Direct Mail & Mailing Industry Glossary
A comprehensive glossary of direct mail, printing, and mailing industry terms used by Mail Movers and the USPS. Understanding these terms helps you communicate effectively with your mailing partner and make informed decisions about your campaigns.
A–C
- Automation Mail
- Mail that meets USPS requirements for automated processing — including proper addressing, barcoding, and size specifications — qualifying for discounted postage rates.
- BRE (Business Reply Envelope)
- A pre-addressed, postage-paid return envelope included in mailings. The mailer pays postage only on envelopes that are returned.
- CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System)
- USPS certification program that validates address-matching software. CASS processing standardizes addresses and adds ZIP+4 codes.
- Carrier Route
- The specific delivery route assigned to a USPS mail carrier. Sorting mail by carrier route qualifies for the deepest presort discounts.
- Commingling
- Combining mail from multiple mailers into a single presorted mailing to achieve higher sort levels and deeper postage discounts.
D–F
- DPV (Delivery Point Validation)
- USPS process that confirms an address is a real, deliverable location — not a vacant lot or non-existent apartment number.
- EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail)
- USPS program allowing mailers to deliver to every address on selected carrier routes without a mailing list, at reduced postage rates.
- Full-Service
- USPS program requiring unique IMb barcodes on every piece and electronic documentation, in exchange for the deepest automation discounts and mail tracking.
G–L
- IMb (Intelligent Mail Barcode)
- The USPS standard 65-bar barcode for letter and flat mail. Encodes routing, tracking, and mailer identification data.
- Informed Delivery
- Free USPS service that emails subscribers grayscale scans of their incoming mail each morning. Mailers can add interactive campaigns with full-color images and clickable URLs.
- Lettershop
- The physical preparation of mail for USPS entry — including inserting, tabbing, addressing, barcoding, and sorting.
M–P
- Marketing Mail
- USPS mail class for advertising and promotional mail. Lower postage rates than First-Class but longer delivery times (3–10 business days).
- NCOALink (National Change of Address)
- USPS database of address changes filed in the last 48 months. Processing your list against NCOALink updates addresses for people who have moved.
- Presort
- Sorting mail by ZIP code before delivery to USPS. Presorting qualifies for discounted postage rates because it reduces USPS processing work.
Q–Z
- Variable Data Printing (VDP)
- Digital printing technology that allows each piece in a print run to have unique text, images, or offers — personalized from a data file.
- Wafer Seal
- A small adhesive tab used to seal self-mailers and folded pieces per USPS regulations.