17c non-macniable surcharge

My local USPS office is making a fortune out of me with this new 17c surcharge on
non-machinable mail which they seem to slap on anything with a bit of card in the
envelope. My question is how do they count the value of the stamps I stick on the
envelope and what kind of machine do they use to determine that the envelope is not
machinable?

Cheers - John Mycroft

On Jan 10, 7:32 am, John Mycroft wrote:
My local USPS office is making a fortune out of me with this new 17c surcharge on
non-machinable mail which they seem to slap on anything with a bit of card in the
envelope. My question is how do they count the value of the stamps I stick on the
envelope and what kind of machine do they use to determine that the envelope is not
machinable?

Cheers - John Mycroft



John: I don't know if this helps. Blair



From: DataDale's USPS Primer for Non-Profits

Self-mailers:

On brochures and folded mailers, remember that the mail
goes through conveyer belts; the final fold is; any other folded
edges to the right. If the fold is on top, 2 tabs are required
on the bottom (1" from each side). If the piece is stitched,
the spine must be on the bottom. Remember, the piece
has to stay closed to meet automated pricing discounts
and to be delivered!

Pay attention to dimensions. If a letter exceeds any of
the maximum dimensions or weighs more than 3.5 ounces,
it is priced at the next shape category.

If a letter exceeds 1/4" thickness, it would be priced as
a large envelope or flat.

Watch out for postage surcharges for Non-machineable
mail:

Pieces that are rigid or contain odd shaped items
(keys, coins, pens)

The delivery address is not parallel to the longest side
of the mail piece
(keep this in mind when designing invitations)

Pieces enclosed in plastic material

Pieces that have clasps, strings, buttons, sealing wax
or another type of closure device.

Keep in mind the aspect ratio (length divided by height)
of the piece. If a piece doesn't meet the specs, your
postage cost can move from a machineable rate to
a non-machineable rate.

Watch recycled paper - on some papers, the ink
tends to bleed and will mess up your bar-coding,
resulting in higher postage and delayed delivery.

Translucent envelopes - USPS scanners have
trouble reading many translucent envelopes.
Consider lightening the address/bar-code area
to enhance contrast.

Punctuation. It looks nice, but the USPS prefers no
punctuation on addresses. Sometimes hand written
or ink-jetted addresses make periods look like
commas or numbers and mail can get mis-routed.

Window envelopes - Test the clearance around the
address in window envelopes. Do the "tap test" to
make sure there is 1/8" clearance all the way around.

Remember the bar-code "clear zone". Must allow 5/8"
from bottom.

Shaped mail. Check out Customized Market Mail -
for very funky shaped pieces
that are guaranteed deliverable.

On standard mail, consider using "Or current
resident" to insure delivery. Remember, standard
mail is not returned.

I strongly suggest that before you finalize your mail
piece you run it past your rep at the USPS. Each
area has a "Mailpiece Design Analyst" who will review
your mailer to insure that you are meeting the USPS
requirements and making the most out of your
postage dollars!

Take advantage of what the USPS can provide for
you in terms of templates and samples to keep in
your office to help you design your direct mail pieces
to minimize your postage and maximize delivery.

For additional information, please call our office
at (800) 771-3282. We'll be happy to help design
the list that best suits your organization's needs!

On Jan 10, 5:32 am, John Mycroft wrote:
My local USPS office is making a fortune out of me with this new 17c surcharge on
non-machinable mail which they seem to slap on anything with a bit of card in the
envelope. My question is how do they count the value of the stamps I stick on the
envelope and what kind of machine do they use to determine that the envelope is not
machinable?

Cheers - John Mycroft

John, All of the stamps I ship are inside clear pockets, inside
glassines, taped to the same cardboard that the postal service
packages stamps with. Over this I put a flap of card that is
equivalent to cereal box card. This goes into a security envelope of
size 6-3/4, 10, 6x9 or larger depending on the items. I add no
printed matter or extra paper as in a receipt. Although I have done
this hundreds of times there are still clerks who give it a little
bend and there is only one or two clerks who add 17 cents which I
don't kick about. The others say that the rule is a funny one because
if the item fits through a slot of about a quarter inch and it has
give like the thin cardboard does and no lumps then it is okay for
machining. The sizes up to and including the 6x9 go for the rate
according to weight not size or rigidity. The clerks feel that it is
not a clearly defined rule and most of them consider rigid to have no
give what-so-ever and/or thicker that a quarter of an inch. So if you
get a clerk on your side, you know, bring out that charm that so many
stamp collectors have, you will have them hand-canceling and maybe
bypassing the machines. But this I'm not sure about..the machines.
The tape I use is easy-remove artists' acid-free white tape acquired
at any large art supply store for a few bucks and it will last years
and years.
TL

John Mycroft wrote:
My local USPS office is making a fortune out of me with this new 17c
surcharge on non-machinable mail which they seem to slap on anything
with a bit of card in the envelope. My question is how do they count
the value of the stamps I stick on the envelope and what kind of
machine do they use to determine that the envelope is not machinable?

