MAILING FAQ
“Providing Custom Printing & Graphic Design Services Worldwide”
DIRECT MAIL FAQ
1. Design / approve the artwork for printing. You can upload your own design files but It is necessary for us to print all direct mail orders in house.
2. Provide your Mailing List of contacts & Preferred Postage Rate that each piece will be sent to.
3. Once you approve the artwork and mailing form we’ll begin the processing services with USPS. You will be sent a follow up email within a few days that includes a pay link for the exact cost of postage.
4. After your postage fee is paid you will be sent an additional email with a PAMF for approval. Turnaround will begin shortly after you approve your PAMF and your order will be sent out by USPS. We do not guarantee any specific arrival time/date as all turnaround times are based on estimates provided by USPS and the postage method you select.
• Presorted First Class – minimum 500 pieces
• Non-Presort First Class – minimum 200 pieces
• Non-Profit (Standard) – minimum 200 pieces
This includes the following stocks:
• 100lb book
• 100lb cover 4/1 14 or 16pt
• 4/4 Spot UV or UV Front
• Matte 14pt or 16pt
• 70lb bright white
• A minimum of 200 addresses is required by USPS for Direct Mail.
• A .CSV or .XLS spreadsheet with column headings in the following order: full name, company, address, suite/apt, city, state & zip.
• Remove all unnecessary columns such as e-mail, phone number, multiple addresses and other notes.
• Upload one list per order. Each additional list/tab will be an additional $50 charge.
Note: If the list has already processed on the order, an additional $50 fee will be applied for changes to: postage class and/or adding/removing addresses.
This is an example of how the mailing list should look like on your excel sheet:
Our standard pricing includes a maximum of 5 lines. Additional lines may require an extra setup and setup charge. Please call for details and we will see what we can do to accommodate your request.
We do not archive, transfer, store, or distribute mailing addresses provided by our customers. If you need this list for future orders please ensure you save a copy for yourself.
• Data process of one mailing list (Additionals charges will apply for each additional list)
• C.A.S.S. Certification (Coding Accuracy Support System)
• N.C.O.A (National Change of Address)
• De-dupe list
• Pre-sorting
• Inkjet setup and addressing
• Post Office delivery
The mailing service charge is based on our available quantities below:
250x – $50.00
500x – $75.00
1,000x – $150.00
2,500x – $200.00
5,000x – $250.00
10,000x – $400.00
15,000x – $600.00
25,000x – $1,000.00
50,000x – $1,7500.00
75,000x – $2,750.00
100,000x – $3,750.00
Note: Please be aware that these prices are for processing only. Postage & printing are not applied.
The following classes are offered:
Presorted Standard
• 200 pieces required to qualify for Presort Standard.
• Post office delivery time is estimated two weeks.
• Cheapest postage rate but longest delivery time.
Presorted First Class
• 500 pieces required to qualify for Presort First Class.
• Post office delivery time is estimated 1 – 3 business days.
Non-Presort First Class
• 200 pieces to qualify for Non-Presort First Class.
• Post office delivery time is estimated 1- 3 business days.
• Non-Presort First Class is the same as placing a stamp on an envelope (no discount).
Non-Profit (Standard)
• 200 pieces to qualify for Non-Profit mail.
• You need to provide proper documentation to qualify for Non-Profit rate. *(PS Form 3623)
• Post office delivery time is estimated two weeks (Same as Presort Standard).
• Uses customer’s Non-Profit account with SoCal Print Works permit number.
Lower postage rates are available for letters and cards that are compatible with USPS’s automated processing equipment. This factor is determined by USPS once your mailing list is processed and is based on the addresses on the list. Your final cost of postage may include a combination of pieces that quality and don’t qualify for presorted automation.
No, postage has a separate charge. The actual postage costs will be determined once we process your provided mailing list with USPS.
Please note that we cannot hold any job(s) due to company policy. Any order(s) pending 14 days after the printing has been completed will have mailing services cancelled and the order will be shipped to the default address on the account.
