Mailing Classes & Postage

Mailing classes categorize mail based on factors like speed, cost, and content, determining how a mailpiece is handled by the U.S. Postal Service. Through Lob, you can take advantage of different mailing class options to reflect your business priorities

Important: via its Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), the U.S. Postal Service imposes certain standards for mail preparation and content. Such standards include requirements for sending mail containing personal information. Because violations of the DMM can result in mail being pulled from the mailstream and/or other penalties, Lob strongly recommends you review the DMM and consult your legal counsel with any questions or concerns.

First Class Mail

• Used to send Lob postcards, self-mailers, letters, and checks

  • Intended mostly for personal or business correspondence

  • Option of add additional services, like Certified Mail

• Must weigh 13oz or less; anything over 13oz can be sent as Priority Mail

• Delivery is given priority over Standard Class Mail, both locally & nationally

• Includes forwarding and return services with no additional charge

• Domestic mailings typically take 4-6 business days, and international mailings typically take an additional 5-7 business days to be delivered

Standard Class Mail or Marketing Mail

• Broadly known as Marketing Mail, or "bulk mail" in the industry

  • Lob will often refer to it by its previous name, Standard Class Mail, in our product offerings

• Used to send Lob postcards, self-mailers, and letters with marketing-related content

  • Intended more for advertisements and mass communication purposes

• Must weigh 16oz or less, and meet a minimum quantity of 200 pieces or 50lbs

• Processed by USPS on a "time available" basis; no delivery time guarantees

  • Best to avoid with time-sensitive mailings

• Least expensive postage mode available on Lob

• Mailings typically take 7-21 business days (only available in US)

• Standard Class mail cannot be sent internationally

• Standard Class mail is not forwarded or returned if undeliverable unless a special endorsement is used; undeliverable mail will be destroyed by USPS

Available mailing class options

Postcards

• 4x6, 6x9 and 6x11 postcards: Mailed via USPS First Class Mail (takes 4-6 business days and international mailings take an additional 5-7 business days).

• 4x6, 6x9 and 6x11 postcards: Mailed via USPS Standard Class Mail (takes 7-21 business days) and only within the US.

Self-mailers

• Mailed via USPS First Class Mail or Standard Class Mail

• USPS Standard Class Mail may only be used for sends within the US

Letters

• Mailed via USPS First Class Mail (takes 4-6 business days)

• Mailed via USPS Standard Class Mail (takes 7-21 business days) and only within the US

Checks

• Mailed via USPS First Class only (takes 4-6 business days)

  • USPS Standard Class Mail is not available for checks

• Overnight/expedited mailing options are not available

Postage

Our fulfillment partners programmatically print their own indicia on all postcards and self-mailers. This indicia is then used to prepare the mailing paperwork for USPS. There is no need to mark the location of your indicia in your submitted creatives.

Our return envelopes are blank and come without prepaid postage; mail recipients will be responsible for adding their own postage when sending reply mail.

Mail collection & cut-off times

Our daily cut-off times for all mail submissions are 10am PST each business day; anything submitted after that will be processed in the following business day's production run.

Remember: if you use the cancellation window or scheduling feature and your send date surpass a daily cut-off time, it will be slotted for the next production day. Production days are based on normal business days, including National Holidays.

If you have more questions regarding cut-off times, reach out to [email protected] or your Customer Success Manager.

Lob's Print Delivery Network (PDN)

Lob's Print Delivery Network (PDN) is the backbone of our Print & Mail offering and is predicated on automated production, dynamically-adjusted throughput, and consistency of quality that is on-demand and at scale. By building an integrated, distributed network of professional printers, we simplify client print operations and vendor management on behalf of our customers. Qualified commercial printers are integrated into our PDN ecosystem, enabling customers to easily access different mail delivery strategies.

Mail sent through Lob is dynamically distributed to the printers within our PDN, based on a number of factors, including:

• Mail form factor and permutation availability

• Mail volume capacity

• Mail Content

• Paper stock and ink availability

• Distance from end-recipient of mail

• Other manufacturing and logistical capacity needs

If you're a printer that's interested in working with us, let's talk!