieces that previously mailed as NFM’s will be qualified as Marketing Parcels, machinable parcels or irregular parcels
• Package Services
  • Discount Discontinued: Barcode discounts for BPM Parcels, Media/Library Mail, and Parcel Select will no longer be available.
  • New Requirement – Tracking Barcode: A unique tracking barcode will be required for presorted parcels by July 2, 2012
• Periodicals
  • New Price Level: A Mixed ADC price level for Outside-County container charges will be added
• Other
  • New Label Categories: Detached labels will be separated in two categories: Detached Mailing Labels (DML) and Detached Advertising Labels (DAL)
  • New Postage Statements: New postage statements will be required for mailings entered after January 22

As always, Bell and Howell is committed to helping you make the transition to the new pricing and regulations. The new prices, presort changes, and postage statements will be available on the December CD. Do not install the December CD until you are ready to prepare mailings for entry after January 22.

For detailed information on the January 2012 price changes, visit Postal Explorer^® and download the files located in the left-hand column under "*NEW* Jan. 22, 2012 Price Change Info." The entire proposal is available online as well. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these changes or updating your software, contact Customer Support at (800) 624-5234.