The U.S. Postal Service has just made it easier for shippers who print their own black-and-white labels to purchase insurance — alone or combined with Delivery Confirmation or Signature Confirmation services.

Until now, mailers were required to apply individual labels and/or barcodes for each additional special service requested, which caused size and space problems and added labor costs for manually applying multiple labels. Customers asked for a fix.

“The need to make special service barcodes carry more information was obvious,” noted Julie Rios, manager, Information Systems, Expedited/Package Services.

The answer? An integrated barcoding solution that combines services into a single barcode — as well as barcoding for insurance service alone.

Now, shippers can print the barcode directly on their shipping label and eliminate the need for additional insurance labels.

Customers will find that the new barcoding option, like Signature Confirmation, easily merges with current Delivery Confirmation software/systems.

The modifications include changes in the text above the barcode to identify the service requested and in the service-type code in the barcode.

Complete information is in Publication 91, Confirmation Services Technical Guide. The most current version is on the Postal Service Web site at www.usps.com; enter the keyword “Pub 91.”

– Beth Fluto, Expedited/Package Services, Information Systems