Postal Action Alert: New Catalog Proposed Incentive for July 14, 2024

4/25/2024

As of April 24, 2024, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is proposing a new incentive intended to improve reporting and analysis of catalog data within Marketing Mail (except EDDM-Retail) and Package Services. This incentive will provide a $0.001 per-piece discount (or $1/m) for mailers that identify catalogs to the Postal Service on their mailing statements.

Incentives are different from promotions, and this incentive is designed to improve the operations of the Postal Service and eventually, the value of mail for mailers. The Postal Service wishes to increase the quantity and improve the quality of its data on catalogs. The Postal Service expects that better data will allow it to improve future Marketing Mail products and rate design in ways that enhance value for mailers and improve the efficiency of postal operations.

The self-identification is completed within the uploaded eDoc postage statements based on the updated catalog definition below.

A qualifying catalog is:

• Twelve or more pages long, which can be 6 sheets of paper printed front and back to equal 12 pages.
• Bound or fastened along one edge (e.g., stapled, glued, sewed, etc.)
• Any qualifying shape (letter, flat, or parcel).

A qualifying catalog must also provide:

• An organized, illustrated, descriptive listing of the products or services offered for sale.
• Prices or a method to determine prices.
• Fulfillment information and options (e.g., available shipping methods or pickup options)
• Enough information to allow an order to be placed (e.g., an order form, mailing address, telephone number, web address, or means to access a web address such as a QR code).

RRD Postal Affairs will continue to provide you with important updates as they become available. Please reach out to your RRD Account Representative to help you discover how you may be able to take advantage of this USPS incentive. For questions, please contact postal.affairs@rrd.com.

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