1. Shipping 101 Shipping Best Practices Southern Tier Postal Customer Council

2. Why should you use the U.S. Postal Service for ALL of your mailing and shipping needs?  The U.S. Postal Service operates the largest civilian vehicle fleet in the world. - The Postal Service delivers more items in one day than FedEx does in a year! - The Postal Service delivers more items in one week than UPS does in a year!  In the past, shipping and mailing, were often handled and shipped by different carriers. Today, many businesses have combined these services, to capitalize on the strengths of the U.S. Postal Service.  With their innovative packaging, volume discounts, and suite of online services, the U.S. Postal Service should be your shipper of choice.  Tracking has become an essential element in USPS shipping since visibility is key to customer satisfaction. Tracking for Priority and Standard Post (formerly Parcel Post) is now free for all transactions, including retail. Using USPS as your primary carrier

3. Recommendations  For items that should be tracked, but do not guarantee next day delivery, Priority Mail Flat rate with free Tracking or Signature Confirmation (for a fee), is a great alternative to UPS and FedEx.  Priority Mail Flat rate letter pricing begins at $5.75, (Commercial Pricing, $5.05), is typically delivered overnight locally, and within 48 hours across most of the country! Getting on Track with USPS

4. For example: -Priority Mail letter pricing begins at $5.75 -USPS signature confirmation: $2.90 Total: $8.65 Or -USPS Tracking: Free Total: $5.75 -UPS 2 nd day envelope rates begin at $15.97 -Fed Ex. 2 nd day envelope rates begin at $16.73 To track your letter: www.usps.com Getting on Track with USPS

5.  In many cases, Priority Mail is an unbeatable value! With the U.S. Postal Service: -No fuel or residential surcharges. -No Saturday pickup or delivery surcharges. With UPS and Fed Ex: -Additional surcharges for fuel and residential delivery. -Additional surcharges for Saturday pickup and delivery. U.S. Postal Service packaging is provided free of charge. Also unique Flat Rate packaging guarantees the same low price! For price information and tracking a letter/package, just visit www.usps.com. Getting on Track with USPS

6.  If your shipment must arrive tomorrow, a Priority Mail Express flat rate envelope offers all of the same “perks” as Priority Mail with guaranteed next-day delivery by noon or 3 PM. Sunday, holiday, and 10:30 a.m. scheduled delivery service available for a small fee! ($5.00 retail or online)*. -USPS Priority Mail Express envelope $19.99 (commercial pricing-$18.11). -Saturday Pickup and Delivery= Free -Commercial and Residential Delivery= Free -UPS Next day air envelope: Rates begin at $22.39 (commercial pricing-$20.04) -UPS Next day air saver envelope (3 PM): Rates begin at $20.24. -Saturday Pickup= $15 -Saturday Delivery= $15 -Residential Delivery surcharge= $2.75 -Commercial Delivery surcharge= $2.00 -Fuel surcharge= $2.65 & Area surcharge= $2.24 Getting on Track with USPS

7. Summary The U.S. Postal Service also offers a new service to save you time and $$$!  Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes- Are a low-cost shipping alternative for commercial and online customers currently using either Priority Mail or Merchandise Return Service. Regional Rate Boxes are best utilized for small, dense packages being shipped short distances, that need to arrive in 2-3 days. A few of the features include:  Free Package Pickup.  Includes Delivery Confirmation when you ship online.  Saturday delivery and residential delivery at no extra cost.  The only 2-3 day service that delivers to mailboxes, mail slots, and PO Boxes.  Zone pricing keeps costs low. Other USPS services

8.  Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes***- Like flat rate, but zone based.  Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes- Ship packages in 3 different size boxes and weights: - A up to 15 lbs. Rates starting at $5.32 - B up to 20 lbs. Rates starting at $6.16 - C up to 25 lbs. Rates starting at $9.85 **Regional Rate boxes can only be ordered thru the USPS website. Prices shown are with online postage. If postage is paid at Retail, an additional $.75 is charged. Please plan ahead when you order supplies. It usually takes 2 -3 weeks to receive packaging. Delivery within 2 days in most cases. For additional information visit www.usps.com. Other USPS services

9.  Offer discounts from Retail Prices  How can you receive these discounts as a personal or business operation?  Click N Ship  Endicia.com  Stamps.com  Meter customers-with IMpB compatibility Commercial Base Pricing

10. Other benefits of IMpb use include:  The best commercial prices with the largest discount available  Piece-level tracking information at no additional charge for most products  Access to new products, services, and enhanced features Benefits of IMpb for Mailers 10 The Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb) offers a number of benefits to mailers by providing piece-level visibility throughout USPS™ processing and delivery operations

11. IMpb Requirements: Applicable Classes of Mail 11 Effective January 2015, the Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb) requirements are changing for all parcels entered through commercial channels including, but not limited to:  Priority Mail Express TM  Priority Mail ®  First-Class TM Package Services  Parcel Select  Parcel Select Lightweight  Postage paid by: ■Permit imprint ■Postage meter ■PC Postage ® ■Precancelled stamps ■Franked Mail or Official Mail Accounting System

12. IMpb Requirements Effective January 2015 12 Requirements Effective January 25, 2015  Use a unique Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb) on each mailpiece ■Prepared in accordance with DMM 708.5.1  Submit an electronic Shipping Services File (SSF), version 1.6 (or higher) ■Include the correct destination delivery address or ZIP+4 Code in the SSF Refer to SSF layout specifications in Publication 199 https://ribbs.usps.gov/intelligentmail_package/documents/tech_guides/PUB199IMPBImpGuide.pdf https://ribbs.usps.gov/intelligentmail_package/documents/tech_guides/PUB199IMPBImpGuide.pdf To receive commercial rates, mailers must comply with the following requirements:

13. Recipient delivery address or ZIP+4 is required  Complete piece level delivery address information includes:  Addressee name (required when needed for the service)  Private mail box designator and number  Urbanization name  Street number and name  Secondary Address unit designation and number  City and state  Correct 5-digit ZIP Code or ZIP+4 Code Note: elements of a complete address are described in DMM 602.1.4.2 IMpb Requirement: Shipping Services File (SSF) 13

14. Questions?

15. Grace Mueller US Postal Service 30 Karner Road Albany, N.Y. 12288 Grace.E.Mueller@usps.gov 518-452-2308 (Office) Contact Information