Postal reform in bite-size pieces.Postal regulations can be intimidating in·tim·i·date tr.v. in·tim·i·dat·ed, in·tim·i·dat·ing, in·tim·i·dates 1. To make timid; fill with fear. 2. To coerce or inhibit by or as if by threats. , especially now when reform is rampant. Here are some tips to make you the postal expert at your association. Business reply cards. Contrary to the original reclassification Reclassification The process of changing the class of mutual funds once certain requirements have been met. These requirements are generally placed on load mutual funds. Reclassification is not considered to be a taxable event. ruling, business reply cards that are not bar coded will not ruin automation discounts for the publication. Here is the new U.S. Postal Service The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) processes and delivers mail to individuals and businesses within the United States. The service seeks to improve its performance through the development of efficient mail-handling systems and operates its own planning and engineering programs. (USPS (1) (Uninterruptible Switching Power Supply) A power supply for a computer that contains its own battery and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) circuitry. See power supply and UPS. ) wording: "At this time, the enforcement of the enclosed en·close also in·close tr.v. en·closed, en·clos·ing, en·clos·es 1. To surround on all sides; close in. 2. To fence in so as to prevent common use: enclosed the pasture. reply mail standard will be limited to bringing noncomplying reply pieces to the attention of the originator for corrective action A corrective action is a change implemented to address a weakness identified in a management system. Normally corrective actions are instigated in response to a customer complaint, abnormal levels if internal nonconformity, nonconformities identified during an internal audit or . No mailing will be rejected, delayed, or assessed higher postage solely because it is found to contain a noncomplying reply piece; nor will mail be held solely to detect or examine enclosed reply pieces. However, if an enclosed reply piece is found during another verification process, it may be checked for compliance with the applicable preparation standards." Inserts. Forget everything you thought you knew about inserts. As long as the insert does not break the following five rules, it may be mailed at periodical periodical, a publication that is issued regularly. It is distinguished from the newspaper in format in that its pages are smaller and are usually bound, and it is published at weekly, monthly, quarterly, or other intervals, rather than daily. rates. It may not use * a separate price or subscription instructions different from those of the host publication; * the word catalog catalog, descriptive list, on cards or in a book, of the contents of a library. Assurbanipal's library at Nineveh was cataloged on shelves of slate. The first known subject catalog was compiled by Callimachus at the Alexandrian Library in the 3d cent. B.C. ; * a first-class or standard mail permit imprint; * an International Standard Book Number; or * an International Standard Serial Number or USPS number different from that of the host publication. Label carriers. Printed information may only appear on the back of a carrier card. However, a single line of text may appear on the front to draw attention to the additional material, for example, "See reverse side for . . . ." If the information on the back of the card is advertising, the line will be treated as advertising also; if the back-of-the-card material is editorial, the front is treated as editorial, too. Polybags. Most polybags cannot be bar coded for automation discounts. Only polybags made from USPS-approved film qualify for automation rates. Be sure to conduct a cost-benefit analysis cost-benefit analysis In governmental planning and budgeting, the attempt to measure the social benefits of a proposed project in monetary terms and compare them with its costs. , because what you save on postage may be spent on the polybag A polybag is a plastic bag sealed around a periodical such as a magazine or a comic book. Originally used by publishers for the protection of subscription issues, polybags became more common in the 1990s as a way to add an extra incentive, such as a trading card, poster or CD, to . Products. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the postal regulations, products may not be mailed at periodicals rates. Products are defined as items such as floppy disks, cassettes, and other merchandise. However, printed pages, including calendars and posters, are not considered products if they are not offered for sale. In addition, the page does not have to be paper; however, there must be printing on it and it must be an integral part of the publication - perhaps tipped in. Public service advertising. Falling in the same category as subscription cards, public service ads do not count as editorial or advertising in your publications. As long as the ad does not mention any company name, it merely counts in the weight of the publication. Other things to note. When tackling the new postal regulations, ask plenty of questions. Always run your publication ideas by your printer and postal representative. They can alert you to any potential problems or added costs. Best Mailing Months Category Top Months (1995-1996) Fund-raises November, October, August Business/finance December, June, September Cultural reading December, May, June General reading December, May, November Self-improvement September, December, July Health June, December, April Home interest May, December, June Parents and children August, April, October Hobbies December, June, March Entertainment December, June, May Educational/technical/professional January, November, July Source: The 1996 Kleid Seasonality Report, The Kleid Company, New York City, reprinted with permission. Remember that the printers and postal representatives are being reeducated also. For specific questions or concerns, start at the Postal Service's district level. However, if you are not satisfied with an answer, pursue the issue until you are comfortable. Most importantly Adv. 1. most importantly - above and beyond all other consideration; "above all, you must be independent" above all, most especially , take it upon yourself to know the postal regulations. Even if your questions are answered by the post office, the publisher can still be held accountable for errors. Finally, remember there is no statue of limitations. Telling postal representatives, "I did this before and there was no problem" could land you in a heap of trouble. |
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