Get the full story behind how far the print industry has come in this informative flip book.

http://bluetoad.com/publication/?i=118172

courtesy of Printing Industries of America (PIA)

By Nancy Scott (Digital Nirvana) on January 17th, 2013
Direct mail can now deliver sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. That’s all five of the human senses. And guess what? So far, mail is the only marketing medium that can do all that. Likely, for the next few years anyway, direct mail will remain — and vastly improve upon — this full sensory capability. (more…)

Priority Envelope is happy to announce the arrival of a
NEW 2013 W & D Model 326 converting machine in our Minnesota facility.

This new equipment will significantly increase our capacity for the following envelope style and size ranges:

Booklet Style Envelopes (2 ¼ x 4 ¾ – 9 x 12)
Catalog Style Envelopes (3 3/16 x 3 15/16 – 10 x 13)

The machine is also capable of printing 2 colors on the outside and 1 color on the inside of an envelope.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Phone 800-822-0523 or e-mail sales@priorityenv.com

How Paper Bills Could Protect You From Cyber Theft
By Jordan Robertson | Dec. 17, 2012 5:18 PM EST |
Posted in Global, Hackers, Security

Hackers are increasingly wiring money directly out of victims’ online bank accounts – without ever typing a keystroke.

As a computer security reporter, I’m often asked for advice on how to avoid being hacked. I quickly rattle off three safeguards: 1) Use long phrases and symbols in passwords; 2) set up two Web browsers — or better yet, two computers — to keep sensitive data walled off from everything else; 3) on websites that offer it, sign up to receive text-message alerts if someone tries to break into your account.

I may need to add a fourth.

An exchange I had last week with Tom Kellermann, a cyber security expert who has advised the White House and the World Bank Treasury, sparked a new tip that might upset anyone who has a “think before printing” disclaimer in their e-mail signature: Don’t use paperless billing.

Trend Micro, the Japanese antivirus-software maker and Kellermann’s new employer, published an interesting report earlier this year about “automatic transfer systems,” and how criminals are increasingly using them to siphon money out of people’s bank accounts without them ever knowing it.

They do this by initiating wire-transfer requests the moment a victim logs into an online banking account. And, even spookier, they change the account balance and transaction history you see on your screen to hide the fraud. They use malicious code that kicks in after the user has logged into their bank’s website.

In other words, your account could show a full balance online but actually be empty. The only way you’d find out is if you went over the limit or if you see it on a paper statement that’s mailed to your home.

Kellermann presumes that 2013 will be when this cyber tactic becomes mainstream, due largely to the rise in mobile banking. For now, the attack is more common in the U.K., Germany and Italy, but versions targeting U.S. and other countries’ financial institutions do exist and will likely become more common, according to Trend Micro.

Hackers have transferred as little as 500 Euros ($658) to as much as 13,000 Euros ($17,120) at a time to foreign accounts using this technique, Trend Micro found. The criminals often steal small amounts each time victims log into their accounts, to avoid detection.

So if you do a lot of online banking, consider getting paper statements. It’s not eco-friendly or particularly convenient, but paper isn’t so easily hackable.

Wednesday, December 12th, 2012

US postal regulators have finally approved controversial new Standard Mail Flats prices at the US Postal Service.

USPS had suggested the Postal Regulatory Commission was going a little further than its remit when it rejected its original proposals last month, and demanded an above-average price rise for the rate category that includes items like catalogues.

Under protest, USPS went away and proposed a fresh rate increase, which yesterday was approved by the regulators.

As approved, Standard Mail Flats rates will increase by an average of 2.617% as of 27th January, 2013.

This compares to a 2.61% increase for Standard Mail Letters, a 3.081% increase for Standard Mail Parcels, a 2.059% increase for Standard Mail High Density Letters and a 2.092% increase for Standard Mail High Density Flats and Parcels.

USPS is changing other prices as well from next month, as approved by the Commission earlier this month.
Take Two

The Postal Regulatory Commission rejected last month’s original proposal for a 2.57% increase in Standard Mail Flats prices because it said the Postal Service did not demonstrate it was making progress towards completely covering the costs of the loss-making service.

