What is First Class Presort?
First Class Presort is the process of sorting mail to the finest extent required by USPS standards in order to save you time and money on postage.
Mail can be expensive, especially if you’re sending a lot of it. One way to avoid being spooked by postage prices is to use First Class presort services, commonly known as commingling. Presorting your mail can offer you significant savings on postage.
The USPS defines presort as “The process by which a mailer prepares mail so that it is sorted to the finest extent required by the standards for the price claimed. Generally, presort is performed sequentially, from the lowest (finest) level to the highest level, to those destinations specified by standard and is completed at each level before the next level is prepared. Not all presort levels are applicable to all mailings.”
Did you get all that? Let’s break it down:
How Does Presort Work?
Presort providers, like Midwest Direct, pick up your mail and run it through sorters, just like the USPS. These sorters read the address on the mailpiece and spray a barcode on the envelope. The mail is then sorted into bins according to where it is going in the country by zip code. We hand the mail off, that day, to USPS via our DMU (Detached Mailing Unit) to be placed into the mail stream and sent on its way.
What Mail Qualifies for Presort?
Presort is specifically for First Class Mail, however, Standard Mail goes through the same process just separately from First Class Mail. The primary differences between First Class and Standard mail are price, speed of delivery, as well as options for mail forwarding, and returns on mail with outdated addresses. The major difference is the contents of the envelope or the type of mail. First Class mail is still less than the price of a regular postage stamp, and the price remains the same regardless of where it goes domestically. Different types of first-class mail can vary in price.
First Class Includes:
- Cards
- Letters
- Flats
- Parcels that weigh 13 ounces or less
First Class is the fastest option, delivering mail 2-3 days locally and up to 4 days nationally. If you are planning on sending out time-sensitive or personal information, First Class mail may be your only choice. It is required for any invoices, credit cards, and other personalized correspondence. Consistent delivery times, even during peak mailing seasons and cycles, make First Class mail an obvious choice for organizations that can’t afford any margin of error in their delivery dates.
Requirements for First Class Mail
Minimum weight: None
Flats maximum weight: 13 oz. (when over this, it becomes Priority Mail)
Letter maximum weight: 4 oz.
Presort savings & requirements: Must be grouped by zip code, NCOA updated and CASS certified. This mail costs less to process and deliver, so it creates significant savings. As part of our processing, we offer NCOA services in house.
Why Presort?
Presorting your first class mail can save you on postage. It can also save you time. It’s consolidated and touched less (keeping the mail piece’s integrity, to boot). It ships deeper into the USPS system from the outset. Your mail can get out more efficiently saving you both time and money. With Midwest Direct’s First Class presort you get:
- No Delays
- Same Process You Use Today
- Cheaper, Better, Faster Mailings
- Midwest As A Liaison Between You And USPS
Stop being spooked by your postage prices and switch over to presort service with Midwest Direct. If you’re not sure, contact us to talk to one of our presort experts.
