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Table of Contents
This Customer Guide has been designed to give Customers detailed information needed to get the most from Canada Post’s Incentive Lettermail service. This Customer Guide forms part of the Agreement between the Customer and Canada Post. It explains the qualifications and other terms and conditions under which this service is provided. Customers should ensure they are using the most current version of the Customer Guide and other applicable documents, which are posted on the Canada Post website. See in particular, www.canadapost.ca/postalservices for key documents. It is the Customer’s obligation to meet all the requirements outlined in the Incentive Lettermail Agreement.
Incentive Lettermail is a category of Lettermail that consists of identical items of Standard [formerly known as Short and Long (S/L)] and Oversize (O/S) mail as defined by Canada Post that must be deposited in Canada for delivery in Canada. In order to access the applicable Incentive Lettermail price, Customers must enter into an Agreement with Canada Post and ensure that the mail meets certain requirements established by Canada Post. These requirements include, but are not limited to, mail preparation and presortation, address accuracy, mail processing acceptability and readability, size, weight, placing Orders (Statements of Mailing) using the Electronic Shipping Tools (EST), etc. Within the Incentive Lettermail category there are two (2) mail preparation and presortation options available. Visit www.canadapost.ca/ilmsupportdocuments for a list of support documents detailing Incentive Lettermail requirements.
Machineable Mail is mail that is prepared in such a way that it can be processed through Canada Post’s automated mail processing equipment. Mail must achieve a minimum machine readability target of 80% for Standard and 70% for Oversize (O/S) in order to quality for the Machineable price. A readability target of 95% for Standard and 85% for Oversize (O/S) is required in order to avoid a price adjustment or surcharge. Machineable Mail may only be deposited at approved mechanized sites. A minimum of 5,000 identical items per deposit is required.
Lettermail Presort refers to mail that is sequenced, grouped and containerized to enable Canada Post to bypass various processing steps and facilities within its mail distribution network. A minimum of 500 identical items per deposit is required.
Service standards are estimates of how long it will take for the mail to be delivered from the point of deposit to the destination points. These service standards are not guaranteed. A general overview of the Incentive Lettermail service standards is as follows: These service standards do not apply to Northern Regions and to Remote Centres as defined by Canada Post. For more information, visit the Service Standards chapter of the Canada Postal Guide, under section 3 “Direct Marketing and Transaction Mail – Domestic”.
A feature is provided as part of the basic service.
Incentive Lettermail items that cannot be delivered as originally addressed because the addressee has moved will be redirected to the addressee at no extra charge while there is a Change of Address Notification (COAN) in effect.
Incentive Lettermail items that are undeliverable, or if no Change of Address Notification (COAN) is in effect, will be returned to the sender at no extra charge if a Canadian return address appears on the outside of the item. When the return address is on the inside of the item, it will be returned to the Customer for a fee.
An option is a service enhancement that is not provided automatically as part of the basic service.
This service option is available under separate agreement. If the item cannot be delivered as addressed because the addressee has filed a Change of Address Notification (COAN) with Canada Post, the Do Not Forward option enables the Customer to have domestic Incentive Lettermail returned to the return address on the item and not forwarded to the addressee.
Incentive Lettermail is treated as undeliverable if:
Undeliverable Incentive Lettermail items that cannot be redirected will be disposed of or recycled, as determined by Canada Post.
To be eligible as Incentive Lettermail, the items mailed must meet the criteria specified for Incentive Lettermail and must be prepared for mailing in such a manner as to prevent loss or damage to any item and permit easy examination of each item. Items submitted as Incentive Lettermail that do not meet the content, format and physical characteristics specified for Incentive Lettermail and the various mail preparation and other requirements outlined in this Agreement, may be subject to price adjustments and/or surcharges or may not qualify for Incentive Lettermail services and prices. See section 5 “Criteria for Qualification” and section 6 “Surcharges” in the General Terms and Conditions. Visit www.canadapost.ca/customer_guides for information on surcharges.
Incentive Lettermail can include the following:
Incentive Lettermail can include enclosures, as long as they do not impede mechanized processing. Non-paper enclosures must be pre-approved, with the exception of plastic cards that meet the flexibility requirements outlined in the Canadian Postal Standards. Visit www.canadapost.ca/postalstandards for more information.