The regulator had issued an order to the Postal Service back in 2010 to work towards recouping the Flats service losses, since under US postal law USPS is supposed to ensure full cost coverage for its monopoly portfolio products.

USPS, which has attempted to avoid excessive price increases for fear of driving catalogue companies out of business or toward alternative distribution channels, argued last month that it was making progress towards full cost coverage by working to cut the service’s operating costs. However, the Commission said it wanted a higher cost increase.

Approving the revised pricing, the regulator said yesterday: “The Commission finds that an above-average price increase for Standard Mail Flats is expected to improve cost coverage more than the initially proposed below-average increase.”
Prompt decisions

Today saw the Commission’s chairman, Ruth Goldway, criticised USPS for its “reluctance” to adopt Standard Mail Flats rates in line with the Commission’s 2010 order.

She said that the Postal Service’s actions meant mailers now had less time to prepare for the rate changes.

“I am committed to facilitating prompt decisions from the Commission in response to requests for price adjustments from the Postal Service,” Goldway chided USPS, “In turn I expect the Postal Service to respond to clear orders of the Commission by preparing price adjustments that satisfy (US postal law) requirements in a manner that provides adequate lead time for adoption by the industry.”

Source: Post&Parcel/PRC

DMA Finds Marketers Are ‘Bullish’ on Growth Prospects in Its Latest Business Survey
November 21, 2012

NEW YORK—Nov. 21, 2012—The Direct Marketing Assn. (DMA) released its “Quarterly Business Review” (QBR) for the third quarter of 2012. DMA partnered with management consulting firm Winterberry Group on the report.

Despite ongoing uncertainty about the fate of the economy and its potential impact on broader business opportunities, a vast majority of respondents to the third quarter 2012 “Quarterly Business Review” survey said they are confident about the practice of direct and digital marketing (DDM) and its prospects for future growth.

“Increasingly, marketers are expressing confidence in the prospects of direct and digital marketing, with a majority of respondents expecting their revenue to increase during the fourth quarter,” said Linda A. Woolley, DMA’s acting president and CEO. “Notably this quarter, more marketers are reporting that the availability of data and the general demand for DDM media are having a positive impact on their organizations’ DDM activity.”

A full three-quarters of the surveyed U.S. marketers and marketing service providers said they were bullish about the growth prospects for DDM—with a plurality (47.1 percent) saying they “strongly agree” that the practice of direct and digital driven marketing is well positioned to grow in the future. This represents a slight increase from last quarter, when 72 percent of respondents voiced similar confidence.

On an index basis, respondents echoed a similarly modest improvement in confidence from the second quarter. The DMA/Winterberry Group panel of marketers and service providers reported a composite confidence index of 3.91 in the third quarter (on a 1-to-5 scale), up from 3.85 in the preceding period.

Other key third-quarter findings include:

• For the second straight quarter, the only DDM channels that saw increased investment were those in the digital space—further reinforcing the secular shift in economic influence toward both emerging and established online media

• The percent of DDM budgets allocated to customer acquisition efforts in Q3 was 58.8 percent, very near to the 60 percent benchmark that generally indicates periods of robust economic expansion (and in line with budgetary allocations that have been reported each quarter since Q3 of 2011); and

• Changes to DDM-related staffing levels have been less volatile — holding steady at a very modest growth rate, which survey respondents predict is likely to continue through Q4.

About the Quarterly Business Review
DMA’s Quarterly Business Review (QBR) for the third quarter of 2012 is published by the Direct Marketing Association, with research and analysis provided by Winterberry Group. Its conclusions are based on results from an online survey of DMA members, deployed in October 2012 and focused respectively on marketers and the marketing service and technology solutions providers that work with them to develop, launch and optimize campaigns. Altogether, DMA received 322 usable survey replies, which included 156 marketer respondents and 166 providers of marketing services and technology solutions.

About Winterberry
Winterberry Group is a unique, global strategic consulting firm that helps advertising and marketing companies grow shareholder value. Based in New York, it offers a combination of corporate strategy, market intelligence and merger and acquisition due diligence support services aimed at helping clients identify opportunities for growth and achieve transformative results.

