Are You Up-To-Date?

Keeping current with USPS Move Update Requirements

Effective November 23, 2008 all Standard Mail (including any Nonprofit Mail) and all discounted First-Class Mail must be move-updated using a USPS-approved method within 95 days prior to mailing.

The original requirements applied only to discounted First-Class Mail and required that files be updated within 185 days of mailing.  Why has the requirement changed so much?

Here are some points to consider:

• Almost 45 million Americans move each year
• Ten years ago nearly 60% of the Undeliverable-as-Addressed mail was First-Class Mail.  Now, close to 63% of the UAA problem is Standard Mail.
• The Post Office spent $1.8 billion last year dealing with UAA mail.
• About 75% of UAA mail is attributable to moves.

Think of it another way.  Let’s say you’re planning to mail 10,000 pieces of mail at automated First-Class rates.  Your average postage today might be around $0.324 per piece.  After November 23 if you choose not to move update you’ll have to pay single-piece rates for that same mailing - $0.42 per piece.  The additional postage will cost you $960.

Not convinced?  Let’s look at another example.  Imagine that you’re mailing out a 6 x 9 postcard promoting a new product and you’re mailing 100,000 pieces.  Today your average postage might be around $0.241 per piece.  But, after November 23 if you didn’t move update that same mailing will have to go out at the non-discounted rate of $0.26.  In this scenario, your additional postage will cost you $1,900.

Can you afford not to move update?

There are a number of options available to you to meet the new requirements.  Here they are:

• NCOALink^®
• Fastforward^®
• Address Change Service (ACS)
• Ancillary Endorsements
• Exceptional Address Format
• USPS-approved Method
  • 99% Accurate Method
  • Legal Restraint Method

The revised Move Update standard will be enforced; tools are already in place to do this.  Penalties will be assessed to mailings that are found not be in compliance with the Move Update standard.  The details as to how these penalties will work are still being discussed.  However, it’s been proposed that a $0.07 per piece penalty could be applied to an entire mailing for Standard Mail or Nonprofit Mail.  That’s $7,000 on a non-compliant 100,000-piece mailing!  Non-compliant First-Class Mail would be assessed full single-piece rates.

Learn how you can ensure that your mailings are compliant so you can avoid these potential penalties.  Contact your salesperson today for more information.