Trade Groups Question New USPS Returns Proposal

In a surprise move, the U.S. Postal Service has proposed revising the standards for handling books and sound recordings that are found loose in the mail or undeliverable as addressed.

Mailer groups say they’re still studying the proposal but at least one suspects the USPS may be trying to bring in some extra money by charging mailers first class rates for the returns.

“This was not a pre-announced rule,” said Gene Del Polito, president of the Association for Postal Commerce.

“From what I could gather, in order to return the books or items, mailers are going to have to  put a return endorsement [on the undeliverable  item] and it seems they’re  going to have to pay first class rates to get it returned,” added Jerry Cerasale, senior vice president of government affairs at the Direct Marketing Association. “And that’s very expensive. So we’re in the process of looking at this and talking to our members.”

In a Federal Register notice Wednesday, the Postal Service proposed revising the mailing standards for the treatment of books and sound recordings that are found loose in the mail or undeliverable as addressed.

The USPS said such a revision “would eliminate confusion and simplify procedures.”

According to the filing, The USPS is proposing to get rid of section 507.1.9.2 of the Domestic Mail Manual which it said creates a process for identifying and returning to the original publisher or distributor books and recordings that had become undeliverable as a result of being “loose in the mail'' or otherwise undeliverable.

“Alternatively, mailers who wish to have UAA standard mail or package services pieces returned can use the endorsement, ‘Return Service Requested’ which would be sent via first class mail.” the filing continued.

The USPS is accepting written comments by Aug. 8.