About DMA
The Direct Marketing Assn. is the world’s largest trade association dedicated to advancing and protecting responsible data-driven marketing. Founded in 1917, DMA represents thousands of companies and nonprofit organizations that use and support data-driven marketing practices and techniques.

Monday, November 19th, 2012
Regulators have demanded the US Postal Service go back and have another think about proposals for Standard Mail Flats prices next year.
But one member of the Postal Regulatory Commission broke ranks with his colleagues on

Friday, saying all the USPS price proposals should have been approved.
Other than the Standard Mail Flats product, which covers flat-shaped items like catalogues, the Commission did approve USPS price proposals for its market-dominant (monopoly) products on Friday, with price changes to take affect from 27th January, 2013. The Commission decided separately on 8th November to approve proposed price changes for competitive products.
The market-dominant rates will average a 2.57% increase, as limited by the Postal Service’s inflation-linked annual price cap.
It includes a one-cent increase in single-piece First Class Mail rates up to 46 cents, a one-cent increase in postcard rates to 33c, and approval of some new products like a new flat-rate international letter rate of $1.10.
But controversially the regulators decided the Postal Service did not propose high enough prices for its loss-making Standard Mail Flats service.
USPS has now been given 10 days to make changes to the Standard Mail price proposals, although there is opportunity for the public to provide comments.
One of the five members of the Presidentially-appointed Commission objected to his colleagues’ demand to reject the Standard Mail Flats pricing proposal.
Robert Taub said the Commission was wrong to reject the USPS view that it could improve the economics of its Standard Mail Flats service by making its services more efficient and cutting costs rather than hiking prices.
Cost coverage
“The Commission may reject a given rate as unlawful, but it should no longer recommend rates”
Under US postal law, monopoly postal products are supposed to bring in enough money to cover their costs, so that some USPS customers are not subsidizing other customers. However, the Standard Mail Flats service only raises enough income to fund 83% of its costs at present.
The Commission issued an order in late 2010 for USPS to move towards 100% cost coverage for the service.
But USPS has been reluctant to significantly raise the service’s prices for fear that it will further encourage catalogue publishers to final alternative distribution channels, and damage those customers sticking with the mail. With an increasing use of digital catalogues, Flats volumes have already been dropping by 7% a year over the past few years, a trend that “appears to be accelerating” according to USPS.
The struggling Postal Service said last month that above-average price increases would “have the inadvertent effect of sending the Flats product into a tailspin”.
On Friday a majority of the postal commissioners decided that by keeping Standard Mail Flats price rises to the average for all price rises, USPS was not moving toward full cost coverage. The Commission said its review had to take a “narrow scope” regarding the postal regulations.
However, Commissioner Taub said in a dissenting opinion that he believed the USPS plan to continue moving toward 100% cost coverage by cutting its costs, rather than significantly increasing prices, was complying with the 2010 order from the Commission.
“I find that the Postal Service has complied with the Commission’s most recent mandates in regard to Standard Mail Flats for the pending Notice of Market Dominant Price Adjustment, consistent with the current statute and associated regulations for establishing postal rates,” said the commissioner.
Taub, who was not yet on the Commission when it made its ruling back in 2010, warned that his fellow commissioners were trying to turn back the clock and take the kind of price-setting powers that had been the preserve of the old Postal Rate Commission.
He said commissioners should not pick postal rates from a range of lawful possibilities, the Commission should outline an approved range of prices and USPS should decide on the appropriate prices within the approved range.
“The Commission may reject a given rate or classification as unlawful, but it should no longer recommend rates and classifications except in the most extraordinary cases,” he said.
Last week the US Postal Service recorded a $15.9bn loss for its fiscal year ended 30th September, 2012, partly as the result of ongoing declines in mail volumes.

Source: Post&Parcel/PRC

WASHINGTON, DC—Oct. 24, 2012—To help marketers prepare earlier for upcoming mail promotions, the U.S. Postal Service for the first time is publishing a yearly promotions calendar. The “2013 Mailing Services Promotions Calendar” will include six promotions designed to generate continued interest in the various uses and benefits of mobile barcodes in direct mail, as well as provide opportunities for marketers to be more successful with traditional integrated marketing campaigns.

