Ben Speaks Out!

Bug Ben with your postal questions, he is hard to stump.

We dug up Ben Franklin, the 1^st Postmaster of the USPS, to help us out with some of the grave issues facing the postal industry today.

Dear Ben:

I took my nice 6” square Christmas cards to the post office and they added a “non machineable” surcharge to mail them. What are they over there, a bunch of scrooges? It will cost me $.58 each and not $.41, an increase of 42%!!

Misled in Minnetonka

Dear Misled:

I suggest that you put a computer on your Christmas list so that you can go to the July Issue of Mail Pro on Line and get more information. Or even better consult the nifty Hasler Shape Based Pricing Templates which will tell you instantly if your mail falls into the “non machineable” category. If the length of your letter divided by the height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5, and weighs 3.5 oz or less it is “nonmachinable”. If your card weighed more than 3.5 oz you would pay the flat rate and really have something to complain about. Now go have some eggnog and chill out…

Dear Ben:

I received a letter yesterday saying that my postage machine is being “decertified” and that I will have to get a new one next year. That seems like very short notice. What gives? The last thing I wanted on my Christmas list was a postage machine.

Disgruntled in Des Moines

Dear Disgruntled:

Well the good news is that you are not being decertified, that could be a problem. The truth of the matter is that the “Phase IV” decertified meters need to be off the market by December 31, 2008, that is NEXT December.

However, most who have decertified meters are considering their options now, and for good reason. Hasler is offering some great deals on machines before the end of this year, and by getting one now, you will enjoy all of the benefits of the latest technology and avoid the last minute crush and potential business disruption caused by waiting. So keep that postage machine on your Christmas list, you can get your X Box next year. If you have any questions about decertification don’t hesitate to contact my friends at San Diego Postal & Shipping Equipment, they can help you out with questions on any machine. Sales@sdpostal.com

Back to Newsletter

(SDP Home)