DMM Advisory | Postal Explorer

Postal Explorer

The Postal Service is reminding customers that metallic mercury and devices containing metallic mercury are always prohibited in the mail stream. This includes antique items such as thermometers, barometers, blood pressure monitors and similar devices.

Pricing & Classification DMM Advisory

Message board to keep postal customers informed of changes to mailing standards, services, and prices.

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December 18, 2013

New Standards to Enhance Package Visibility

Today the final rule New Standards to Enhance Package Visibility was posted. It is on the Federal Register site and on Postal Explorer^® pe.usps.com under the Federal Register Notices link on the left-hand side.

Mailing standards currently require an Intelligent Mail^® package barcode (IMpb) on all commercial parcels, except Standard Mail^® parcels, claiming presort or destination-entry prices and all parcels of any class including tracking, and all mailpieces of any shape requesting extra services. We are now implementing new standards requiring an IMpb on all remaining commercial parcels, and requiring the transmission of supporting electronic documentation, including piece-level address or ZIP+4^® Code information, to the USPS^®.

Included in these new requirements is a per-piece price adjustment of 20 cents for mailpieces that do not comply with the IMpb standards. This price adjustment will become effective for Shipping Services (Competitive) products on January 26, 2014. In addition, we intend to apply the noncompliance price adjustment to Mailing Services (Market Dominant) mailpieces at a future date, after filing with, and receiving approval from, the PRC.