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Commercial
Mailing Services |
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Mailpieces that are sorted
by ZIP Code may receive lower postage prices.
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SORTING
Incentive postage prices are affected by the level of sorting you do. With
some discount services, you may be required to sort your mail to 5-digit
or 3-digit ZIP Codes. A single mailing usually includes multiple sort
levels. Each level may be charged a different price.
The Postal Service provides trays and sacks for sorting
your mail. Letters are sorted into trays. First-Class
flats are sorted into special flat trays. Parcels and
all other flats are sorted into sacks.
The opposite page shows a typical sort; however, different
discount services have different standards. Refer to
the Quick Service Guides to find the standards
that are required for your discount service.
PRESORT SOFTWARE
Presort software can help you with the sorting process.
Inexpensive software will sort and print your address
labels by ZIP Code according to the standards of your
chosen mailing service, as well as create tray and sack
labels, sorting documentation, and completed postage
statements. A list
of Postal Service-certified presort software is available.
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UNDERSTANDING HOW SORTING WORKS (STANDARD
MAIL AUTOMATION)
| 5-Digit |
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Individual ZIP Codes
Mailpieces that are sorted to 5 digits share the same ZIP Code
and are usually concentrated in one small town or neighborhood.
If you don’t have enough mailpieces to fill a tray for the
same 5-digit ZIP Code, use 3-digit sortation.
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| 3-Digit |
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All ZIP Codes with same
first 3 digits
After sorting all possible 5 digits, all remaining mailpieces that
share the same first 3 ZIP Code digits are grouped together. If
you do not have enough mailpieces to fill a tray for the same 3-digit
ZIP Code, use the AADC sortation.
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| AADC |
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Automated Area Distribution
Centers
After sorting to the first 3 digits, all remaining mailpieces are
sorted to Automated Area Distribution Centers (AADCs), which are
areas that serve several 3-digit ZIP Codes in one area of the country.
If you do not have enough mailpieces to fill a tray for the same
AADC presort area, use mixed AADC sortation.
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| Mixed
AADC |
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Mixed Automated Area Distribution
Centers
After sorting to AADCs, all remaining mailpieces are sorted to
the mixed AADC level. Mixed AADC presort includes mail that is
sent to all parts of the country.
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CARRIER ROUTE
SORTING
If your mailing is highly concentrated in one area, you may be able to take
advantage of the Carrier Route prices offered in some discount services. To
use this price, your mailing must have a minimum number of deliveries on a single
letter carrier’s route. Presort software will put your mail
in the order that the letter carrier will deliver it.
The opposite page shows a typical carrier route sort; however,
different discount services have different standards for Carrier
Route prices. Use the appropriate Quick Service
Guide for the correct sorting standards.
Carrier Route prices are available for:
- Standard Mail
- Periodicals
- Bound Printed Matter
UNDERSTANDING CARRIER ROUTE SORTING (STANDARD
MAIL)
| Basic
Carrier Route |
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Your mail may qualify for the Basic Carrier Route
prices if you have 10 or more mailpieces going to
the same carrier route.
Your presort software will put your mail in the
order that the letter carrier will deliver it. |
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| High
Density |
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Your mail may qualify for High Density prices,
which are lower than Basic Carrier Route prices,
if you are mailing 125 or more mailpieces to the
same carrier route and you sort the pieces in carrier
route sequence.
Your presort software will put your mail in the
order that the letter carrier will deliver it. |
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| Saturation |
Your mail may qualify
for Saturation prices, which are lower than High Density
prices, if you are mailing to at least 75% of the
total possible delivery points on a single carrier
route or to 90% of the total residential addresses
on a single carrier route.
Your presort software will put your mail in the
order that the letter carrier will deliver it. |
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Simplified
Addressing
You may use a Simplified Addressing format in lieu of customer name
and address (e.g., “Postal Customer”) for Saturation
prices if you mail to all delivery addresses on a
rural route or to all boxholders at Post Offices that don’t
have city carrier service. Government agencies may also use the Simplified
Addressing format
for official mail sent to all delivery addresses on a city route
or to all boxholders at any Post Office. |
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