Cheers - John Mycroft

I believe they are hand canceled (non-machinable mail) and thus the
value is counted in their head.
JD

On Jan 10, 9:43 am, TL wrote:
On Jan 10, 5:32 am, John Mycroft wrote:

My local USPS office is making a fortune out of me with this new 17c surcharge on
non-machinable mail which they seem to slap on anything with a bit of card in the
envelope. My question is how do they count the value of the stamps I stick on the
envelope and what kind of machine do they use to determine that the envelope is not
machinable?

Cheers - John Mycroft

John, All of the stamps I ship are inside clear pockets, inside
glassines, taped to the same cardboard that the postal service
packages stamps with. Over this I put a flap of card that is
equivalent to cereal box card. This goes into a security envelope of
size 6-3/4, 10, 6x9 or larger depending on the items. I add no
printed matter or extra paper as in a receipt. Although I have done
this hundreds of times there are still clerks who give it a little
bend and there is only one or two clerks who add 17 cents which I
don't kick about. The others say that the rule is a funny one because
if the item fits through a slot of about a quarter inch and it has
give like the thin cardboard does and no lumps then it is okay for
machining. The sizes up to and including the 6x9 go for the rate
according to weight not size or rigidity. The clerks feel that it is
not a clearly defined rule and most of them consider rigid to have no
give what-so-ever and/or thicker that a quarter of an inch. So if you
get a clerk on your side, you know, bring out that charm that so many
stamp collectors have, you will have them hand-canceling and maybe
bypassing the machines. But this I'm not sure about..the machines.
The tape I use is easy-remove artists' acid-free white tape acquired
at any large art supply store for a few bucks and it will last years
and years.
TL

I just came from the post office. I had to sign and mail a document
in an envelope pre-metered by the business receiving the document.
The clerk informed me that the meter was not to regulations because it
had a date (past) and the envelope should have printed above the
address "postage prepaid". I know this and other businesses have been
doing it this way for years and the way around it is: drop it in the
mailbox instead of handing it to the clerk then no one knows when it
entered the system.

In a recent message "Blair (TC)" wrote:

On Jan 10, 7:32 am, John Mycroft wrote:
My local USPS office is making a fortune out of me with this new 17c surcharge on
non-machinable mail which they seem to slap on anything with a bit of card in the
envelope. My question is how do they count the value of the stamps I stick on the
envelope and what kind of machine do they use to determine that the envelope is not
machinable?

Cheers - John Mycroft



John: I don't know if this helps. Blair



From: DataDale's USPS Primer for Non-Profits

Self-mailers:

On brochures and folded mailers, remember that the mail
goes through conveyer belts; the final fold is; any other folded
edges to the right. If the fold is on top, 2 tabs are required
on the bottom (1" from each side). If the piece is stitched,
the spine must be on the bottom. Remember, the piece
has to stay closed to meet automated pricing discounts
and to be delivered!

Pay attention to dimensions. If a letter exceeds any of
the maximum dimensions or weighs more than 3.5 ounces,
it is priced at the next shape category.

If a letter exceeds 1/4" thickness, it would be priced as
a large envelope or flat.

Watch out for postage surcharges for Non-machineable
mail:

Pieces that are rigid or contain odd shaped items
(keys, coins, pens)

The delivery address is not parallel to the longest side
of the mail piece
(keep this in mind when designing invitations)

Pieces enclosed in plastic material

Pieces that have clasps, strings, buttons, sealing wax
or another type of closure device.

Aaah! Extra charges if I use my traditional sealing wax!
What is the world coming to?

--
Tony Clayton
Coins of the UK : http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk
Sent using RISCOS on an Acorn Strong Arm RiscPC
.... S met ing's hap ening t my k ybo rd . .

On Jan 10, 2:22 pm, Tony Clayton wrote:

Aaah! Extra charges if I use my traditional sealing wax!
What is the world coming to?

