Tag: Announcements

LetterStream Makes Donation to the 2024 Code:Red Water Drive

To Donate to the Phoenix Rescue Mission Code:Red, click here.

Let’s start by saying that we’re so excited to be back contributing to the 2024 Code: Red Water Drive for the Phoenix Rescue Mission!

Ok, now for the story.

A longtime customer of ours, Brown Management, had asked us to participate again this year in helping to give back to the Code:Red Heat Relief Water Drive and of course, we said yes!

Phoenix Rescue Mission Code:Red

A stack of cases of water at our print and mailing facility

In case you haven’t heard of it, let’s first dive into who the Phoenix Rescue Mission is and what Code:Red represents.

The Phoenix Rescue Mission’s purpose is to provide life-transforming solutions to people facing hunger, homelessness, addiction and trauma.

Phoenix Rescue Mission Code:Red more specifically helps those who are homeless or less fortunate get access to drinking water during the extreme summer months in Arizona.

Unfortunately, over the last few years the summers have continued to get hotter and hotter.

According to Maricopa County, in 2023 the number of heat-related deaths was 645.

This was up 52% from 2022 which had 425 confirmed deaths and get ready for this, is an 896% increase over the last 10 years.

Mind-blowing.

With that being said, it’s imperative that individuals get adequate amounts of drinking water to stay hydrated and that’s where this water drive comes into play.

Our Core Values

Cases of water bottles on a pallet to be donated from our online print and mail location in Scottsdale

As a company, we live and breathe our internal core values.

One in particular that stands out to us when it comes to this mission is: We believe in the tremendous value of people and that all should be treasured.

We believe it is our duty to treasure all people and to give back when we can, which is why we were thrilled to help Brown Management give back to the Phoenix Rescue Mission, helping them get drinking water into the hands of those in need.

Water Bottles Donated

Pallets of cases of water bottles in the truck to help Phoenix Rescue Mission and Brown, an HOA management community

We want to share how much water LetterStream donated but we’re not sharing to gloat but rather to showcase and celebrate our team members who believe in treasuring people.

This year LetterStream donated 240 cases of water and over 5,760 water bottles that will be dispersed to those who are in need of drinking water.

We couldn’t be more proud. Way to go, team!

A Big Thank You

LetterStream staff standing in our printing and mailing facility next to donated water bottles
A few of our awesome team members!

With that being said, we first want to give a big thank you to our awesome team for helping us treasure people and for donating to this incredible cause.

They came together and made magic happen.

We also want to give a huge thank you to Brown Management for asking us to participate again this year.

Brown is an HOA community management company that uses our services to send their HOA mail, including HOA statements, annual meeting packets, violation letters and more to their homeowners.

We also want to give a big shout-out and thank you to OPACS for supplying the box truck and lift to pick up and help deliver the water bottles that will be donated.

They also helped contribute to the Code:Red as well and we are super grateful for that.

OPACS, which offers office products and custom solutions, is another great long-term customer of ours who uses our print and mail services.

OPACS driving loading in cases of water on a pallet into the truck

Thanks again to everyone who made this possible.

If you want to donate to the Phoenix Rescue Mission Code:Red, you can check them out here.

To learn more about LetterStream and our printing and mailing services, click here.

A New Postage Increase Begins in July

The United States Postal Service will increase prices for the second time this year. On July 14, 2024, the cost of a First-Class stamp will rise by five cents.

Unfortunately, this was inevitable as the timing of the new prices is consistent with the USPS twice-a-year postage increase. If you recall, back in January the first 2024 postage increase took place and now here we are again, mid-year, with another. This also happened back in 2021, 2022 and 2023 so it’s not surprising that 2024 is any different.

July 2024 USPS Postage Price Increase

Effective July 14, 2024, the cost of mailing letters, packages, and other USPS services will climb. This next postage increase is part of USPS’s ongoing efforts to balance its budget and cover rising operational expenses. While the exact changes will depend on the type of mail you send, it’s clear that everyone from businesses to individual mailers will feel the impact. It’s crucial to stay informed about these changes so you can adjust your budget and mailing strategies accordingly. By planning ahead for the United States Postal Service postage increase and exploring cost-saving options, you can minimize the financial impact and keep your mailing operations running smoothly.

