Outsourcing Mail Processing for Postage Discounts

Why should you consider outsourcing your mail processing? It’s all about economies of scale.
Mailing Services Staff Writer Pitney Bowes
05/27/2021 Postage Savings

Commingling proves there’s strength - and savings - in numbers

Outsourcing mail processing helps ensure business-critical mail gets into the right hands quickly and unlocks optimal postage discounts through a little trick called commingling.

Commingling involves more than mail volumes. It’s about presorting by ZIP Code™. The USPS offers bulk mail discounts for batches of mail that share the same three-digit ZIP Code, and they offer even deeper discounts if that mail shares the same five-digit ZIP Code. 

By commingling the mailings of multiple mailers sending to the same five-digit ZIP Code, mail processing companies can potentially earn the deepest bulk mail discounts available, which they can pass on to the collective.

The USPS has very exacting presorting requirements, which is why mail processing companies offer “presort services.” Even if your business is already presorting, working with a service that commingles can help qualify more of your mail for additional bulk mail discounts.

Earn more discounts for more classes of mail

Many mailers are sending fewer First-Class® letters than in the past but seeing other mailing needs rise. Presort services can earn you even more postage discounts by commingling Marketing Mail® letters, flats and more.

The required minimum pieces per bulk mailing is:

  • 500 pieces for Presorted First-Class® Mail
  • 200 pieces (or 50lbs) for Marketing Mail (formerly Standard Mail)
  • 50 pieces for Parcel Post®
  • 300 pieces for Presorted Bound Printed Matter
  • 500 pieces for Presorted Library Mail
  • 500 pieces for Presorted Media Mail® (formerly Special Standard Mail)  

Realize benefits beyond discounts

In addition to saving on postage, outsourcing aspects of your mailing processes reduces the expenses associated with labor and internal mail management.

Beyond the savings they offer, presort services can help your business:

  •  Streamline logistics by having your provider transport your mail to a USPS induction point.
  • Improve visibility with Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMbs) that let you monitor the mail your company sends—from first scan to last.
  • Stay flexible and agile by choosing how much of your overall mailing operations you outsource.
worker sorting mail in warehouse

What to look for in a service provider

Not all presort service providers are created equal. To get the most value from yours here’s what you should look for:

  • A strong national presence with a focus on logistics and technology
  • High-volume operations that deliver maximum density for every ZIP Code
  • Quality controls that ensure your mail can be delivered with speed, integrity and security
  • A workforce trained in the intricacies of ever-evolving USPS regulations and requirements

Why Pitney Bowes Presort Services fits the bill

No one knows or processes presorted mail like Pitney Bowes. Presort Services commingles over 17 billion mail pieces annually, making us the #2 mail processor in the USA (second only to the USPS). Explore Presort Services.