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USPS dilemma

Posted on September 19, 2011

On September 6, 2011, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe testified before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs concerning the USPS dire financial dilemma.  He laid out what is needed from Congress to keep the USPS from default. It seems the Senate panel got the message and understood the need for immediate action. Something the mailing industry has known for years. My concern is what we will finally see from Congress knowing there will be winners and losers.

Will Congress have the fortitude to do what is right or give in to special interests groups which will only temporiarly delay default? 

What do you think?

PRC Approves USPS 2011 Mobile Barcode Promotion

Posted on May 18, 2011

We love to be the bearer of great news and today we’ve got it! We know you all want to hear about opportunities to save…and the post office is giving you a great opportunity to do that this summer. On May 17, 2011, the PRC approved a USPS proposal to host a Mobile Barcode Promotion in July and August of this year.

What is the USPS Mobile Barcode Promotion?

The goal of the USPS Mobile Barcode Promotion is to build awareness of mobile technology and to demonstrate how mailers can leverage mobile barcodes to increase their ROI on direct mail. The promotion provides business mailers with an upfront 3% discount on Standard and First-Class mail letters and flats that include a two-dimensional (2D) barcode and that can be read and scanned by a smartphone.

The USPS promotion will run from July 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011. All companies who use a permit imprint are eligible to participate and there is no pre-registration required. For this particular promotion, the postal discount is applied immediately (as opposed to previous promotions that required you to submit paperwork to get a “rebate” on your mailings). The mobile barcode discount will be calculated in PostalOne! and applied to the mailing statement at the time of mailing.

USPS Mobile Barcode Promotion Requirements

All of the following must apply in order for you to use a mobile barcode on your mailpiece:

  • All mailpieces in the mailing must include a mobile two-dimensional barcode on the face of the mailpiece or within the mailpiece.
  • The mobile barcode must be used for marketing purposes (for use by the mail recipient).
  • Standard and First-Class Mail letters and flats must be sent with postage paid using a permit imprint and submitted electronically using Postal Wizard, Mail.dat or Mail.XML to qualify for the discount. (Mailings submitted via postal Wizard cannot exceed 9,999 pieces.)
  • The Mobile Barcode Promotion must be affirmatively claimed on the “Incentive Claimed” line in the certification section of the postage statement.
  • Mail must be tendered for acceptance during the promotion period, July 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011.

For your convenience, The USPS has published a Mobile Barcode Promotion Frequently Asked Questions document. It contains general information about the promotion, along with regulations and eligibility requirements. (Note: The original FAQ document indicates that non-profit organizations are not eligible to participate in the mobile barcode promotion but that has changed since the document was published. Non-profits ARE indeed eligible to participate.)

Why wait? You’ve got nothing to lose. The USPS Mobile Barcode Promotion gives direct mailers the perfect opportunity to test the marketing potential of mobile barcodes. The low cost of entry, combined with the summer discount being offered by the USPS makes this the most optimal time for you to speak with us about how you can integrate a mobile barcode into your printed catalog today!

For additional information, Email our postal experts, contact us at 866-675-4054 or scan/click this QR code:

Postal Service Appeals PRC Decision on Exigent Price Request

Posted on October 22, 2010

Don Landis, VP, Postal and Government Affairs(October 22 release from MTAC)
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced its decision to appeal the Sept. 30 ruling of the Postal Regulatory Commission denying the Postal Service exigent price request.

The Postal Service Governors’ decision means that a petition will be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, seeking a review of the PRC’s interpretation of the law that governs how prices can be set under extraordinary and exceptional circumstances.

The Postal Service position is that the PRC misread the statute and applied an incorrect standard in evaluating the request for an exigent price increase.

“We have a fundamental disagreement with the PRC’s interpretation of the law,” said Postmaster General John E. Potter. “This action is an investment in our future. We need to understand and define the rules under the current law should the Postal Service find itself in a similar situation in the future.”

The Postal Service also asks the Court of Appeals to confirm the Postal Service right to pursue the exigent price increase as originally requested of the PRC.

It is expected that the Court of Appeals will ask for briefs from both the Postal Service and the PRC. Oral arguments also may be scheduled by the court once the petition challenging the PRC ruling is filed.

The Postal Service continues to evaluate other options to address the PRC’s ruling. The exigent price request would have generated about $2.3 billion in much needed revenue for the first nine months of calendar year 2011.

Filing for an exigent price change was the one tool the Postal Service had to use within the confines of the law to help address the impact the recession had on its financial situation. But pricing is only one of a suite of solutions to address the dire financial situation the Postal Service faces. The long-term financial viability of the Postal Service will remain questionable unless the March 2 action plan is fulfilled.

A quick and timely resolution of the appeal is an important part of the Postal Service plan.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of products and services to fund its operations.

USPS Droop Regulations Now Being Enforced

Posted on October 05, 2010

It’s Here!

The Deflection/Droop Requirement went into effect October 3, 2010 for all FLATS! Failing to comply with the Deflection specifications can potentially double or triple  your postage costs. 

If you have questions about how to reduce your catalog’s droop, please contact us today at 800-558-8724.

A Victorious Day for Mailers, as PRC Denies USPS Request for Exigent Postal Rate Increase

Posted on October 01, 2010

Don Landis, VP, Postal and Government AffairsSince the PRC’s announcement about the decision to deny the USPS Exigent Rate Increase yesterday, I have been inundated with some interesting phone calls. I have heard statements like, “elated,” “what a relief,” “this is a morale booster,” and “it feels good to finally win one.” I certainly agree with all of these statements and the mailing industry owes a huge, “THANK YOU” to the American Catalog Mailers Association (ACMA), the Association for Postal Commerce (PostCom), the Affordable Mail Alliance and all associates that challenged that request. Arandell Corporation belongs to and participates in all of the aforementioned associations…and more….not to mention that we are one of the co-founders of the ACMA.