Postage rates are based on USPS machinable mail pieces. Mail delivery times are estimates and are not guaranteed.
We recommend mailing all time-sensitive material using the USPS First Class option.
POSTCARDS: 3.5×5 up to 4.25×6 finish size
Machinable & weight of 3.3 oz or less/ea. piece
Automatic First-Class Postage
First Class (Postcard)
• Presorted Automation: $0.257 – $0.27
• Presorted Non-Automation: $0.28
• Single Piece: $0.35
LETTERS: 3.5×5 up to 6.125×11.5 finish size & SELF-MAILER: 3.5×5 up to 6×10.5 finish size
Machinable & weight of 3.3 oz or less/ea. piece
First Class (Letters & Folded Pieces)
• Presorted Automation: $0.383 – $0.428
• Presorted Non-Automation: $0.459
• Single Piece: $0.55
USPS Marketing Mail (Standard)
• Presorted Automation: $0.256 – $0.291
• Presorted Non-Automation: $0.292 – $0.302
Non-Profit (Letters & Folded Pieces)
• Presorted Automation: $0.138 – $0.173
• Presorted Non-Automation: $0.174 – $0.184
FLAT: 6.125×11.5 up to12x15 finish size
First Class (Flats)
• 1oz – Presorted Automation: $0.486 – $0.727
• 1oz – Presorted Non Automation: $0.799
• 2oz – Presorted Automation: $0.636 – $0.877
• 2oz – Presorted Non Automation: $0.949
• 1oz – Single Piece: $1.00
• 2oz – Single Piece: $1.21
USPS Marketing Mail (Standard)
• Presorted Automation: $0.405 – $0.632
• Presorted Non-Automation: $0.469 – $0.652
Non-Profit (Letters & Folded Pieces)
• Presorted Automation: $0.231 – $0.458
• Presorted Non-Automation: $0.295 – $0.478
This is an acronym for: Proof Authorization Mailing Form. This is a proof we email to you after the postage payment has been received and printing is completed. The proof will show the indicia and one random name from your list on the printed piece to show its placement.
• 200x – 25,000x = 1-3 business days
• 25,000x – 75,000x = 3-5 business days
• 75,000x – 100,000x = 5-7 business days
Note: PAMF form submitted on a business day before the 1 P.M. (PST) deadline will be considered the first day of turnaround.
You will have the option to ship the remainders to your default address, drop ship the remainders to an address of your choosing, or have us recycle them for you. Please note, extra fees will be added for shipping provided by UPS.
Unfortunately, mailing service is only offered to customers that want to use our permit.
No, mailing service can only be done with jobs printed by us. We cannot address or tab jobs done by other printers as well.
We do not recommend or give any guarantees on this. Our ink jet machine uses a solvent-based ink and has a heating system to dry the ink. If you would still like to use a different mailing house, we suggest taking a sample of the product you will order to the mailing house for their approval.
• Completed Non-Profit 3623 Form (please verify that all information is correct). Form can be downloaded here: Click here to download the 3623 Form.
• Include the Non-Profit organization name and address as the return address on the mail piece artwork. Organization name and address must match the name and address on 3623 Form.
Please Note:
• Processing time for bundling your product is not included in the turnaround time that you select when placing your order.
• Please add 1 to 2 days to your turnaround time for this service.
• The type of band we use may vary subject to availability (Paper band shown below).
• The maximum quantity offered for bundling is 25,000 pieces.
Mailing terms & conditions
Mailing pieces must not have UV coating on the postage side to allow for addressing. All mailing orders must be paid in full along with a completed PAMF (Proof Authorization Mailing Form) approval before mailing. “Mailing Proof” approved before the 1 P.M. (P.S.T.) deadline will be considered the first day of turnaround.
Postage rates are subject to change without notice by USPS. SoCal Print Works is not liable for any improper order/request placed by the customer.
*Quantities exceeding 25,000 may take longer than the typical 1-3 business days to turn around. All remainder/samples cannot be sent out prior to mailing.