“The promotions that are being planned for the coming year will help grow awareness of the ways in which technology can improve the effectiveness of direct mail,” said Gary Reblin, vice president, Domestic Products. “The ‘2013 Mailing Services Promotions Calendar’ also will give commercial mailers more time to plan their campaigns so that they can take full advantage of both postage savings and marketing opportunities to engage their customers with targeted, tangible and personal communications.”

Subject to review from the Postal Regulatory Commission, the following are the proposed promotion details:

March 1 – April 30, 2013:
• Mobile Coupon/Click-to-Call—This promotion provides an upfront postage discount on the integration of mail with mobile technology and will promote the value of direct mail in two ways. First, it will encourage customers to integrate hard-copy coupons in the mail with mobile platforms for redemption. Second, it will drive consumer awareness and increase the use of mail with mobile barcodes that provide click-to-call functionality. Customer registration begins Jan. 15, 2013.

April 1 – June 30, 2013:
• Earned Value Reply Mail Promotion—Customers who include First-Class Mail Business Reply and Courtesy Reply envelopes will receive postage credit for each returned piece that is scanned in the postal network. This promotion is designed to encourage mailers to promote First-Class Mail as a primary reply mechanism for their customers and to keep the Business Reply Mail (BRM) and Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM) envelopes in their outgoing mailpieces by providing a financial benefit when the BRM/CRM envelopes are used. Customer registration begins Jan. 1, 2013.

Aug. 1 – Sept. 30, 2013:
• Emerging Technologies—Building on the successes of past mobile barcode promotions, this promotion provides an upfront postage discount for customers who integrate specific emerging technologies into their mail campaigns. The planned cutting-edge innovations to be highlighted are near-field communication, augmented reality and mobile-enabled authentication technologies. This promotion is designed to elevate awareness of how innovative technologies can be integrated with a direct mail strategy to enhance the value of direct mail. Customer registration begins June 15, 2013.

• Picture Permit—The Picture Permit promotion is designed to promote the use of Picture Permit imprint indicia, which can improve a mailpiece’s visibility and impact as a marketing tool. During this promotion, it is proposed that the Picture Permit fee be waived for eligible customers mailing First-Class Mail letters and cards and Standard Mail letters and cards. Customer registration begins June 15, 2013.

• Product Samples—Designed to re-invigorate product sampling via the mail, the Product Samples promotion will provide mailers with an upfront postage discount on qualifying mail that contains product samples. The promotion will raise awareness of the effectiveness and value of having samples delivered to the home and highlight the new proposed “Simple Samples” pricing in Standard Mail, effective Jan. 27, 2013. Customer registration begins May 1, 2013.

Nov. 1 – Dec. 31, 2013:
• Mobile Buy-it-Now—This promotion provides mailers with an upfront postage discount to encourage them to adopt and invest in technologies that enhance how consumers interact and engage with mail and demonstrate how direct mail combined with mobile technology can be a convenient method for consumers to do their holiday shopping. Customer registration begins Sept. 15, 2013.

For additional information on the proposed 2013 Mailing Services Promotions Calendar, visit RIBBS.

Source: USPS.

INTELLIGENT MAIL BARCODE**
One of the most significant USPS® changes in decades takes effect January 28, 2013 when the POSTNET™ barcode will be retired and replaced by the new Intelligent Mail® barcode. This change impacts any mailer who currently or wishes to take advantage of the discounts available for barcoded mail—which offers savings up to 47%.
In addition to postal savings, the new Intelligent Mail® barcode also includes a “Full-Service” option that provides companies with improved tracking, free address correction service and even greater discounts.
KEY DATES
The USPS has announced several important dates:

January 2013
The USPS® has announced that the POSTNET™ Barcode be discontinued as of January 28, 2013. As of this date, only mail with Intelligent Mail® barcodes (IMb®) will be eligible for automation prices.

January 2014
The USPS has proposed that the Basic IMb™ be discontinued as of January 2014. If approved, only mail with Intelligent Mail® Full-service barcodes (IMb™) will be eligible for automation prices at that time.

