FRONT PAGE
Competitive Prices For Express Mail, Priority Mail
Beginning May 12, customers can take advantage of price incentives
For the first time ever, the Postal Service is offering volume related or other price incentives for Express Mail, Priority Mail and other shipping services, effective May 12. These incentives are now possible because of a change in federal law that enables the Postal Service to better compete in the shipping market.
Postal Service shipping products are currently priced using a “one price fits all” approach — customers pay the same price per piece regardless of the number of packages sent or the method of payment. Beginning May 12, customers will be able to take advantage of commercial volume pricing, minimum volume rebates, online price breaks and other pricing incentives. For example:
- Express Mail, premium overnight delivery, is switching to an industry standard, zone-based pricing system, resulting in lower prices for closer destinations. Customers will enjoy a 3 percent price reduction by purchasing Express Mail online or through corporate accounts. Up to an additional 7 percent price reduction is available for those who meet quarterly volume minimums.
- Priority Mail, expedited delivery at economical prices, will be available at an average 3.5 percent savings to customers who use electronic postage or meet other requirements.
- Parcel Select, the Postal Service “last mile” advantage of delivery to every door, will feature pricing and volume incentives for large- and medium-sized shippers.
- Parcel Return Service, an easy and convenient way for customers to return items to businesses, will move entirely to a weight-based pricing system, resulting in significant price reductions for lighter packages.
“These innovative published pricing incentives will make our products more attractive to all shippers, especially small businesses,” said Postmaster General John Potter. “We’re pricing our products to sell in today’s competitive shipping market. And, in the near future, the Postal Service plans to explore contract pricing for larger customers similar to others in the market.”
The new prices are available at usps.com/prices.
FSS Delivers In Virginia
Taking flats to the street in delivery point sequence
Postal Service letter carriers in two Virginia cities are doing a lot less manual casing these days. That’s because the Flats Sequencing System at the Dulles Processing and Distribution Center is providing them with delivery point sequenced flats that they are taking directly to the street.
Installation of the pre-production FSS in Dulles was completed last October. In December, it began processing live mail for Reston. It’s been doing the same for Fairfax since February. After completion of field testing this month, the remaining FSS zones targeted for this machine will be brought on line.
According to FSS Executive Director Rosa Fulton, the Postal Service program is on target, and with a 99.5 percent quality of sortation, is exceeding expectations.
The pre-production operation will assist USPS in determining optimal operational processes for phase one deployment, which is scheduled to begin in late 2008. Installation of the first production FSS at the Dulles facility is planned to begin in May. Expansion of the facility to accommodate the larger production system is nearly complete.
It’s Roundup Time!
Customers are asked to return excess mail transport equipment
We’re rounding up our mail transport equipment. This includes flat tubs, letter trays and sleeves, rolling stock (including hampers and cages), pallets and mailbags. If they’re not in use, return them to USPS inventory.
During this year’s roundup, we’re putting special focus on the return of plastic pallets. Too many are missing from the transportation network and they’re costly to replace.
Small quantities of MTE can be returned to your Post Office or nearby processing and distribution facility. For large quantities of equipment such as pallets or hampers, complete a pickup request at http://fast.usps.com/fast/mtereturns.
The Postal Service spends millions of dollars every year to replenish MTE inventory. Both our business and our customers need this equipment to operate effectively. Help USPS reduce MTE costs. If you see postal equipment such as pallets, flat tubs, trays or hampers that are obviously outside the postal network, send an e-mail to hqmte@usps.gov with the location, type and quantities of equipment to be retrieved and placed back into postal inventory.
WHAT'S UP
Two Months To Go
Mail gets attention. People open it. They look at it. They remember it. They act on it. Come to the National Postal Forum in Anaheim, CA, to learn why and how. Registration numbers, increasing daily, indicate high interest in this year’s NPF. More than 7,000 mailing industry professionals are expected to attend the May 18-21 event. The Forum features educational workshops, special sessions and symposiums. Industry experts will discuss ways mail can help your business grow and they’ll share their knowledge about customer acquisition and loyalty, global business, Intelligent Mail, shipping services and more. An exhibit hall includes the latest mailing technology and innovations.
For more information and to register, visit npf.org.
SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS
Partnership makes it happen, national PCC official says
 Partnership is a powerful tool for advancing the interests of the mailing industry.
“Success is a direct result of hard work and involvement,” says National PCC Advisory Committee member Kimberley Waltz, president of Fred F. Waltz Co. She’s a member of the executive board of both the Providence and New England PCCs. “We are successful in New England because we have very supportive people from the Postal Service in our area and we also have equally dedicated industry members. That’s what makes us work so well — that partnership.”
The most important aspect of PCCs is the education they can provide members, says Waltz. “There is nothing worse than not having current information. We should have the ability to provide education not only about current guidelines but also future standards. This education is important not only for the Postal Service but also the mailing industry in general.” Waltz praises the workshop-in-a-box program as an important educational tool.
On the regional level, an annual business mail expo in New England, scheduled for April 17, provides information and educational opportunities for members. It will feature speakers from across the country, including Postal Service and industry executives, and there will be more than 40 vendors. “This event provides our membership with quality education both in sessions and in mailing industry-related equipment and products, especially for those unable to attend the National Postal Forum,” says Waltz.
Worried about increasing membership in your PCC? Waltz says don’t get caught up in the numbers game.
“If you have five additional members then you have achieved success,” she says. “Use your resources of current members to help recruit new members. Every industry person has one contact that may not even know about PCCs.” Waltz suggests trying an incentive program, offering members the opportunity to bring one potential new members to a PCC event free of charge or at a nominal fee.
KEEPING POSTED
2008
- Mailers are encouraged to review and comment before April 3 on a proposal to require that presort bundles are placed on pallets with addresses facing up. A notice was published March 4 in the Federal Register.
- The National Postal Forum is May 18-21 in Anaheim, CA. Go to the NPF website at npf.org.
INFO@USPS
Your Links To Mailing Resources
U.S. Postal Service: usps.com
National PCC Network: usps.com/pcc
Rapid Information Bulletin Board System: ribbs.usps.gov
Questions? Comments? Send an e-mail to pccinsider@usps.gov
Sign up for PCC Insider at usps.com/pcc, select "PCC Insider Registration"
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