Hold it Right There

Joe and Mary Wilson are ready to go on vacation. Their bags are packed, the car is loaded and the dog’s in the kennel. At the last minute, Mary remembers they haven’t asked the local Post Office™ to hold their mail. Not a problem, Mary. Just hop online.

USPS now offers customers a quick and easy option for requesting that their mail be held from three to 30 days — www.usps.com. That’s right. They can go online and take care of it with a few clicks of a mouse.

“This service represents the organization’s continued commitment to increasing customer access — making it easier and more convenient for customers to use the Postal Service when and where they need,” said Product Development VP Nick Barranca.

At USPS.com, Mary clicks “Receive Mail & Packages” from the blue bar on top of the page. Under “Delivery Services,” she clicks “Put Your Mail on Hold” and enters her ZIP Code at the prompt.

Mary provides her address information and the dates she and Joe want the mail held. Once that’s done, she receives a confirmation number. That’s in case their vacation plans change. She can modify the hold mail request if she and Joe come back early or stay longer. Total time on USPS.com: Less than five minutes.

After Joe and Mary have done their part, it’s up to USPS. The online service electronically sends the hold mail request to the local Post Office. Joe and Mary’s mail is held as specified and delivery resumed when requested.

Nearly 300,000 customers have used online hold mail service since January. And, another 460,000 customers have called the USPS toll-free number 1-800-ASK-USPS to hold their mail.

Joe and Mary had a great vacation. And they get their week’s worth of mail when they return. It’s good to be home.

Sealed, Delivered, Proven

Signature Confirmation™ service and Express Mail manifest customers can now get their Proof of Delivery letters in bulk on CD-ROM or in an electronic file. Customers who select the electronic Bulk Proof of Delivery option will save time by not having to request and handle individual Proof-of-Delivery records. These new options also allow customers to keep their records as long as they need.

”This is another example of the Transformation Plan at work,” says Product Development VP Nick Barranca. “Through the use of technology, we are making our products easier for our customers to use.”

Full details of the program are included in Publication 80, Bulk Proof of Delivery Program. It’s available online at www.usps.com, search word: Pub 80.

Postal Money Orders Offer Safety and Convenience

Whether sending a gift of money or paying a bill, many people find the most convenient and economical way is with money orders. Money orders can be purchased at any of the 38,000 Post Offices throughout the country.

In some small towns there is a Post Office where a bank is not available. For the sender this means convenience and for the recipient, instant cash, because postal money orders can be cashed anywhere there is a Post Office.

Domestic postal money orders were established by an Act of Congress in 1864 “to promote public convenience and ensure security in the transfer of money throughout the United States.” They still serve that purpose more than a century later.

The first international money order service was established with Switzerland in 1869. Today, agreements for the exchange of money orders exist with over 100 foreign postal administrations. With international money orders, there is no delay. No bank account is needed and it pays the full face value. International money order limits and fees are set by the receiving country and will vary from country to country.

A single domestic money order may be purchased for a maximum face value of $1,000.00. If your money order is lost or stolen, you may apply for a replacement if you present your customer receipt. For a fee, you can obtain a copy of a paid money order up to two years after the date that it is paid.

Money orders are good for an indefinite period, and are used frequently by overseas military personnel. For decades, many customers have found money orders a convenient way to pay for mail order merchandise. By offering this convenient money order system, the Postal Service provides a time-honored, convenient service to the American public.

DMM 100 — Your Packaging Guidelines

Publication 227, Preparing Parcels for Mailing, is now obsolete. Information needed by consumers and retail customers who package and mail gifts and merchandise items can be found in Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 100, A Customer’s Guide to Mailing. DMM 100 is an easy-to-understand reference for retail customers and Postal Service employees.

The illustrated section on preparing packages in DMM 100 leads the user through all the critical steps from choosing the right mailing container and cushioning material to selecting the appropriate tape for sealing and securing the package.

DMM 100 also explains how to mail fragile and heavy items, and it provides helpful instructions on the proper way to address the package and affix postage and any label for extra services such as Delivery Confirmation™ service.

DMM 100 is available free at Post Offices and can also be downloaded from the Postal Service Web site at www.usps.com; click All Products & Services, then Publications, then Browse All Periodicals & Publications, then A Customer’s Guide to Mailing.

Odd-Shaped Items in Paper Envelopes

Pens, pencils, key rings, bottle caps, and other similar odd-shaped items are not permitted in letter-size or flat-size paper envelopes unless they are wrapped within the other contents of the envelope to streamline the shape of the mailpiece and prevent damage during postal processing. If an odd-shaped item is not properly wrapped, it could burst through the envelope and cause injury to employees and damage to USPS processing equipment.

Odd-shaped items that are properly wrapped within paper envelopes and sent at the First-Class Mail or Standard Mail nonautomation rates may be subject to the nonmachinable surcharge under DMM E130 or E620, as applicable. Certain types of odd-shaped items, when properly wrapped, are permitted as automation rate letter-size mail subject to the standards in C810. Flat-size automation rate mail is subject to the uniform thickness requirement in C820.