Postage Prices

Let’s start by talking about how this will look for our current customers. Since USPS postage is rising, we’ve updated our pricing to reflect that. Below you will find what each type of mailing will cost you going forward.

LetterStream’s New Postage Price Increase:

  • First-Class postage is increasing by $0.05, meaning a First-Class letter will start at $1.18
  • Flats are going up $0.21 and will now start at $2.54
  • Certified Mail (without Electronic Return Receipt) is going up $0.45, plus an extra $0.05 for the First-Class postage increase and that will result in a new price of 7.84 (without ERR) per letter
  • Certified Mail with Electronic Return Receipt Add-On is going up $0.30 which puts our total increase of $0.80 more per letter. New base price of Certified Mail with ERR is $9.96
  • Express Postcards are increasing by $0.03 making the new price $0.81
  • PRO Postcards will increase the same amount as First-Class postage, which is $0.05, making the new price $1.20 per postcard
  • Marketing Mail will go up by $0.03, making the new starting price $1.04
  • International Letters are going up $0.10, along with a $0.05 surcharge making the new starting price $2.68
  • Registered Mail will have a new starting price of $33.68
  • Extra Ounces (Letters) is going up to $0.28
  • Extra Ounces (Flats) is going up to $0.27

Other Notable Postage Price Increases in July:

  • First-Class postage increase for letters (1 oz.) is going from $0.68 up to $0.73
  • First-Class Flats postage is going up from $1.39 up to $1.50
  • Certificate of Mailing per letter is going from $2.00 up to $2.20
  • First-Class Mail Forever Stamp is going from $0.68 up to $0.73
  • First-Class Metered Mail is going from $0.64 up to $0.69

Why Is It Important to Know About the USPS Postage Rate Increase?

Being in the know about the upcoming US postage stamp increase is crucial for smart planning and smooth operations. Here are some reasons why:

  1. Budget Planning: For businesses that rely heavily on sending physical mail for billing or communication purposes, postage costs are a significant budget line item. Understanding the new rates allows you to adjust your budget accordingly and avoid unexpected expenses.
  2. Mailing Strategy: Higher postage rates might impact the volume and frequency of your mailings. Knowing about the increase ahead of time gives you the opportunity to reassess your mailing strategy. You might even consider exploring bulk mailing options.
  3. Customer Communication: Transparency is key in customer relationships. If your business will be passing on some of the increased costs to your clients, it’s important to communicate these changes clearly and in advance to maintain trust.
  4. Operational Adjustments: Organizations that send a large volume of mail might need to make operational adjustments to accommodate the increased costs. This could involve exploring printing and mailing solutions that can help utilize the entire process for you, which in the end can save you time and money, even with USPS prices increasing.

LetterStream’s Commitment to Your Mailing Needs

LetterStream is dedicated to helping you navigate these changes with ease and no we’re not just saying that. We know it’s frustrating with the cost of just about everything still on the rise and our advanced mailing solutions and expert team are here to ensure your mailing operations remain smooth and cost-effective. We offer a range of services designed to optimize your mailing processes, from the ability to easily upload your job in 2 minutes or less with no trips to the post office through First-Class Mail, flat envelope mailing and postcards to easily being able to track Certified Mail or FedEx 2Day from right inside of your account.

Send Your Mail Electronically

Ok, so let’s look at another angle. With the cost of postage rising bi-annually, you may be thinking about sending your statements, notices and other forms of mail communication electronically. Well, if that’s something you’re considering you’re in luck. Not only is LetterStream experts in the industry of snail mail but we also offer eDoc Delivery, which is a way to send your documents via email directly through your LetterStream account. This service can be done in place of or in addition to your regular UPSP mailings. To learn more visit our free 24/7 online Chatbot for pricing and next steps.

For more information regarding the July 2024 price increase, visit the USPS website or you can download the list of rate changes here.

