USPS Issues Final Rule on QR Codes

Today’s Federal Register Notice contains the final rule on the Mobile Commerce and Personalization Promotion (aka QR Discount) for First-Class Class cards, letters and flats, and Standard Mail letters and flats bearing two-dimensional mobile barcodes or equivalent print technology. In the final rule, the Postal Service provides a description of the conditions for eligibility for the price reduction for the promotion, and the revised mailing standards to implement the promotion. Here are the highlights:

• Each Presorted and automation mailpiece in the mailing that is listed on the postage statement for that mailing must have a Mobile Barcode on the outside of each piece or on the contents within each piece.
• The Mobile Barcode must lead the recipient of the mailpiece to either: a Web page that allows the recipient to purchase a product or service, or a personalized URL that leads to a Web page whose Web address and content are unique to the mailpiece recipient. In both cases, the Web site must remain mobile-optimized
• The promotion provides an upfront price reduction of 2 percent of the eligible postage for qualifying mailpieces containing Mobile Barcodes as described.
• The mobile barcode promotion discount cannot be combined with other incentives, with the exception of the full-service Intelligent Mail barcode discount.
• To participate in the promotion, customers must register on the Business Customer Gateway at https://gateway.usps.com/bcg/login.htm and specify which permits will participate in the promotion.
• Registration opens May 1, 2012, and must be completed at least 24 hours prior to the first mailing date.
• The Postal Service will implement the promotion and temporary price reduction for mailings made on July 1, 2012, through August 31, 2012.
• The USPS will not have a pre-approval process, but they will review concepts and mock-ups through the Mobile Barcode email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The USPS has just released a new program requirements document that goes into more detail about these requirements. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest information on the promotion by visiting the USPS Mobile Barcode site. Click here. A frequently asked questions (FAQs) attachment will be added in late March/early April 2012.

USPS Didn’t Consider Combined Effort of Changes

In response to a motion filed by the APWU, the Postal Service admitted that it has not considered the combined effect of several of its major proposals, including plans to:

• Degrade service standards; end overnight delivery for first-class mail and periodicals, and slow mail delivery in general;
• Consolidate more than 220 mail processing facilities;
• Close 3,600 post offices;
• Eliminate Saturday mail delivery, and
• Raise postage rates.

In a document [PDF] filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) , the Postal Service declared that it “has conducted no ‘combined impact’ analysis” of the proposals. The USPS filed the document in response to an APWU motion that sought to compel the Postal Service to provide testimony about how it weighed the cumulative effect of the pending changes.

Source: Postal News