36,000 pieces per hour

Have you ever wondered why the post office has so many rules and regulations for creating direct mail? Well, let me explain a few things and then I have a real treat for you. When you design a postcard or any mailing package, you need to keep the post office in mind. Not only does the overall size of the piece matter but also the thickness of the paper.

The min. size for postcard rate is 5″ x 3 1/2″ and the max. is 6″ x 4 1/4″, but you can go larger, keeping in mind the ratio and you are now moving into a letter rate for postage. If you stay at the smaller size, you should use at least 9 pt. stock, anything larger you should go to 10 – 12 pt. stock. You ask why? Well, take a look at this video. This machine is literally processing 36,000 pieces per hour. If your piece is too thin, then it could cause a snag in this machine and boy, can you imagine what happens! Next time you look in your mail box and you notice that your postcard is a little beat up – now you know why.