Research confirms that mail with a stamp has a higher open rate than mail with a permit or meter imprint. The challenge for anyone sending bulk mail is that a printed indicia is typically used for permit mailings instead of a stamp. To overcome the preference for live postage, however, many experienced mailers use precancelled stamps which offer the appearance of first class mail, but provide the desired discounted bulk postage rates.
What are precancelled stamps, and where can I purchase them? Precancelled stamps are available for purchase directly from the U.S. Post Office at specially designated post offices, or many bulk mail professionals maintain inventories of precancelled stamps that are available for use by their clients. Precancelled stamps are not available for individual purchase; they must be purchased in rolls of at least 500 stamps. The U.S. Post Office currently does not sell bulk mail precancelled stamps online; collectable precancelled stamps may be available for online purchase, but these are strictly for stamp collectors and are worthless to anyone who wants to send bulk mail.
Does it cost extra to use precancelled stamps? No, mailers do not pay extra postage when using precancelled stamps. All precancelled stamps have a face value, however, and they do need to be purchased from the post office in advance of a bulk mailing. Professional bulk mailers may charge a nominal fee to affix the precancelled stamps to your mail piece, however.
Who is eligible to use precancelled stamps? Both nonprofits and businesses are eligible to use precancelled stamps. The face value of nonprofit precancelled stamps is 10 cents a piece, while the face value of presort standard precancelled stamps is 15 cents a piece. When bulk mail paperwork is completed and submitted to the U.S. Post Office, mailers pay the bulk postage amount minus the amount that was already spent to purchase the precancelled stamps. For example, if postage for a particular bulk mail piece is 25 cents a piece, and a precancelled stamp was purchased for 15 cents a piece, the mailer is responsible for paying 10 cents a piece at the time that the bulk mail is delivered to the Business Mail Unit of the U.S. Post Office.
Should I use precancelled stamps for postcards? In my professional opinion, precancelled stamps have little or no value when they are affixed to postcards. Precancelled stamps are better suited for bulk mail that is sent in an envelope, especially if the envelope is designed to look more like an invitation instead of a piece of business mail. The beauty of using a precancelled stamp on an envelope is that it achieves the look of a first-class stamp without the associated higher postage.
