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Postcard Print & Mail FAQ
About the Service
Turnaround and Productions Location
Data Cleansing & NCOA
Artwork, Addressing & Proofing
USPS Permits, Postage & Delivery
Informed Delivery & USPS Tracking
Reseller Policies & Data Protection
About the Service
What is 24pound's Postcard Print & Mail service?
24pound's Postcard Print & Mail service is designed exclusively for direct mail resellers who want an easy way to outsource short- to medium-run postcard projects.
We handle the data processing, printing, postal preparation, mailing, Informed Delivery, and USPS mail tracking to give you a complete print-and-mail solution without tying up your own production resources.
Orders can be placed online in just a few clicks.
What does the service include?
Our Postcard Print & Mail service includes:
It is one complete service covering the entire process from uploaded data to the mailbox.
How do I get a quote?
Go to the Postcard Print & Mail section of our website and enter your job specifications. You will receive instant pricing for the complete project, including postage.
Because our mail is commingled, our pricing assumes highly efficient 5-digit postal rates. This allows us to offer competitive all-in pricing without requiring you to upload mailing data just to receive a quote.
I already have print-and-mail capabilities. When would it make sense to use 24pound?
For larger print-and-mail operations, 24pound can be an easy way to handle smaller projects without involving your entire data, print, and mail production teams.
For smaller shops, it provides additional production capacity when your own equipment is tied up or when a job simply is not efficient to produce internally.
Because our jobs are commingled, we also guarantee 5-digit postal rates, which can make overall pricing attractive on the quantities we handle.
What types of postcard jobs are you most competitively priced on?
We work hard to stay competitive across all postcard sizes and quantities, but one combination can be particularly attractive: 6 x 9 postcards sent First-Class Mail.
In fact, pricing on 6 x 9 postcards sent First-Class Mail can beat 6 x 11 postcards sent at Marketing Mail rates. The USPS offers a special postcard rate, and the 6 x 9 size fits efficiently four-up on our digital press.
There are several advantages to upgrading to 6 x 9 First-Class Mail:
Turnaround and Productions Location
What is the turnaround time?
First-Class Mail postcard orders: 4-5 business days to enter the mail stream.
USPS Marketing Mail orders: 5-7 business days to enter the mail stream.
This includes data processing, printing, and mail preparation. Turnaround begins once all required files, data, and approvals have been received.
Where are the postcards produced and mailed?
We have production facilities in California, Minnesota, and Florida. You choose the location that makes the most sense for your mailing list.
After production, the mail is processed through Pitney Bowes Presort Services and drop-shipped to postal facilities throughout the country for delivery.
How long will USPS take to deliver my mail?
We do not guarantee USPS delivery times. If timing is important, we recommend using the First-Class Mail postcard rate.
That being said, you can review current USPS service standards at usps.com/service-standards.
As a general guideline, First-Class Mail typically takes approximately 2 to 5 delivery days. USPS Marketing Mail will typically take an additional 3 to 8 delivery days, depending on how busy the postal service is and where the mail enters the USPS network in relation to the destination address.
Data Cleansing & NCOA
What happens to records that do not CASS?
They are not mailed, and you are not charged for them.
What about NCOA nixies and other undeliverable addresses?
NCOA nixies are records with address issues, such as a Move Without Forwarding Address. Records identified as invalid, vacant, moved without a forwarding address, or otherwise undeliverable are not mailed, and you are not charged for them.
What if I send a list through NCOA and someone has moved out of the area?
We don’t currently track distance of moves on a per record basis, but according to a 2024 Census Bureau research paper, approximately 70% of movers relocated within 18 miles.
That means you should expect only a small percentage of the list - approximately 1% to 3% - to consist of moves greater than 18 miles.
If I am mailing to New Movers, New Construction, or another list built from scratch, do I need to send the list through NCOA?
No. Select My list meets the USPS Move Update Requirements, then choose Other USPS-approved method and enter New List.
Artwork, Addressing & Proofing
Do you provide a proof before printing?
Yes. We provide a live proof showing the actual address block merged with your artwork. We will not proceed with production until the final proof has been approved.
What if I cannot fit the mailing address block in the area provided?
Because we cannot see the mailpiece when artwork is initially uploaded, we need to be somewhat conservative with the amount of space we allow for the address block area.
If the address block does not fit within the designated area, we recommend adjusting your artwork or using another service.
Can I place the address block over part of the artwork to make it fit?
We ask that you avoid doing so.
That said, our mailing addresses begin all the way to the left of the address area, after a 1/8-inch margin. If your addresses are relatively short and only the far-right edge of the address block area overlaps a graphic, it may still work for most records.
Ultimately, that decision is yours. Your live proof will display 200 sample records so you can review how the addresses interact with your artwork before approving the job.
