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Tip of the week (April 28, 2011)

Posted by Elizabeth Lombard on April 27, 2011 in Mail

Click to see Tip of the week (May 5, 2011)

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TIP #1: Use your Pitney Bowes Mailing to save up to 10% on shipping

As of April 17, 2011, Commercial Base pricing will be available not only for qualifying Priority Mail® and Express Mail®, but also for First-Class Mail® (FCM) parcels.

In short, the term “Commercial” from a USPS perspective means that postage is discounted from Retail pricing. Prior to April 17th, there were two price categories for FCM parcels, Retail and Commercial. Retail prices applied to single FCM parcels, and mailers that met certain preparation and volume requirements (e.g., 500 pieces minimum) qualified for commercial (discounted) prices. Effective April 17th, “commercial” FCM parcels is split into two new categories, Commercial Base and Commercial Plus. Each of these new categories offers single-piece and presorted pricing options.

You can qualify for “single-piece” Commercial Base pricing when an approved postage payment method is used, such as an Pitney Bowes IBI (Information Based Indicia) meter that electronically transmits transactional data to the USPS, i.e., our Connect+™, DM Series™ or an approved online method such as our pbSmartPostage™ solution.
For “single piece” prices, there is no minimum volume requirement (unless the shipper is using a permit imprint which requires a minimum of 200 pieces or 50 pounds).

So as it pertains to easy ways to save…Using a qualifying postage payment method ~ such as your Pitney Bowes DM Series™ or Connect+™ mailing systems, or our new Online Postage solution pbSmartPostage™, you can enjoy Commercial Base pricing for Priority Mail and Express Mail which is approximately 5% less than retail pricing, and now~ for your single-piece FCM Commercial Base parcels ~ a 15-cents per package savings (up to 10% based on weight) over Retail prices!

As always, I welcome your feedback and in the meantime please click here to find out even more ways to save!

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18 Responses to “Tip of the week (April 28, 2011)”

  1. Elizabeth

    03. May, 2011

    Hello and thanks so much for your comments.

    I am very happy to respond to questions regarding any of my posts as it relates to postal-regulatory events, but I regret that I don’t have the personal bandwidth to respond to very detailed questions about individual equipment. The good news is, we’ve got a Pitney Bowes User Forum built specifically for these kinds of questions and discussions: http://forums.pb.com/ptnb/ .
    This is where our product experts, e.g., mailing and shipping equipment can readily answer your questions and concerns.

    Thanks, and I will do my best to respond to your blog-related comments in a timely fashion.

    Right now I am at the National Postal Forum and next week, upon my return, I’ll share some of the things I learned.

    Elizabeth

  2. Carol

    04. May, 2011

    How do I know if the PB mailstation I have qulifies for the commercial base pricing?
    Thanks,
    Carol

  3. Elizabeth

    05. May, 2011

    HI Carol!

    You can post questions reqarding your equipment, such as if your Mailstation has Commercial Base Pricing, on our Forum site at http://forums.pb.com/ptnb/ . (Just copy and paste this link to your browser.)
    The Forum is built specifically for these kinds of questions and discussions.

    Also, you could visit our Rate Change website at http://www.pb.com/ratesandupdates. Or, feel free to call our Rate Change Hotline @ 1-877-214-4859.

    Kind regards,
    Elizabeth

  4. Pat Erwin

    05. May, 2011

    We send many standard and priority overnight letter size Federal Express packages containing important documents and/or checks.

    Does the USPS have anything to compete with that costly service. Many times we do use USPS certified mail to get a return receipt, but really need next day service too.

    Does Certified mail travel any faster than regular USPS first class mail?

  5. Elizabeth

    05. May, 2011

    Hello again…

    I am hoping that you saw my response…. but if you missed it,
    you can post questions reqarding your equipment, such as if your mail machine has Commercial Base Pricing, on our Forum site at http://forums.pb.com/ptnb/ . (Just copy and paste this link to your browser.)
    The Forum is built specifically for these kinds of questions and discussions.

    Also, you could visit our Rate Change website at http://www.pb.com/ratesandupdates. Or, feel free to call our Rate Change Hotline @ 1-877-214-4859.

    I did check on a few of the items you’ve posted on this site though… Regarding the Ascent issue with DM500 – This will be corrected in our next release SSX1.40/Ascent 8.40 which will be released in June.

    And for the DM500 in general, yes, it should have Commecial Base Pricing as long as you done the most recent software update.

    On this Mailstream Connections Blog, I welcome and would really enjoy hearing your thoughts regarding recent USPS changes, including their introduction of new offerings, such as the new First-Class Mail Commecial Base pricing for parcels… and if you’re using any of the relatively new Priority Mail flat-rate packaging options. Do you find Priority Mail a most cost-effective alternative to other carriers? What are the most common applications (contents of the package) in which you use First-Class Mail parcel pricing and/or Priority Mail?

    Thanks so much!
    Elizabeth

  6. barb

    06. May, 2011

    does the PB k-700 qualify for the commercial base rates?

  7. Elizabeth

    07. May, 2011

    HI Pat!
    The only USPS service that offers guaranteed delivery service is Express Mail, with delivery by noon or 3 pm to most destinations. If you have a DM or Connect+ meter, you probably qualify for the Commercial Base pricing, which for an Express Mail flat-rate envelope, the postage would be $17.40. Keep in mind that the USPS doesn’t add delivery or residential surcharges or fuel surcharges or address error fees ~ what you meter your mailpiece at is what you pay ~ unlike with other carriers where the final invoice may be higher than that which you originally thought at the time of shipment. You can order the Express Mail envelopes on our PB site or on usps.com as noted in my original blog.

    Regarding Certified Mail… that is a service added to either Priority Mail or First-Class Mail… so the delivery times of FCM with or without Certified Mail or that of Priority Mail should be the same.

  8. Elizabeth

    07. May, 2011

    Good morning Barb!

    You can post questions reqarding your equipment, such as if your K700 has Commercial Base Pricing, on our Forum site at http://forums.pb.com/ptnb/ . The Forum is built specifically for these kinds of equipment questions and discussions.

    Also, you could visit our Rate Change website at http://www.pb.com/ratesandupdates. Or, feel free to call our Rate Change Hotline @ 1-877-214-4859.

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