Learn About Bulk Mailing and Tracking → USPS Proposes Axing Bound Printed Matter

USPS proposes axing Bound Printer Matter category

USPS: book mailers are "capable of looking after their own interests."

ScottScott
 Postage $aver Software


A USPS proposal to eliminate the Bound Printed Matter (BPM) category of commercial postage rates would particularly slam sellers of paperback books who could face much higher postage rates and lose the ability to track their shipments. It will also mean higher postage rates for hardback book sellers, catalog mailers and others using BPM rates.

The proposal is under review by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), which will accept public comments through February 7, 2025 March 7, 2025.

USPS anticipated that they would implement this change as soon as July, 2025, but the PRC has stated that they will not complete their analysis in time for that to happen. So the timetable is not currently known, except that it likely would be later than July.

All book sellers would pay higher Media Mail parcel rates

Under the proposal, book sellers who currently use low-cost BPM postage rates would be offered higher Media Mail rates instead. USPS claims these two services are essentially equal for book sellers, except for the rates. But Media Mail is an inferior product in several important ways.

1.) While BPM, like most postal products, has separate rates for flats and parcels, Media Mail combines the two.

That means that a one-pound hardback that currently costs $2.48 to mail as a presorted BPM parcel would increase to $4.40 using Media Mail. But a one-pound paperback that now costs only $1.73 to mail as a presorted BPM flat would now also jump to $4.40, an 154% increase, even though flats cost USPS less to process than parcels! (See a more detailed rate comparison below.)

2.) Unlike BPM, there is currently no Informed Visibility tracking for Media Mail flats. Without tracking, book sellers who use any of the major selling platforms that require tracking numbers (eBay, etc.) could not use Media Mail unless they prepared and submitted their mailing as a parcel.

USPS could solve this problem by allowing Media Mail flats to be tracked using the same Informed Visibility barcodes as are currently used for BPM flats, but USPS not addressed that possibility in its announced plans.

3.) Mailers can use their permit imprint for postage on any quantity of BPM. But for Media Mail, a permit can only be used for shipments of at least 50 pounds or 200 pieces (50 pieces for USPS Ship customers). For smaller nonpresorted shipments, Media Mail shippers must put actual postage on each piece using a postage meter, PC postage, etc. This adds work to the shipping process and complicates accounting, compared with having all shipments charged to the permit account.

Again, it would be easy for USPS to solve this by allowing permits to be used on single-piece Media Mail, just as it currently is for BPM, but USPS has not announced such a change.

For catalog mailers, expanded Marketing Mail would replace BPM

Catalog mailers are the other big users of BPM rates, besides book sellers. USPS has done a better job of keeping catalog mailers whole. But they will still face rate increases and the same issue of not being able to use their permit for smaller mailings.

Catalog mailers now typically use Marketing Mail for catalogs under one pound, but use BPM for heavier pieces since Marketing Mail has a one-pound maximum. (Book sellers do not use Marketing Mail since it cannot be used for order fulfillment.)

USPS proposes moving all catalog mailers to an expanded category of Marketing Mail, for which it would allow flats to weigh up to 20 ounces (24 ounces for carrier route mailings) and parcels to weigh up to 15 pounds.

BPM currently allows both flats and parcels to weigh up to 15 pounds, the proposed new limits would force flats over 20 (or 24) ounces to be prepared and mailed as parcels.

Marketing Mail currently requires a minimum quantity of 200 pieces or 50 pounds per mailing, while BPM has no minimum. USPS proposes establishing new categories with no minimum quantities for heavier Marketing Mail flats and parcels, with prices starting at one pound. USPS would also allow printed matter to exceed the current restrictive size limits for commercial Marketing Mail parcels.

The biggest impact here, other than a rate increase, would be that mailers could not use permit imprint for smaller quantity mailings, and that mailers of flats heavier than 20 ounces would find themselves forced into the more expensive parcels category.

Why is USPS singling out book sellers?

While USPS makes great effort to explain how it's protecting catalog mailers, it seems to throw shade on book sellers. In its justification to the PRC, USPS argues that "81 percent [of all BPM] was sent by just 10 large corporate mailers" (72% of all BPM flats, 91% of all BPM parcels). From these numbers it concludes that the affected book mailers are "a small number of sophisticated commercial entities that are more than capable of looking after their own interests."

And for those large shippers, USPS may be right. After all, large shippers can negotiate private rates with USPS through "Negotiated Service Agreements", which smaller mailers cannot access, a point USPS makes in its own defense.

So the customers who will be hit the hardest are not the 10 large corporate mailers, but the smaller mailers, particularly those who send the other 28% of BPM flats.

Is "simplification" bad?

USPS claims to be doing this in part to simplify their rate structure. That, in itself, is not a bad thing.

The postal categories, especially for parcels, have been a mishmash of size, weight and content rules that most everyone finds confusing. Most of the rules made sense when first established, but with new equipment and changes in the market, have become counterproductive. USPS made great progress simplifying standards for parcels in 2024 and should be applauded for that, and that work continues with robust industry involvement.

But is eliminating BPM, while creating two new price structures for printed matter using Marketing Mail, really a simplification? Or does it just add new confusion while justifying a big jump in prices for certain mailers?

Here's where to read the complete documents:

USPS proposal to eliminate Bound Printer Matter rates

USPS proposal to expand Marketing Mail categories

Postal Regulatory Commission notice and request for comments for both USPS proposals

Want to provide comments to the PRC?

The PRC accepts comments and questions about USPS proposals through a very specific process. If you are interested in submitting comments, please use the help tool on this page to reach out to me for details. Or go to prc.gov and figure it out yourself.

Current Bound Printed Matter Rates compared to Media Mail

rate-comparison-chart

Unfortunately, we can't give you a useful comparison between BPM and Marketing Mail rates, since BPM rates start at one pound while Marketing Mail currently is limited to under one pound. USPS has not proposed any specific rates for the expanded Marketing Mail categories.

Questions? Get in touch.

Scott
Scott started Postage Saver Software in 1994. He's been helping small businesses and nonprofits save postage with postal bulk mail for more than 25 years. Scott's based in Austin, Texas. He's happy to answer your bulk mailing questions!