Primer on Various Direct Mail Classification Options

At Sun Print Solutions, we’re proud to be your go-to experts for all direct mail printing and sending needs. We’re USPS IMB Full Service Certified, meaning we can handle your printing and mailing from start to finish, helping you save money and improve your delivery accuracy and tracking formats. When it comes to the US Postal Service, there are several different mail designations that might be used depending on your needs for speed of delivery and other factors. Our experts are fully in tune with every option at your disposal here, including any regulations or restrictions present. Let’s go over a broad primer on the general types of mail classifications out there, plus the pricing and delivery details generally associated with each.

First Class Mail

First class mail is the top classification offered by USPS, the one that ensures the fastest processing and delivery possible. It costs 55 cents per mail piece when you use a stamp or 50 cents per piece when you use an indicia. In exchange for this price, USPS guarantees that all mail will be processed within two days maximum. As a result, mailed pieces will arrive at their destination within two to five days. First class is the classification to use if you need a quick, reliable delivery for time-sensitive materials, including event reminders and similar needs.

Pre-Sorted First Class

The name here can be a bit deceiving – “pre-sorted” makes it sound like an upgrade from standard first class, but that’s not actually the case. Rather, pre-sorted first class mail is a bit cheaper, costing 42.5 cents per piece as long as you order at least 500 pieces. Using pre-sorted first class mail, your pieces will arrive within three to seven days at their stated locations. This format is used for larger mailings where you want the pieces to arrive quickly, but you also have cost limitations to consider.

Standard Mail

Also called bulk mail, standard mail is the most common form of mail classification used by marketers and other mailing companies. Costs can vary slightly here depending on your exact business type and needs, but standard mail costs tend to run closer to 30 cents per piece on average. Now, as you may have guessed, standard mail is considered lower-priority and will not be sorted or delivered as quickly. Pieces will process within a week, and then will be delivered within five to 14 days. Standard mailing can save major dollar amounts if you don’t mind waiting a bit longer for arrival, so it’s commonly used for marketing efforts where time-sensitivity is not an issue.

Non-Profit Mail

If you work with or for a non-profit organization, the potential exists for major discounts from USPS. Letters and other flat mail pieces can cost as little as 18 cents per piece, though you’ll have to follow several specific procedures when it comes to sorting, tagging and even paperwork – simply being a non-profit organization does not get you these discounts by itself. Non-profit mail will be processed and delivered in similar time ranges to standard mail. For more on important direct mail classifications, or to learn about any of our digital printing or offset printing services, speak to the staff at Sun Print Solutions today.