OCR = Optical Character Reader – Arial or Helvetica fonts are preferred.

HINT: If you barcode your addresses, it changes the whole picture and procedure and can add additional savings as well as timely delivery to the scenario. (See my article about Database Hygiene).

Did I use a Post Office Box & or Physical Address?

Only the "Post Office" accepts PO BOX addressed mail. 

Is it a Residential or Commercial address?

HINT: Dual addressing may not be an easy fix to fight address corrections if you formatted the address label having the PO Box on the line above the city and state.

The ZIP Code will be based on the PO BOX address and some PO BOX ZIP codes are unique to the sorting process, so you may get charged for a ZIP code address correction by major shipping companies, NOT the Postal Service.

HINT: PO Box delivery is a powerful delivery tool. Companies pay for PO Box's because they can be assured of getting their business mail earlier than when the US Postal Service may have them scheduled on their route AND many times MUCH earlier than your major package carriers will arrive.

PO BOX delivery beats all major carriers to the door, unless you pay them additional surcharges, which in some cases, can be cost prohibitive and dig into your profit margins.

Do I need to use Bubble Wrap or Popcorn for damage control?

YES! even though some companies include, in their pricing, the first $100.00 worth of value as insured. Have you ever gone through the process of retrieving your insured value after the fact? It's not a pleasant experience.

What may I or can I not mail?

Is it Fragile? Is it hazardous? Is it alive?

Make sure you check with your local post office or read the contents of Publication 52.

Do I need to Insure it?

Make sure you know which shipper insures the first $100 of value or can you afford to self insure?

HINT: You're not insured by the Postal Service unless you pay for it. Don't get caught coming back to the Postal Service for refunds unless you've paid the piper for the required service and have your receipts handy. 

HINT: Don’t use string or scotch tape, and especially don't use masking tape for packaging. Use strong wrapping tapes. No company likes string any longer because it gets caught in machinery.

HINT: Always use a return address and a duplicate TO & FROM ADDRESS inside your package in case of damage.

Do I need Special Services?

Is Certified, Insured, Delivery/Signature Confirmation, Registered or Insured services by the Postal Service needed?

Do I need to Track & Trace the package?

Some companies offer this as no extra charge; (you and I know the price of that service is buried in their package price somewhere so watch yourself) If you use the on-line label service by the U.S.P.S, you can get Delivery Confirmation for FREE.

HINT: Have an employee check your outgoing tracking numbers everyday and if the package was not delivered in the guaranteed time, request for refunds. Hundreds of dollars can be recovered annually from initiating this Best Practice Procedure.

Do I REALLY need overnight or Two-day service?  Ouch!

75% of expedited mail never gets opened at the time it’s received, do you really need to expedite it?

I can't begin to "preach" enough about how many valuable shipping dollars are wasted using Overnight Services especially in certain delivery mile radiuses. Check out Ground Services First.

USE THE BEST COST SAVING METHOD & VENDOR