[Grovenet] [Fwd: New postage]

Wed Apr 25 12:25:24 PDT 2007

Well...I haven't done that for a couple of years.  Sorry, Grovenuts.
This was for a friend in Denver...

Bummer...

--Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Steele, Mike
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 12:22 PM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] [Fwd: New postage]

Bob...thanks for this.  I'm with ya on this...just using AB for a
temporary term.  I think we should brainstorm this when we brainstorm
names...also, our grant writer sent a lot of info on this very
matter...just got it today...will share it with you this weekend.

Take care...

--Mike

________________________________

From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Bob Browning
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 11:17 AM
To: Grovenet
Subject: [Grovenet] [Fwd: New postage]

Dear Small Business Owners on Grovenet:

Read the following and weep!! I had not a clue this was coming until
earlier this week!! I knew about the 2 cent rate increase, but not about
all the problems that small business owners were going to face. I think
a call to our Congressman Wu and our two Senators is in order
immediately. I can only hope that a few more people are starting to
figure out what a disaster this is likely to be.

bob "I'm mad as hell and I will probably just have to bend over and take
it!!" browning

********************************************************

-------- Original Message -------- 

Subject: 

New postage

Date: 

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:18:52 -0700

From: 

Bob Browning <rab at jurislex.com> <mailto:rab at jurislex.com> 

To: 

undisclosed-recipients: ;

Law Practice Management <http://www.pa-lawpracticemanagement.com> 

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Are You Ready for the New Postal Regulations and a Whopping Increase in
Costs? <http://www.pa-lawpracticemanagement.com/?p=276> 

New postal regulations go into effect on May 14, 2007. It's called 
Shape-Based Pricing
<http://www.dmnews.com/cms/dm-news/direct-mail/38717.html> . There are a
few decent sites <http://www.shapebasedpricing.com/index.php> on the
internet for information at this point. 

This is probably one of the most under-reported events I have
experienced in recent years, particularly when it may result in an
increase in postage costs of as much as 50% overall to an uneducated law
firm. We're not talking about just an increase of 2¢ per letter. We're
talking about a whole new labor-intensive mailing process, and some
significant price increases in actual postage for the bulk of mail which
is sent by a law firm. In fact, for most firms the most significant
price increases aren't even on the radar screen. I know they weren't on
mine. But I attended a seminar today presented by ITS Mailing Systems
<http://www.itsmailing.net> , an authorized dealer for Hasler
<http://www.haslerinc.com/products/mailing_machines/> . And it was an
eye-opener.

Currently our postal system operates on strictly a weight-based
methodology. Aside from a slight up-charge for the first ounce on
"oversized" envelopes (e.g. our flat letter-size tyvecs) everything is
based on weight. Each ounce adds an additional amount. Effective May
14th, we will move to a shape-based pricing system. Under the new
system, there will be three different pricing factors: size; thickness;
and weight. There are even some rigidity factors which can influence
cost, meaning that if you stuff the envelope so tightly it cannot bend,
there is an additional cost.

The postal service has known for quite some time that it is much more
expensive to process and route flat envelopes and heavy parcels. But
their pricing was always computed on the same basis as a standard
envelope. By the same token, non-standard sized items which are smaller
than their normal counterparts, are also more expensive to route, but
again, are priced based on a standard postcard or letter rate. All that
is about to change. The postal service just received approval in
February to put these new standards into effect as of 5/14/07. And some
last minute changes were applied, so those who reported early on the
upcoming changes reported incorrect information in some aspects. That is
probably why so little information has already been disseminated.

NEW POSTAGE RATES

First class letter current rate: 39¢ plus 24¢ for each additional ounce
First class letter new rate: 41¢ plus 17¢ for each additional ounce
Bottom line impact on 2 oz letter: cost DECREASE from 63¢ to 58¢
(a 5¢ or 7.9% cost decrease)
Bottom line impact on 3 oz letter: cost DECREASE from 87¢ to 75¢
(a 12¢ = 13% decrease)

Under the new regulations a letter must be no smaller than 3.5" x 5" and
at least .007" thick, and not more than 11.5" long, 6 1/8 " high, 1/4"
thick, and the aspect ratio (length divided by height) cannot fall
between 1 to 1.3 and 1 to 2.5 inclusive.

So far so good. Even though there's a rate increase, if all you do is
send lightly filled #10 envelopes of 2+ ounces, your postage costs will
go down. But is that what law firms predominantly send? Heck no.
Typically, you're sending an great proportion of your email in 8.5" x
11" flat tyvec envelopes, or in hugely overstuffed #10 envelopes. And
here is where two significant changes in postal pricing will immediately
and significantly impact law firm postage costs. 

