Rates, reform main topics at National Postal Forum
The upcoming rate case and what reform means to the mailing community were the two issues most on the minds of attendees, vendors and speakers at the 2007 National Postal Forum held last week.
Postmaster General John E. Potter stressed that dialogue between mailers and the U.S. Postal Service is key if the mailing industry is going to successfully navigate new roads that have barely been mapped.
“Roles…have changed. Rules [are] under development,” Mr. Potter said. “Today, communication with each other is more important than ever as we work to understand and shape this new world.”
Mr. Potter was referring to the new postal law that took effect on Dec. 20 that changes the role of the agency and the Postal Regulatory Commission.
Mr. Potter also discussed how mailers and the USPS have to work together to mitigate some of the larger rate increases that they face. Catalogers, for example, face 20 percent to 40 percent increases, although these rates are being reconsidered by the PRC. New rates go into effect May 14 for most mailers.
He also explained that boxed cards and boxed checks can easily move to a flat shape, which makes the mail pieces more efficient to process and deliver, and thus lower postage costs.
Some lighter, oversized envelopes and catalogs can be folded and mailed as letters, according to Mr. Potter.
Vendors on the trade show floor also offered tools to help mailers mitigate the increases.
Envelope vendors also said many of their customers and prospects are trying to find ways to switch from flats-shaped to letter-shaped envelopes. To do this, many are planning to fold their mailers to fit into a letter-sized envelope.
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