Bulk Mail and Postal Discounts by ZIP

## Bulk Mail Economics

USPS Marketing Mail (formerly Standard Mail) is how businesses send catalogs, flyers, and promotional pieces at rates far below First-Class. The key: presorting mail by ZIP code before handing it to the USPS.

## Discount Tiers

| Sort Level | Discount | Requirement |
|-----------|----------|-------------|
| Basic (unsorted) | 0% | Just pay full rate |
| Mixed ADC | 5-10% | Sorted by Area Distribution Center |
| ADC | 10-15% | 10+ pieces to same 3-digit ZIP prefix |
| 3-Digit | 15-25% | 10+ pieces to same 3-digit ZIP |
| 5-Digit | 25-35% | 10+ pieces to same 5-digit ZIP |
| Carrier Route | 35-50% | 10+ pieces to same carrier route |

The more you presort, the less work the USPS does, and the more you save.

## Requirements

To qualify for bulk mail rates:

- **Minimum quantity** — 200 pieces or 50 pounds per mailing
- **CASS certification** — Addresses must be processed through CASS-certified software
- **ZIP+4 coding** — All addresses must include ZIP+4
- **Barcoding** — Intelligent Mail Barcode on every piece
- **Presort documentation** — Postage statement and tray labels

## The Presort Process

Presort software automates the sorting:

1. **CASS process** — Standardize addresses, add ZIP+4
2. **NCOA** — Update moved addresses (required within 95 days)
3. **Sort** — Group by carrier route → 5-digit → 3-digit → ADC
4. **Tray/sack** — Package mail in USPS-approved containers
5. **Label** — Apply destination labels with barcode
6. **Documentation** — Generate postage statement

## Savings Example

For a 100,000-piece mailing:

| Method | Per Piece | Total Cost | Savings |
|--------|-----------|------------|--------|
| First-Class (no discount) | $0.68 | $68,000 | — |
| Marketing Mail (basic) | $0.32 | $32,000 | $36,000 |
| Marketing Mail (5-digit sort) | $0.22 | $22,000 | $46,000 |
| Marketing Mail (carrier route) | $0.18 | $18,000 | $50,000 |

## Commingling

Smaller mailers who can't fill trays to a single ZIP can use commingling services: a third party combines mail from multiple senders to achieve deeper sort levels and better discounts.