Mailers must use two bands to secure all bundles of presorted flat-size mail and irregular parcels when those bundles are not shrink wrapped, under a final rule published by the U.S. Postal Service in the Federal Register.

The new standards take effect April 30, but the USPS encourages mailers to follow them immediately. The rule requires mailers to use at least two bands, one around the length and one around the width, when only banding is used to secure bundles of flat-size and irregular parcel mail pieces. This eliminates the option to place only one band around bundles 1-inch thick or less. The ability of bundles to remain intact is crucial for the new, high-speed automated package processing system, the USPS filing said. This year, 74 of these APPS next-generation package sorters will be deployed in the USPS network. APPS uses optical character and barcode readers to improve distribution productivity. APPS is replacing many of the older-technology small parcel bundle sorters and is driving the need for 100 percent readable and accurate package barcodes. "When bundles break open, we lose the value of mailers' presort, and we must handle individual pieces manually," the USPS said. Manual handling of mail pieces from broken or loose bundles delays delivery and increases USPS processing costs.

The agency received comments after proposing this issue in November, according to the filing. One commenter said it may be difficult to use two bands and maintain visible address and presort information on the top piece of each bundle, especially because secure bundles with visible addresses and presort designations are key APPS requirements.

The USPS responded that mailers may use clear, smooth strapping or place the address on an unobscured part of the mail piece, such as in the center of one quadrant on the face of the mail piece. Mailers may avoid banding altogether by shrink wrapping bundles.

—DMNews

A service that lets consumers request to have currently received and new catalogs forwarded after they move has drawn a 23 percent online response rate since it launched in September.

The U.S. Postal Service's free Catalog Request Card lets consumers inform catalogers of their new address and sign up to have new catalogs sent to that address. It helps the USPS direct catalogs to the moving public, letting retailers stay connected with current customers and obtain new ones. The total number of catalogs requested—online and offline—was 4.09 million, the USPS said. The average number of current catalogs requested per change of address was 1.4, and the average number of new catalogs requested was 4.68.

Nineteen catalogers are participating, including Coldwater Creek, HP Shopping, Lands' End, Plow & Hearth, Pottery Barn, The Sharper Image, Smith & Noble and Spiegel.

Unlike First-Class mail and Periodicals, catalogs and Standard mail are not forwarded to customers when they move.

—DMNews