Avoid the USPS Top Mailing Mistake

Published by Mail Movers Editorial Team on 2024-07-15

The number one mistake mailers make is failing to properly prepare their mail for USPS automation processing. This single error can cost you thousands in postage surcharges, delayed delivery, and returned mail.

The Mistake: Non-Automation-Compatible Mail

USPS automation equipment reads barcodes and addresses at high speed. When your mail piece doesn't meet automation requirements — wrong barcode placement, unreadable addresses, incorrect tab placement, or non-standard sizes — it gets kicked out of the automated stream and processed manually at much higher postage rates.

Why It Costs You Money

The difference between automation rates and non-automation rates can be $0.10-$0.15 per piece. On a 10,000-piece mailing, that's $1,000-$1,500 in unnecessary postage. Plus, non-automated mail takes longer to deliver, potentially missing your marketing window.

Common Causes

Incorrect address block placement (must be in the lower-right portion of the piece), missing or malformed Intelligent Mail Barcodes (IMb), improper tabbing on self-mailers (USPS has specific tab size and placement rules), and non-standard piece dimensions all trigger manual processing.

How to Avoid It

Work with a USPS Full-Service Certified mail house that checks every piece against current postal regulations before production. At Mail Movers, we verify your design meets automation specs during the proof stage — before you've spent money on printing. Our presort software generates compliant barcodes and our lettershop equipment applies tabs to USPS specifications.

Mail Movers is a USPS Full-Service Certified provider in Salisbury, MD. We ensure every piece we process qualifies for the lowest available automation postage rates.