Already, mailers receive a greater discount and benefits when they use Full-service Intelligent Mail®, including:
• Save $3.00 per 1,000 on automation rates on a First-Class Mail® Letters and Flats
• Save $1.00 per 1,000 on automation rates on Standard Mail® Letters and Flats
• Free Start-the-Clock and Full-Service ACS (Address Change Service).
• You can also use the same barcode to track mail through the IMb TracingTM service.
Reasons why you may want to adopt the Full-Service Option today:
1. Lower postage expenses.
Every mailer will need to make the switch eventually. Given that companies are looking to save money, the ability to save thousands of dollars or more each year represents a clear opportunity.

2. Access new value-added services.
With the Intelligent Mail® barcode, you can confirm mail delivery, track incoming remittance payments, receive automatic notifications when customers move and monitor USPS performance.

3. Avoid last-minute hassles.
By making the move soon, you can work with your postal acceptance specialist (or certification process administer) at the post office to ensure your barcodes are readable and formatted correctly. This can help avoid delays on potential penalties down the road.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE
While the Basic barcode involves a unique barcode for each mailer, the Full-Service barcode involves a unique barcode for every mail piece. Requirements for the Full-Service option include:
• Populate barcode with a unique sequence number
• In addition to the IMb on the mailpiece, place a unique Intelligent Mail tray barcode (IMtb) on the handling unit and Intelligent Mail container barcode (IMcb) on containers and pallets.
• Electronic submission of postage statements
The Full-Service option provides additional benefits:
• Pay less postage
• Free “Start the Clock” information
• Free Full Service ACS (Address Change Service) for qualified pieces
• Access to mail tracking services
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE FULL-SERVICE ?
Even if you have no immediate plans to use full-service benefits, mailers should consider implementing a solution that provides for Full-Service capabilities.
• You can access Basic if you have Full-Service capabilities (but not vice versa)
• Few companies will want to redesign their barcode process twice
• Free address correction can improve mail delivery
• Mail intelligence provides value to most every department
• Business units may request these value-added services in the future
• Getting it right the first time pays dividends in the long run
• Certain USPS® promotions and special offers will require full-service IMb®
• Full-Service IMb is proposed to be mandated effective January, 2014
**information supplied by Pitney Bowes

U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices
and Services for 2013
First-Ever Global Forever Stamp Debuts When Prices Change January 27

WASHINGTON — Beginning early next year, the Postal Service will introduce a First-Class Mail Global Forever Stamp. The new stamp will allow customers to mail letters anywhere in the world for one set price of $1.10, and is among new mailing and shipping services filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission today.

The price for First-Class Mail single-piece letters will increase by just a penny when prices change in Jan. The new 46 cent Forever stamps will allow customers to mail letters to any location in the United States. Forever stamps are always good for mailing a one-ounce letter anytime in the future regardless of price changes.

Highlights of the new single-piece First-Class Mail pricing, effective Jan. 27, 2013 include:
• Letters (1oz.) – 1-cent increase to 46 cents
• Letters additional ounces – unchanged at 20 cents
• Letters to all international destinations (1oz.) – $1.10
• Postcards – 1-cent increase to 33 cents

Prices for all products (Mailing and Shipping services) will increase by 4-percent, but prices for Mailing Services, such as regular letters and advertising matter, will increase only 2.6-percent.
The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) will review the prices before they become effective Jan. 27, 2013. Today’s Shipping and Mailing price filings will be available on the PRC website at www.prc.gov and the new Mailing Service prices will also be available at http://pe.usps.com.

Shipping Services
Several new Shipping Services products will be available in January. Free tracking will be offered to all competitive packages, including retail Priority Mail and Parcel Post (recently renamed Standard Post).

Also new, customers shipping Critical Mail letters and flats will now have the option of receiving a signature upon delivery as part of the service offering.

A large variety of flat-rate boxes and envelopes for Express Mail and Priority Mail, including the padded and legal-sized flat rate envelopes will continue to be offered by the Postal Service.

New domestic retail pricing for Priority Mail Flat Rate products include:
• Small box – $5.80
• Medium box – $12.35
• Large box – $16.85
• Large APO/FPO box – $14.85
• Regular envelope – $5.60
• Legal envelope – $5.75
• Padded envelope – $5.95

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.