[buymycards]

One thing to keep in mind is that a few days ago, a new rule was put in place for first class packages. The surface of the package now has to be big enough to contain the address, return address, postage, and the tracking bar code label, on the surface of the package. This means that some of the smaller bubble mailers, and some of the smaller boxes, will not be able to be mailed at the first class rates.

The reason for this change is that a lot of people who print their postage at home are wrapping the barcode around the package so the bar code is on the side or the bottom. The high speed package sorting machines have difficulty reading these barcodes, so these packages may not show any tracking history or they may be delayed. In addition, it is easier for a letter carrier to miss the barcode during delivery, so the package may not be scanned as delivered. We tell the carriers to turn each package over to make sure, but sometimes when they have been out in the below zero weather for several hours and they are performing their 500th delivery of the day, it is easy to miss a scan.

Anyway, you might want to stop using the 3x5 and possibly the 4x6 bubble envelopes and the really small card boxes, because they will no longer be mailable. I am giving my customers a couple of months to use their remaining inventory of boxes and bubble envelopes and this will give me time to educate my customers on the new rule.

The rule will be officially published on Jan 17th, but it takes effect immediately.

Rick