To be eligible as Incentive Lettermail, the items mailed must meet the criteria specified for Incentive Lettermail and must be prepared for mailing in such a manner as to prevent loss or damage to any item and permit easy examination of each item. Commingling of Incentive Lettermail items is not permitted. Commingling occurs when a number of separate and notably different mailings are combined to achieve the minimum deposit requirement or sufficient densities to achieve discount prices. See “Ownership of Mail” in section 6.2 “General Terms and Conditions”.
Generally, non-mailable matter means any items that:
Any item bearing a modified postage stamp in contravention of section 52, or bearing a word or mark in contravention of section 58, of the Canada Post Corporation Act is also non-mailable matter. For further information respecting non-mailable matter restrictions, visit the Canada Postal Guide at www.canadapost.ca/postalguide under Non-mailable Matter. It is the Customer’s obligation to ensure an item does not constitute non-mailable matter and is otherwise acceptable for mailing.
Each item in an Incentive Lettermail mailing must be identical in design and physical characteristics. However:
Each item of an Incentive Lettermail mailing must be addressed to a specific individual or a company, and include the complete mailing address and the valid postal code for that address. The address location and window location must be the same on all items. The return address can vary, provided that either the address or the name or logo of the company to which items are to be returned remains constant. Only Canadian return addresses are acceptable and only one return address is permitted. Address windows on Incentive Lettermail must be located and covered in a manner that meets the applicable requirements as established in the Canadian Postal Standards Lettermail. For more information on addressing, visit the Canada Postal Guide at www.canadapost.ca/postalguide under Addressing Guidelines.
Customers may only use Canada Post postal indicia (including the Customized Postal Indicia*), logos, trade-marks or markings if the Customer has obtained the written consent of Canada Post. Any use by the Customer must then be only in strict accordance with the consent granted. Any unauthorized use is an offence under the Canada Post Corporation Act.
Note that an item will be non-mailable matter if, on the outside, it is marked or labelled with any of the following that were not provided or authorized by Canada Post:
It is the Customer’s obligation to obtain approval for any proposed endorsement or other markings from Canada Post prior to printing.
Each item of Incentive Lettermail must be completely sealed, rectangular in shape, and meet the following size and weight specifications.
Proper mail preparation is important to ensure that Incentive Lettermail items are processed and delivered efficiently. Adjustments and/or surcharges may be applied to improperly prepared mailings.
Mail preparation is the process of facing and containerizing the items and labelling the containers. It helps ensure machineability of mail (where applicable), protection of mail, identification of the type of mail and ease of handling. Mail presortation is the process of sequencing, grouping and containerizing the items and labelling the containers to allow Canada Post to bypass various processing steps and facilities within its mail distribution network. Visit www.canadapost.ca/mailpreparation for more information on mail preparation and presortation.
Machineable Mail is mail that is prepared in such a way that it can be processed through Canada Post’s automated mail processing equipment.
Machine Readability Requirements and Evaluation of Samples Items prepared and submitted as Machineable Incentive Lettermail must meet certain requirements, including machine readability. A readability target of 95% for Standard and 85% for Oversize (O/S) is required in order to avoid a price adjustment or surcharge. For read rates between 80% and 95% for Standard and 70% and 85% for Oversize (O/S), full price will be applied to the portion of mail between the Customer’s read rate and the target read rate. For read rates that are less than 80% for Standard and 70% for Oversize (O/S), full price will be applied to the entire mailing. Visit www.canadapost.ca/customer_guides for information on surcharges. To help reduce the risk of such price adjustments and/or surcharges and permit efficient mail processing through Canada Post’s automated processing equipment, Customers should submit samples of proposed mailings to Canada Post to test for readability. The Customer remains responsible for meeting all applicable requirements. Customers wishing to have samples tested may either contact a Canada Post Representative or send 200 samples, identical to those being mailed, to: CANADA POST Visit www.canadapost.ca/postalstandards for more information on Machineable Incentive Lettermail.
Address Accuracy is a program designed to improve delivery by encouraging Customers to accurately address mail. Every item must be addressed to a specific individual or a company and include the complete mailing address, including the valid postal code for that address. If the address is not complete, the mail may be delayed or returned. Consistent and accurate addressing eliminates the need for extra handling and/or redelivery. For Customers, this translates into a more efficient service and lower costs. Accurate addressing helps ensure the mail is delivered on time, every time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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