RE: bar codes for address labels
Well, there's printing/spraying of the address label, but there's also the
production of the mail piece.
You put out a catalog, is it printed internally or by a 3rd party ?
I worked in a Direct Mail house ages ago - most of the processes haven't
changed from then till now. There are some postal regulations that have
changed, but the basic concept of
1. creating a mail piece
2. creating the data output stream , CASS-Compliant with all the
appropriate USPS electronic data, zip sorted.
3. printing or spraying on the address with USPS bar code
4. collating the output pieces for bulk mail
5. packaging the bundle per USPS specs
6. Dropping the mailing off at a USPS direct mail/bulk mail office
has not changed .
If you are just interested in the labels, I sense it will be hard, as
the actual rate must be calculated based on weight of each piece, size of
each piece, how well formed the CASS-compliant data stream is, plus a few
other variables that I've forgotten.
Surely there are 'Direct Mail Processing' companies in your neck of the
woods - costs nothing to get a quote for them to process your mail piece.
Usually CASS and zip sorting and ALL data processing work is included with
the quote - let's assume you'll have your printer drop ship the catalogs
to a DMP firm and that you'll supply the address file (all DMP shops
handle dbf files, btw). Ask, at least, for a quote to do 'that' -
I use these guys exclusively, when a client tells me - 'We need to do a
mail piece' - PrintMailers Inc. - see http://pminet.com/
I would suggest you at least call them, talk to anyone in client services,
and get a quote or reality check.
Good Luck !
Warmest Regards [Bill]
--
William Sanders / efGroup {rmv the DOT BOB to reply}
Failing dotNet Project? - http://www.dotnetconversions.com
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RE: bar codes for address labels
Jim, it's not just barcodes, but CASS processing your list to clean it up and add ZIP4 codes + PAVE processing to pre-sort addresses, print labels with barcodes and produce postage statements. I've fallen behind with these certifications, so can't offer to help now. The USPS lists vendors for CASS and PAVE software at: http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/Vendors/CASSALLN.TXT http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/Vendors/PAVE_PRODUCTS_LIST.PDF This software is sold by subscription and probably too pricey for what you need to do. Your best bet may be to find a local service bureau who has the software and will help you with your list. Bill I know diddly squat about this, but have been asked to look into the options. We mail several catalogs each fall, and we think we can save on postage with the use of bar codes? Never did bar codes, and not sure where to go to find out what we need to do for this to be effective with the U.S. Post Office. Our mailing list is in-house, nothing special, just the usual vfp type app with normal addresses, no zip code lookups, no address confirmations. Thanks, Jim James E Harvey Hanover Shoe Farms, Inc. M.I.S./Corresponding Officer Off: 717-637-8931 fax: 717-637-6766 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [excessive quoting removed by server] ___ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
Re: bar codes for address labels
I thought that the USPS has a web service for address validation? In fact, I just looked and Steve Ellenoff did a presentation at FoxForward on interfacing with the USPS Web Services. He might chime in with some help. -Kevin CULLY Technologies, LLC Sponsor of FoxForward 2007 foxforward.net Bill Arnold wrote: Jim, it's not just barcodes, but CASS processing your list to clean it up and add ZIP4 codes + PAVE processing to pre-sort addresses, print labels with barcodes and produce postage statements. I've fallen behind with these certifications, so can't offer to help now. The USPS lists vendors for CASS and PAVE software at: http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/Vendors/CASSALLN.TXT http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/Vendors/PAVE_PRODUCTS_LIST.PDF This software is sold by subscription and probably too pricey for what you need to do. Your best bet may be to find a local service bureau who has the software and will help you with your list. ___ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
RE: bar codes for address labels
I thought that the USPS has a web service for address validation? Kevin, that's for address checking/validation, but CASS processing generates a 3553 form that is needed to obtain postage discounts for bulk mailings. Bill In fact, I just looked and Steve Ellenoff did a presentation at FoxForward on interfacing with the USPS Web Services. He might chime in with some help. -Kevin CULLY Technologies, LLC Sponsor of FoxForward 2007 foxforward.net ___ Post Messages to: %(real_name)[EMAIL PROTECTED](host_name)s Subscription Maintenance: %(web_page_url)slistinfo%(cgiext)s/%(_internal_name)s OT-free version of this list: %(web_page_url)slistinfo%(cgiext)s/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/%(messageid) ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
RE: bar codes for address labels
Sounds like Bill Arnold is our Go To Guy. But until he weighs in, these are the general guidelines I have been given by a USPS rep out in my neck of the woods. First, if you have a sizeable mailing you may be required to actually use bar coding whether you want to or not. Also, even if you run the addresses through an address validation application, which pretties the address formats up in a way the USPS likes, you may also need to do a National Change Of Address process, to reduce the number of invalid target people/addresses. I do not know how severely the USPS will come down on you for not complying with the NCOA being run against your mailing database (twice per year I think), but for smaller mailings (several hundred at a crack) you may get away with it. There is so much more to the USPS compliance game that you really ought to confer with a specialist, or with your local USPS facility. I found the folks very helpful. Good Luck! Gil -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of