Now Available! Send Registered Mail Through LetterStream

We’re excited to announce that sending Registered Mail online is now available in your online portal. If you’re a company or someone who is required to send letters internationally with tracking then this product is definitely for you. We’ll dive into what Registered Mail is, the reality of sending letters this way, alternative options and how to access this feature in your account. Let’s dive in!

What is Registered Mail?

If you’re not sure what Registered Mail is here’s a quick overview:

USPS Registered Mail is basically like sending Certified Mail except it’s to international locations. You are supposed to get proof of mailing, a unique tracking code, proof of delivery and a signature confirmation upon delivery.

Now, here’s the thing, it is technically considered to be a more secure process than Certified Mail tracking is. With Registered Mail tracking the sender can potentially get more progress updates than one would if sending a Certified letter. Tracking Registered Mail is considered to be a more in-depth process. A Registered letter can be tracked from the beginning, starting with the person at the USPS Post Office, then to each location it arrives at and when, to its delivery status, delivery confirmation and recipient signature.

Sending A Registered Letter Isn’t For Everyone

With that being said, we want to be completely up-front and transparent about this new product offering. We go more in-depth about it on our blog post here, but the reality behind sending Registered Mail is that it actually isn’t as secure as the USPS claims it to be especially when sending to international addresses. After our part is done it gets sent to the Post Office and then shipped out from there. Once the letter lands in the destination country, a new courier is responsible for delivery. Because of that they may or may not follow the proper protocols and that is beyond our control. 

Something else to keep in mind, the delivery timeframe can take a very long time, the cost is a lot higher (more on those later) and a signature confirmation is also NOT guaranteed.

Again, we’re only stating all of this because we want to make sure you’re aware of what to expect when sending your letters this way.

Ok, now let’s get more into the details of sending a registered letter.

The Pink Slip

Registered Mail pink slip on an envelope of an international letter

If you’ve never heard of a pink slip in the mailing world than let us explain. A Registered letter pink slip is the equivalent of a Certified Mail green card (which is also known as a Return Receipt or an Electronic Return Receipt). The pink slip is placed on the back side of a mailing envelope. It covers the envelope flap to help secure the mailing. The Post Office will also stamp on and around both the pink slip and the envelope flap so that the sender and receiver can see if either has been tampered with. Again, this is not guaranteed but it is essentially what is supposed to take place.

Registered Mail Cost

Let’s briefly talk about price. It’s important to know that the cost of sending a Registered letter is on the higher end, especially compared to sending regular mail. Since Registered Mail is sent internationally, the location changes the cost of sending it. When sending through LetterStream, the price for sending Registered Mail starts at $30 and goes up from there. Not so great, we know.

Delivery Time

Ok, here’s the other not-so-great part. Sending a Registered letter can take a while to get to its destination. Again, this all depends on the location the letter is being sent to but it’s important to note that it can take a long time for a letter to arrive. How long you ask? It can take, on average, 15 days (about 2 weeks) to be delivered but it can also take anywhere from 6-8 weeks (about 2 months). And yes, you did, in fact, read that correctly.

If you have to send a letter internationally then Registered Mail is for you. However, if you’re looking to send a secure letter within the US then USPS Certified Mail is absolutely the way to go.

Access Registered Mail in Your LetterStream Account

To send a Registered letter online through LetterStream, simply login to your online portal (if you’re new you can create a free account here) and click on ”Send Letters.”

On the right-hand side there will be a section called “I would like my mailing sent” and below that you can choose to send your letter as Registered Mail. You can then go through the process of uploading a job to the website and proofing it. From there we handle the rest, including the printing, stuffing and mailing. After your letter is sent you can go back into your account and track the process of it. Keep in mind, that only 15 sheets of paper can be sent in each Registered envelope.

Although Registered Mail is the most obvious choice when you’re required to send mail internationally with tracking, it is important to remember that the process can be more promising than it seems. Unfortunately, tracking, signature confirmation, and delivery are not actually guaranteed. Sometimes the tracking is behind or it doesn’t actually track throughout the entire process. Sometimes you may not actually receive a signature confirmation and like we mentioned above, sometimes it can take a really, really long time to arrive at its destination.