So what now? Now the Postal Service will be obliged to follow the law and keep any rate increase within the legal limit, equal to the rate of inflation (currently about 1.4%, but the actual rate that will affect the postal rates for next year will not be known until December). There are additional issues facing the postal service as well, so the Affordable Mail Alliance will continue to work with the USPS to eliminate excess capacity and costs in the system.

Although we are all excited about today’s announcement, there are sure to be more postal changes that will affect the entire mailing industry. Stay tuned to our blog for updates as those issues evolve. In the meantime, get out and celebrate today’s victory! We can surely rest easily knowing that our postal budgets won’t be stretched to the max next year…that is, at least not more than they are already.

PRC Denies USPS Request for Exigent Postal Increase

Posted on September 30, 2010

Don Landis, Vice President, Postal and Government AffairsIn a news conference today, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) unanimously denied the USPS request for an exigent postal increase in 2011. The USPS still plans to implement an increase equivalent to the CPI, which is currently around 1.4% (as opposed to the increase greater than 5% that would have been imposed with the exigent case).

This is great news for our industry! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Susan Pinter or me at 800-558-8724.

For the offical press release, click here.

Baby it’s HOT outside or What is the Shelf Life of an email?

Posted on September 03, 2010

Gary Sierzchulsk, VP, Arandell Marketing Solutions

Think about that statement and question…

First off this is the hottest summer in quite some time and I don’t have a pool. I have friends who do but they suddenly are not answering their phone. Anyway, back to the point….

How long do you look at an email headline in your mailbox (those that don’t get caught in spam filters)?

Of those, how many do you open?

Of those, how many do you take a closer look at?

We’re talking literally seconds for your message to be “blinked” at. Notice the word read was not in that sentence. Is that the way you want to do business? Add to that the hundreds of messages you receive each day – that’s tough competition. So surfing through your emails becomes routine and numbing. Emails are impulsive.

Now the catalog….

Do you recall how many catalogs you received yesterday?

Of those, how many did you look at?

Of those, how many did you open?

Of those, how many did you read?

With less clutter in the mailbox you have a very good chance that your message will get read. The competition for the eyes is a little easier.

We recently did a survey with our catalogers and asked them what the oldest catalog was that a current customer used to place an order. The winner went to an outdoor furniture company who said a customer called in an order with a catalog that was a little over two years old. The customer saved the catalog because they were planning to do some landscaping, liked the design and products displayed in the catalog and used it as a template for their yard, but didn’t get around to doing the landscaping for a while. Can an email have that kind of shelf life? Think about that the next time you’re doing your daily mass delete of emails.

I, for one, keep my catalogs and really do spend time paging through them, especially on hot evenings with a nice cold cocktail at my side. Obviously I have a vested interest (or interests) in them but with today’s technology the quality, design, content and message they convey are stronger than ever. Catalogs embrace.

Catalogs, emails, texts, mobile and retail and who knows what’s next can all get along with each other, and need to get along. None of them, however, can be ignored. They need to be coordinated to reach the right audience at the proper time with the proper message.

Remember people surf the Internet. But catalogs offer a unique experience, tell a story and can immerse you, kind of like going for a swim. So people will not give up surfing, nor will they not giving up swimming. Now to find a pool……..

It’s all about options.

Bring your Catalog to Life with an Electronic Version

Posted on August 11, 2010

 

You have already worked hard to create a beautifully-printed catalog and you already have a web site, right? So why not leverage the two channels together to promote your brand to a broader audience, resulting in an increased ROI for your catalog? Our digital catalog software gives you the ability to easily turn a printed catalog into an electronic version, offering myriad advantages. Not only does a digital catalog enhance your brand and make it consistent across channels, but this solution can also be:

  • Seamlessly integrated into your Web site;
  • Delivered to customers via a link, creating additional opportunities for email marketing and prospecting;
  • Employed at retail locations as a guide for customers;
  • Tied into your online, social media and mobile marketing programs;
  • Uploaded instantly, so that your customers are always viewing your most up-to-date catalog with current images and prices;
  • Sent to your call centers before the catalog drops so that representatives are fully prepared for catalog orders to come;
  • Created quickly and affordably;
  • Accessed 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

We offer this cost-effective solution to all of our customers, saving you the time and expense of having to search for an outside provider. Creating a digital version of your catalog to display on your Web site gives you the opportunity to increase the return on the piece that you have already worked so hard to produce.

To view an example of a digital catalog, visit http://www.customer-connect.net/ or click here.

Questions?
For additional information about Arandell’s electronic catalog solution, feel free to contact me any time!

USPS to Propose Exigent Rate Increase

Posted on July 06, 2010

 

Don Landis, VP, Postal and Government AffairsHeads up! The USPS announced this morning that they will present an exigent postage increase to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) later today. Standard Mail will see an average increase of 5.6% with an effective date of January 2, 2011.

We will continue to update the blog as we receive more information.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Susan Pinter and I can both be reached at 800-558-8724.

BCC Software Video

Posted on May 03, 2010

Don Landis, VP, Postal and Government AffairsIn November, we announced that we will be working with BCC Software as our postal solutions provider. Recently, Don Landis, VP of Arandell Postal Affairs testified about the success we have experienced while working with BCC. Click here to check out the video.

For questions regarding Arandell’s postal solutions, contact Don Landis (HDLandis@arandell.com) or Susan Pinter (SGPinter@arandell.com). They can both also be reached at 800.558.8724.

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