Can I place the address block anywhere there is white space?
While our artwork requirements are designed to make this possible, you are ultimately responsible for where you place the address block. Please let us know if you believe our technology is allowing placement that will not pass postal regulations.
What happens if I find an artwork or data error?
If you notice an artwork issue while reviewing your final proof, simply upload corrected artwork. We will generate an updated proof at no additional charge.
If you need to replace or change the mailing data, the existing order must be canceled before the final proof is approved. A $50 cancellation fee applies, and a new order must then be submitted with the corrected data.
USPS Permits, Postage & Delivery
Can I use my own mailing permit?
Yes. You can use either your permit or one of ours.
Because we use a Postage Anywhere account, the actual postage amount will always be deducted from our account. Your permit indicia can still appear on the mailpiece, but it must be a valid permit.
If you prefer to use one of our permits, we offer:
Please note that use of a company permit indicia requires a return address on the mailpiece.
Do I need to add postage to my own permit account?
No. Postage is always deducted from our account.
How can you guarantee 5-digit postage with our jobs?
Our partner, Pitney Bowes, commingles your mail with other mail at its facility.
Because of that commingling process, Pitney Bowes guarantees pricing at the 5-digit postage level regardless of the actual mail density or sortation levels.
Does this service work with Nonprofit Mail or EDDM?
No. At this time, our Print & Mail Postcard service is available only for:
We do not currently support Nonprofit Mail or EDDM through this service.
Does this service make sense for saturation mailings?
Usually not. We guarantee 5-digit postage pricing. No worse, but also no better. Because saturation mailings can qualify for better postal rates, saturation jobs will usually make more sense to presort locally.
Will I receive a postal receipt?
Because your job is commingled with other mail by Pitney Bowes, your individual job does not receive its own postal receipt. That is one of the trade-offs of receiving guaranteed 5-digit postage pricing.
The good news is that we provide USPS tracking, allowing you to follow the job as it moves through the postal system. If you are also using Informed Delivery and your home address is in the uploaded mailing list, you can also see the mailpiece appear in your USPS Daily Digest.
Informed Delivery & USPS Tracking
What is USPS Informed Delivery?
USPS Informed Delivery is a free service that allows participating consumers to preview mail digitally that is expected to arrive soon, usually that day. Consumers are notified through a Daily Digest email sent by USPS.
Most direct mail shown in the Daily Digest appears as a black-and-white scan. However, advertisers who submit a digital version of their mailpiece can have it displayed at or near the top of the Daily Digest in full color, with a clickable link to their website. This is what we offer with our Postcard Print & Mail service.
Will using your Informed Delivery service interfere with any of my other jobs that 24pound is not handling?
No. Our Informed Delivery campaigns use our Mailer ID, so the serial numbers will not conflict with yours.
Do I have to provide the Client ID to use Informed Delivery?
Yes. This is a USPS requirement.
What if I do not have my client's CRID?
You have three easy options:
1. Look it up through the USPS Business Customer Gateway. If you are a Mail Service Provider, log in and navigate to:
Manage Account -> Manage Profile -> Mail Service Providers -> Get MID/CRID Assignments for Your Customers
2. Check with your data or production team. If you have mailed for the client before using an Intelligent Mail barcode, there is a good chance your team already has the CRID.
3. Ask your client for their CRID.
In a pinch, we may also be able to look up the client's CRID through our USPS Business Customer Gateway account. Please ask our customer service team. We will need the end user's correct company name and full mailing address.
What does your USPS mail tracking show?
Our postal tracking uses USPS mail-processing scan data to follow your mail as it moves through the postal network.
This provides visibility into when mail begins moving through USPS facilities, where it is in the delivery process, and when the mailing is beginning to reach recipients.
For resellers and their clients, this can be especially useful for coordinating:
Instead of simply knowing when the postcards were mailed, you and your client gain visibility into when they are actually reaching the market.
What reporting do I receive for Informed Delivery and USPS tracking?
Your reporting is provided in an unbranded format that can be saved and shared directly with your client. No 24pound information is displayed.
Informed Delivery reporting includes:
USPS Tracking reporting shows where the mail is in the postal stream and when it should be delivering.
Where can I learn more about Informed Delivery and postal tracking?
We have a separate FAQ that goes into greater detail on both services, including how the reporting works, what the different tracking statuses mean, and what you can expect from Informed Delivery.
Reseller Policies & Data Protection
Do you work with end users?
No. 24pound works exclusively with direct mail resellers, including mail shops, printers, agencies, and marketing companies. We do not sell directly to end users, and that will not change.
Is my customer's mailing data protected?
All customer and mailing data is used solely for the purpose of producing your Postcard Print & Mail order.
Mailing data is deleted from our servers 60 days after the mailing is completed.
A Mailers Haven Company
