WHAT IS BULK MAIL?

Depending on the message you are sending out, the design and weight of the mailer and the distribution density of your list, there is a range of postage rates for addressed admail shown below with links to the Canada Post website.

TYPES OF BULK MAIL

• postcards, cards
• newsletters
• self mailers
• envelopes with inserts containing advertising material

Addressed Admail Postal Options
There are two size categories - Short & Long or Oversize and two postal processes for using Addressed Admail.

Presort (most economical for mailings over 5,000 pieces). Special software is required to sort your postal codes and calculate the postage. Bundling and delivery codes are assigned and enable the mail to be "prepped".

Machineable option eliminates the postal code sort and bundling processes, however, design, size, weight and thickness factors play a more important role as does placement of the address. If you mail between 1,000 and 5,000 pieces, the machineable option may be less expensive. The postal code area must be free from graphics and the printed address or label should be straight. The mail will be processed like first class mail going through the scanning machines at the post office.

What does not qualify for Addressed Admail? Invoices, statements, market research, newsletters that are paid subscriptions or that present news or opinions.

Dimensional Admail - Advertising material that is thicker than ¾” promoting your product or service. Types of promotional material in this category are boxes, videos and samples. Dimensional Addressed Admail postage rates

Publications - Newspapers, magazines and newsletters containing information of interest as opposed to an advertising newsletter. Publications mail postage rates

Catalogues – Bound printed matter designed to sell or promote products or services. Minimum volume 2,500. Smaller volumes will be accepted but the minimum charge would be for 2,500. Catalogue rates

Business Reply Mail – Card or envelope that is used by your prospects or customers to reply to you with their order, donation or other type of response. You pay postage on items mailed back to you and there is no minimum. Business Reply Mail rates

Unaddressed Admail – A database is NOT used in this category. Delivery is determined by choosing a postal area in Canada as opposed to a specific address. Volume depends on number of houses or businesses in a chosen area, therefore the 1,000 minimum does not apply. Types of advertising material in this category are flyers, brochures, samples. Unaddressed Admail postage rates

IMPORTANT POINTS TO KNOW ABOUT USING ADMAIL

Postal Indicia - An indicia does the job of a postage stamp except it is printed on the envelope or self mailer and must be printed on your mailpiece if it weighs over 50 grams. Canada Post has recently changed several of them. Link to all postal indicias. Indicia artwork

Below is a sample of the Addressed Admail indicia.

Metering

The word "Bulk" has been eliminated from meter machine imprints and is replaced with "Addressed Admail". The meter imprint is allowable for a weight of up to 50 grams only. Old postage meters are being phased out and by December 31, 2006 every old meter will have to be replaced. The new digital meters print a barcode in the postal area. Contact us for more information before you sign a new lease.

To receive the reduced postage rate for mailings of 5,000 or more, every list will go through a computer process to verify that the addresses are deliverable. What may look like a correct address may not be true when compared against the Canada Post master list of all addresses in Canada. After the comparison, an accuracy report is generated and it must show a 95% rate of accuracy to qualify for the reduced postage rates. Otherwise, a penalty of 5 cents will be added to each address on top of the postage for the percentage of records below 95%.

Ignoring the quality and accuracy of address data (street, city, province/state and postal/zip code) will damage your marketing results and increase your costs. Read our FREE report on How Accurate is Your List?

Here is a list of the provinces and the 2 letter designations.

NL - Newfoundland & Labrador
NS - Nova Scotia
QC - Quebec
SK - Saskatchewan
AB - Alberta
YT - Yukon
NB - New Brunswick
PE - Prince Edward Island
ON - Ontario
MB - Manitoba
BC - British Columbia
NT - Northwest Territories
NU - Nunavut

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