Bulk mail is a mailing discount service which is offered by the United State Postal Service for those, such as businesses, who prepare and send large amounts of mail. If you or your company regularly send out standard-sized mailings in an amount equal to or greater than the numbers below, you may be able to save money but working directly with a printer. They can offer direct mail production and distribution rather than taking your pre-printed pieces to the post office.
Bulk price mail is cheaper than USPS regularly priced single piece of mail. Single piece means you’re paying full price for a standard piece of mail delivered by USPS.
How many pieces do you need to send to qualify for bulk mail?
Below is a list of exactly how many verifiable pieces you need to send in order to qualify for bulk mailing discounts. If you’re sending as much or more than this, it can be more cost-effective to apply to a bulk mail program or work with a direct mail printer.
You’ll need to send a minimum:
- 300 pieces for Presorted or Carrier Route Bound Printed Matter
- 300 pieces for Library Mail
- 300 pieces for Media Mail500 pieces for First-Class Mail
- 200 pieces (or 50 pounds of mail) for Standard Mail
- 50 pieces for Parcel Select (also known as Standard Post)
How do I get a bulk mail discount?
First, you’ll need a mailing permit, basically an allowance to send large amounts of postage from a single facility. You can apply for this at your USPS Business Mail Acceptance Unit, which is also where you will drop off your bulk mail. Then you will have to pay the annual mailing fee.