--
Tony Clayton


Tony:

Of course, the rule also applies to:
shoes and ships and cabbages and kings.

8*)
Blair

On Jan 10, 3:53*pm, "Blair (TC)" wrote:
On Jan 10, 2:22 pm, Tony Clayton wrote:



Aaah! *Extra charges if I use my traditional sealing wax!
What is the world coming to?

--
Tony Clayton * * * * *

Tony:

Of course, the rule also applies to:
shoes and ships and cabbages and kings.

8*)
Blair

Ah, for the gool old days. I remember once mailing a coconut,
unwrapped with the address labels pasted to the shell as well as the
postage. They will laugh you out the door at the post office today.
Have you seen any of the mailing tubes with calendars, maps, etc.
lately. Not likely because the postage may be ten times the normal
postage.

Ralphael, the OLD one

TL wrote :

John, All of the stamps I ship are inside clear pockets, inside
glassines, taped to the same cardboard that the postal service
packages stamps with. Over this I put a flap of card that is
equivalent to cereal box card. This goes into a security envelope of
size 6-3/4, 10, 6x9 or larger depending on the items.
................


Cheers Tracy,

Interesting ...

Could somebody tell me if in the US, the cushioned envelopes (with
bubbles inside) - is it the right name for this ? - are allowed without
this "non-machinable surcharge" ?

Here in France we have many strange regulations applying to the mail to
be qualified as a "Letter".

The "Letter" (Lettre now called Lettre Prioritaire) rate (which is
relatively cheap[*] compared to the "Parcel" rate) is only allowed
to send some sheets of paper.
[*] As an example a CD in a cushioned envelope weights about 30 g
Letter rate inside France for 20 to 50 g : 0.54 Euro
Parcel rate inside France for up to 500 g : 5.10 Euro
about ten times more !
And the quickness is the same : delivery on the day after in 95 % of the
cases

Books are not allowed (even if the weight of a "Letter" can be up to 3
kg)

Neither CD's under the pretext that it can damage their machines.

Nevertheless, I alway send my CD's or DVD's to my friends inside a
cushioned envelope (they are allowed here for the "Letter" rate) and I
drop it in a mail box.
Never had a damaged CD or an additional fee to pay or a return.
I touch wood :-)

--
All the best,
Pierre Courtiade

to answer me, please replace NOSPAM by my family name

On Jan 10, 8:09 pm, "Pierre Courtiade" wrote:
TL wrote :



John, All of the stamps I ship are inside clear pockets, inside
glassines, taped to the same cardboard that the postal service
packages stamps with. Over this I put a flap of card that is
equivalent to cereal box card. This goes into a security envelope of
size 6-3/4, 10, 6x9 or larger depending on the items.
................

Cheers Tracy,

Interesting ...

Could somebody tell me if in the US, the cushioned envelopes (with
bubbles inside) - is it the right name for this ? - are allowed without
this "non-machinable surcharge" ?

Here in France we have many strange regulations applying to the mail to
be qualified as a "Letter".

The "Letter" (Lettre now called Lettre Prioritaire) rate (which is
relatively cheap[*] compared to the "Parcel" rate) is only allowed
to send some sheets of paper.

[*] As an example a CD in a cushioned envelope weights about 30 g
Letter rate inside France for 20 to 50 g : 0.54 Euro
Parcel rate inside France for up to 500 g : 5.10 Euro
about ten times more !
And the quickness is the same : delivery on the day after in 95 % of the
cases

Books are not allowed (even if the weight of a "Letter" can be up to 3
kg)

Neither CD's under the pretext that it can damage their machines.

Nevertheless, I alway send my CD's or DVD's to my friends inside a
cushioned envelope (they are allowed here for the "Letter" rate) and I
drop it in a mail box.
Never had a damaged CD or an additional fee to pay or a return.
I touch wood :-)

--
All the best,
Pierre Courtiade

to answer me, please replace NOSPAM by my family name

Pierre,
Tom here,
"Large Envelopes that are rigid, nonrectangular, or not uniformly
thick pay package rates." Over 3/4 of an inch thick is a package. The
bubble wrap, cushioned envelopes probably walk a thin line between
envelope and package depending on the criteria of the item. I bet
that a cd can be sent relatively inexpensively in a small box made for
them or in a 6x9 cushioned envelope probably at a low package rate =
$1.50.
http://postcalc.usps.gov/
I find the site slow and sometimes dead but it has a lot of info.
Regards,
Tom