Direct sales from catalogs and the Internet are growing at a rapid rate. More direct sales mean more outbound packages — and more returns.

To help businesses help their customers with returns, the Postal Service recently introduced Parcel Return Service (PRS).

PRS was launched as a two-year pilot program on October 19, 2003. This new service offers convenience to customers and provides lower rates to merchants who pick up returned parcels at a Post Office or bulk mail center.

PRS provides three rate categories:

1. Return Delivery Unit: Merchants or their agents pick up parcels from a delivery unit at a flat rate of $2.00 per piece.
2. Return Bulk Mail Center: Merchants or their agents pick up parcels from a bulk mail center at rates starting at $2.10 to $10.54 for machinable items up to 35 pounds and $3.45 to $13.14 for nonmachinable items.
3. Bound Printed Matter Return Bulk Mail Center: Merchants or their agents pick up qualifying Bound Printed Matter parcels from a bulk mail center at rates starting at $1.63 to $5.17 for eligible items up to 15 pounds.

PRS offers these important benefits:

• Lower rates.
• Increased customer satisfaction.
• Reduced handling costs.
• Reduced call volumes from customers inquiring about returns.
• Improved turnaround time for restocking and reselling items.
• Shippers may offer free returns to customers, or they may bill customers later.

The biggest winner is the consumer, who enjoys the convenience of preprinted, prepaid return labels and the ease of handing a package to a letter carrier, dropping it in a collection box, or taking it to the Post Office. Consumers also appreciate the reliable service they know and trust from the Postal Service. “No one picks up merchandise returns from households better than we do,” says USPS Package Services Manager Jim Cochrane. “We touch every household every day.”

For complete details, and to see how your business may qualify to take advantage of reduced rates for parcel returns, please visit www.usps.com/parcelreturnservice.