First, let's look at a typical flat (the 8.5" x 11" or larger size tyvec
envelope) with 2 ounces.

First class flat current rate: 39¢ plus 24¢ for each additional ounce
First class flat new rate: 80¢ plus 17¢ for each additional ounce
Bottom line impact on a 2 oz flat: cost INCREASE from 63¢ to 97¢
(a 34¢ = 54% increase)

Get the picture? All we're hearing about is the modest 9% increase on
the standard first class letter, and how those additional ounces will
actually result in a modest savings. And that's all true. But it will be
more than offset by the whopping increase on your flat envelopes.

Next, let's look at the typical overstuffed envelope.

A #10 letter envelope with 12 pages inside will not squeeze through the
1/4" thick dimension. So even though it only weighs approximately 2.4
ounces, it will have to go into a flat. Here is the impact on cost:
First class overstuffed envelope weighing 2.4 oz at current rate: 87¢
Flat envelope weighing 2.4 oz at new rate: $1.14
Bottom line impact on 12-page mailing: cost INCREASE from 87¢ to $1.14
(a 27¢ = 31% increase)

Parcel Post:

Currently, anything heavier than 13 ounces qualifies as a parcel, and
postage costs will very based on a combination of weight and distance.
Under new regulations, anything greater than 3/4" thick qualifies as a
parcel, regardless of weight. That means that some of your current
over-stuffed mail which goes out under first class pricing will be
reclassified as a parcel at much higher pricing. 

A 2 ounce parcel package will be increasing in price from the current
63¢ to $1.30. That represents a 67¢ = 106% increase in price. Add to
that the fact that some of your mail which previously went out under a
much lower rate structure will now be classified as parcel, and you can
only imagine the impact this will have on your bottom line.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP CONTROL THE COST INCREASES?

First, start making better use of electronic transmission of documents.
Remember to keep security in mind. It's time to look seriously at
encryption.

Second, consider switching from a #10 envelope to a 6×9 envelope for
first class mail. Why? You only have to fold items once to get them into
a 6×9, but you have to fold them twice for the #10. By only folding once
you have a much greater likelihood of staying within the thickness
limitation.

For example, let's take another look at those 12 pages which would be
too thick in the #10 envelope and would have to go into a flat at a cost
of $1.14. You can stay within the thickness requirement by using a 6×9
envelope, and reduce the cost to 75¢ . That's a savings of 39¢ = 35%
based on new pricing, just by switching envelope size.

Third, consider switching from a flat (8.5 x 11 or larger tyvec) to a
6×9 envelope. I know we all like to send some things out flat so they
are not folded, but your postage costs for these flats will skyrocket
54% under the new regulations if you don't reconsider.

Fourth, consider two-sided printing on items which are being sent for
review or which do not have to be filed or signed.

Finally, you have to take a hard look at your labor costs once again
when it comes to handling your mail. For small and mid-size firms it has
been cheaper to have a clerk or secretary handle the outgoing mail than
invest in pricey mailing equipment which weighed and automatically set
the postage. Sure, you probably have a scale and meter, but likely
they're not integrated. Now that you have to take thickness and overall
dimensions into account, depending on your volume it may become cheaper
to have a piece of equipment make the decisions, particularly where
determining thickness is concerned. Mistakes will mean returned and
delayed mail. And if you have to do proof of service, it means redoing
that too when items are returned because they are a hair over the
thickness limitations.

If you work with relatively small quantities of mail, you may find a
shape-based template helpful. This device, offered by various postage
meter dealers, and allegedly the USPS (I asked and they have no
knowledge of this template at my local post office, nor can I find it
online at the USPS web site), costs about $75 to $200 and allows you to
measure the dimensions of each piece of mail by hand. The tool features
slots to check thickness and rulers to measure the other dimensions. You
then look up the total cost based on your measurements and the weight of
the package.

The template is impractical for large quantities of mail, though. For
high mail volumes, consider a dynamic weighing platform (DWP). A DWP
automatically measures and weighs your packages to accurately calculate
postage. They're expensive - $4,000 to $5,000 or more - but they let you
automate large quantities of mail quickly. They should also connect
directly to your postage meter to further speed the mailing process.

And before you just decide to put an iron in your mail room in order to
squeeze the mail down to the minimal thickness possible, keep in mind
that there are those pesky rigidity rules which will restrict you from
doing it without risking your mail be returned for yet another reason.

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