James E Harvey Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 2:59 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: bar codes for address labels I know diddly squat about this, but have been asked to look into the options. We mail several catalogs each fall, and we think we can save on postage with the use of bar codes? Never did bar codes, and not sure where to go to find out what we need to do for this to be effective with the U.S. Post Office. Our mailing list is in-house, nothing special, just the usual vfp type app with normal addresses, no zip code lookups, no address confirmations. Thanks, Jim James E Harvey Hanover Shoe Farms, Inc. M.I.S./Corresponding Officer Off: 717-637-8931 fax: 717-637-6766 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [excessive quoting removed by server] ___ Post Messages to: %(real_name)[EMAIL PROTECTED](host_name)s Subscription Maintenance: %(web_page_url)slistinfo%(cgiext)s/%(_internal_name)s OT-free version of this list: %(web_page_url)slistinfo%(cgiext)s/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/%(messageid) ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
RE: bar codes for address labels
There we go, our own Bill Arnold did weigh in, just when I hit my Send Button. Luckily neither of us seem to have overtly said anything that conflicts with each other g... Gil -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Bill Arnold Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 3:55 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: bar codes for address labels Jim, it's not just barcodes, but CASS processing your list to clean it up and add ZIP4 codes + PAVE processing to pre-sort addresses, print labels with barcodes and produce postage statements. I've fallen behind with these certifications, so can't offer to help now. The USPS lists vendors for CASS and PAVE software at: http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/Vendors/CASSALLN.TXT http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/Vendors/PAVE_PRODUCTS_LIST.PDF This software is sold by subscription and probably too pricey for what you need to do. Your best bet may be to find a local service bureau who has the software and will help you with your list. Bill I know diddly squat about this, but have been asked to look into the options. We mail several catalogs each fall, and we think we can save on postage with the use of bar codes? Never did bar codes, and not sure where to go to find out what we need to do for this to be effective with the U.S. Post Office. Our mailing list is in-house, nothing special, just the usual vfp type app with normal addresses, no zip code lookups, no address confirmations. Thanks, Jim James E Harvey Hanover Shoe Farms, Inc. M.I.S./Corresponding Officer Off: 717-637-8931 fax: 717-637-6766 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [excessive quoting removed by server] ___ Post Messages to: %(real_name)[EMAIL PROTECTED](host_name)s Subscription Maintenance: %(web_page_url)slistinfo%(cgiext)s/%(_internal_name)s OT-free version of this list: %(web_page_url)slistinfo%(cgiext)s/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/%(messageid) ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
RE: bar codes for address labels
Gil, Sounds like Bill Arnold is our Go To Guy. Not really. I've been involved with just a few of the things going on with the USPS (CASS and PAVE, specifically, but they're on the shelf right now). It's a whole ball of wax, and constantly changing, so it's a speciality in it's own right. But until he weighs in, these are the general guidelines I have been given by a USPS rep out in my neck of the woods. First, if you have a sizeable mailing you may be required to actually use bar coding whether you want to or not. Barcoding is one of the basics of USPS automation. The way the USPS see's it, the more work the customer does to help the USPS with automation, the greater the postage discount, so it's a sliding scale with several factors. Also, even if you run the addresses through an address validation application, which pretties the address formats up in a way the USPS likes, you may also need to do a National Change Of Address process, to reduce the number of invalid target people/addresses. NCOA is optional, but it helps you to update your address list and increase delivery rates/decrease return postage and related expenses. NCOA work is concentrated among a handful of vendors. Smaller companies batch their work and send it to one of these big houses for processing - at least that's the way it worked last time I checked a few years ago. Again, it changes all the time. I do not know how severely the USPS will come down on you for not complying with the NCOA being run against your mailing database (twice per year I think), but for smaller mailings (several hundred at a crack) you may get away with it. They giveth and they taketh in the form of postage discounts. Don't meet their rules = pay the higher postage. There is so much more to the USPS compliance game that you really ought to confer with a specialist, or with your local USPS facility. I found the folks very helpful. I just spotted this link - it might be helpful to someone http://www.usps.com/business/catalogspublications/welcome.htm Bill Good Luck! Gil -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of James E Harvey Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 2:59 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: bar codes for address labels I know diddly squat about this, but have been asked to look into the options. We mail several catalogs each fall, and we think we can save on postage with the use of bar codes? Never did bar codes, and not sure where to go to find out what we need to do for this to be effective with the U.S. Post Office. Our mailing list is in-house, nothing special, just the usual vfp type app with normal addresses, no zip code lookups, no address confirmations. Thanks, Jim James E Harvey Hanover Shoe Farms, Inc. M.I.S./Corresponding Officer Off: 717-637-8931 fax: 717-637-6766 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [excessive quoting removed by server] ___ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
