1st Class
vs. STD Mail
Advantages
& Disadvantages
First
Class Mail:
Advantages:
Fast Delivery: In state First Class mail is generally delivered
in 1 to 2 days, and rarely takes longer than a week to anywhere
in the continental U.S.
1st
class delivery standards (by number of days) click HERE
Returned Mail: Bad addresses and moves that
are 12 to 18 months old are returned to the sender at no charge.
Moves within 12 months automatically get forwarded (or could be
through the use of postal endorsements) or are returned to the
sender. In either case there is no additional charge.
Postal
Employees Try Harder: Postal employees are instructed to make
every effort to delivery First Class mail. If there are missing
components of the address or bad handwriting there is still a
good chance it will get delivered.
More Likely To Be Opened: Because things of importance
(bills, invoices, & personal correspondence) are mailed First
Class, recipients often feel compelled to open them.
Disadvantages:
Cost: The postage on First Class mail is higher than some
other classes of mail to compensate for the additional services
provided.
Weight/Cost: The cost of First Class mail increase in 1
oz. increments, whereas Standard mail does not increase the rate
based on weight until the mail piece exceeds 3.3 oz.
Weight Restriction: A First Class piece of mail cannot
exceed 13 oz.
Standard
Mail (Bulk Rate)
Advantages:
Low Cost: Standard mail has significantly lower rates than
other classes of mail.
Same Rate Up To 3.3 oz: For Standard mail there is no rate
increase based on weight until the mail piece exceeds 3.3 oz.
Disadvantages:
Slower Delivery: For delivery within state, Standard mail
typically takes 3 - 5 business days. For out-of-state deliveries,
the typical deliver time increases to 8 - 15 days. For Standard
mail there is no guaranteed delivery time.
Link
to standard mail delivery standards (by days) - Click HERE
Not
Required To Return Mail: The Post Office is not required to
return undeliverable mail. Most of the time, the Post Office throws
away Standard mail that is not deliverable. However, additional
fees can be paid to be notified of moves or bad addresses with
the use of endorsements.
Qualification: To qualify for Standard rate mail, there
must be a minimum of 200 pieces (or 50 lbs.), all pieces must
be the same weight and content.