With that said, we don’t recommend using Registered Mail unless it’s an absolute must and, in that case, we’re happy to offer this product to you.

To learn more about Registered Mail click here and to learn more about Certified Mail service with USPS tracking click here.

2019 Baja 1000

Baja1000 (3)

Racing through Mexico!

Given today’s headlines it might sound treacherous to drive to Mexico; but how much more so, to make it a thousand-mile road trip through the country. And let’s add a twist of only traveling on unpaved and primitive roads.

Well, Dennis our Technical Services Manager is doing just that this weekend. But because Dennis loves a good challenge, he’s making the trip in a Volkswagen bug.

Dennis is racing in the 2019 Baja 1000, a grueling 1000 mile non-stop road race on nearly impassible roads in a car that’s over 50 years old and has a fraction of the horsepower of any modern car.

There are two things you should know about Dennis. First, he can fix anything (which LetterStream really benefits from and I’m sure his race team does too) and second he has a heart the size of the entire Baja Peninsula. Dennis has joined up with another Dennis, Hollenbeck, and his team to race Class 11 car 1121 through a brutalizing 1000 miles of dust and boulders. But car 1121 isn’t just a race car, it is owned and operated as an extension and fundraising arm of Real Life Ministries an organization that serves the less fortunate ones in Mexico.

So not only does Dennis get the joys of fixing even more things this weekend, he also gets the greater joy of participating in a journey to uplift the downtrodden and help shed light on a ministry seeking to do the same thing.

Dennis, we’ll be watching and cheering as you pound the rocky terrain of Baja Mexico and seek to make the world a little better for those around you.

Check out the following related websites:

Real Life Ministries. https://reallifeministries.org/ “committed to serving the less fortunate, tending to the sick, and providing shelter for the homeless. 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.”

Class 11 Car 1121. http://www.teamh12one.com/ “We are about Running the Race as it describes in Hebrews 12:one , “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us … run with perseverance the race marked out for us”.”

Baja 1000. http://score-international.com/ November 22 – 23rd 2019. View the livestream of the event at http://score-international.com/livestream-52nd-annual-score-baja-1000

Baja1

Update: November 25, 2019: 

The Baja team fought a brutal battle, enduring one of the most difficult courses in the 52 years of the Baja 1000 history. And congrats to the team, for taking First Place in the group of Class 11 cars. How amazing, to punish the car and driver for over 36 hours of non-stop CARnage and still drive across the finish line. Great job team!

Baja4Baja3

LetterStream gives back with The 2019 Code Red Water Drive!

waterdrivepeople

A quick update on the water drive for Phoenix Rescue Mission.
Brown Community Management (https://www.brownmanagement.com/) invited us to participate with them again this year to help the Mission replenish their water supply of bottled water for needy and homeless individuals. And we gladly joined them again.
The Phoenix Rescue Mission is committed to reducing hunger and homelessness throughout Maricopa County. Their annual fall water drive replenishes their inventories as they work to prevent heat-related deaths in the valley. The water drive is called Code Red (https://phoenixrescue mission.org/codered) and we certainly encourage you to get your company involved in assisting in this event or finding others as a great way to give back.
We’d like to thank Brown Community Management for inviting us to participate. And a big thanks to OPACS (OPACS.com) who provided a box truck with a lift gate and a pallet of water to make this a record year for Brown and LetterStream in our contributions. But the biggest thanks goes to the LetterStream employees who grabbed a pallet, a case or just a bottle and dropped it off selflessly for the benefit of those less fortunate. Our LetterStream team donated 7,800 bottles of water.
Our next event is our annual Toys for Tots toy drive. If you are inclined, stop by and drop off an unwrapped toy if you are in the area. Or better yet, find a way to bring your organization together and share in the joys of giving through an event that you organize.

20% off Orange Paper and Postcards!

October Promotion

No tricks here, we are giving you a treat this Halloween season.
For the month of October, we will be offering 20% off all Orange 8 ½ X 11 paper and Orange Express Postcards.
You have a business to run and customers to keep happy, so we want to help you! For your festive holiday letters and notes look no further than LetterStream. For your fast mailing and printing needs, we’ll get the job done. Don’t wait until it’s too late and all the candy is gone, let us help you this Halloween season.

Welcome Ashlee, our New Customer Service Manager

Ashlee

Hold on, hold on, before you panic at this headline, Mike hasn’t left the LetterStream team.  He is now our Director of Customer Experience.  We figured that Mike could get a promotion if he could find someone just as awesome in customer service as he is.  That said, we didn’t think Mike would ever get a promotion.  Enter Ashlee.  We aren’t sure how Mike did it, but he actually found someone who can bring help and joy to customers as well as he can.  Ashlee has been with us a few months now, so some of you have already experienced her good nature, knowledge of our systems and overwhelming desire to help people out.

Ashlee has some 5-star training from Marriott hotels and resorts and has supported many different clients in an earlier payroll processing career.  These experiences are quite helpful to her on the job, but nothing can compare to the enthusiasm that she has to be a part of our team and her tremendous desire to support all of our customers.

Next time you call in, be sure and say “Hello and Welcome” to Ashlee.

PROPOSED 2018 USPS Rate Increases

USPS Price Increase2
On October 6th, 2017, the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced a price increase to take affect January 21st 2018.

The new price schedule increases the retail price of first class postage for letters and postcards by 1 cent each.  Certified Mail with Electronic Return Receipt will see a 15-cent increase.

Keep in mind, the USPS “proposes” their new pricing, but the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) must approve the pricing before it can become official.

Historically the PRC has denied or adjusted price increases if the USPS attempts to raise prices too high compared with the current consumer price index (CPI).  In this case the USPS is only raising rates by 1.9% which is believed to be accepted by the PRC.

Below is the primary list of rates that may impact LetterStream customers.  Also keep in mind that LetterStream historically does not raise prices on any item beyond the actual USPS price changes.  If you are working on a First-Class Mail project for the new year, we’d encourage you to schedule it before the new rates are implemented.

2018 UNOFFICIAL Postage Rates:
– First Class Stamps up from $.49 to $.50
– First Class Postcard Rate up from $.34 to $.35
– Extra Ounces staying at $.21
– International Rates staying at $1.15
– Certified Mail up from $3.35 to $3.45
– Return Receipt staying at $2.75
– Electronic Return Receipt up from $1.45 to $1.50
– Registered Mail up from $11.70 to $11.90
– Flats (.0001 – .999 oz) postage up from $.98 to $1.00
– Flats extra ounces staying at $.21

For more information review the USPS press release:

View the Press Release Here

For all the gory details, see the USPS NOTICE OF MARKET DOMINANT PRICE ADJUSTMENT that was filed by the USPS with the PRC

USPS to Cancel Saturday Mail Delivery

Just Announced on the AP this morning:

“Postal Service to cut Saturday mail to trim costs” (*see link to full article below)

According to the article, the United States Postal Service (USPS) plans to drop Saturday delivery of letters the week of August 5th, 2013 in an attempt to save the Postal Service $2 billion annually.

USPS mail truck

This change should have no impact on the way LetterStream prints and mails letters and correspondence for our customers. It should be noted that without Saturday delivery of mail, homeowner, consumers and recipients may receive their statements or other documents a day later than usual.

In the grand scheme of things we believe the impact will be minimal for the following reasons:

  1. Most of the “time sensitivities” and legal regulations of mail relate to when the mail piece is actually mailed, not when it is received.
  2. Most mail pieces that require a recipient to act in some way allow an appropriate number of days for the recipient to respond.
  3. Most businesses don’t pick up their mail on Saturdays anyway.

However, to reduce any impact this announcement may have, we encourage you to load your jobs to the LetterStream website earlier in the work week and schedule your mailings with this information in mind.

For those not currently using LetterStream for printing and mailing, we believe our services can cut time out of your current mailing process, thus negating the impact of changes to mail delivery.

To keep informed of this and other USPS changes, consider subscribing to our blog by entering your email address in the form provided to the right.

The full AP story can be found here:

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/postal-service-cut-saturday-mail-trim-costs