The United States Postal Service requires extra postage, called a “non-machinable surcharge,” on First Class mail sent in non-rectangular or overly thick/rigid envelopes. The Postal Service also requires extra postage when the envelope and enclosures weigh more than one ounce.

The non-machinable surcharge impacts Up With Paper’s Treasures brand of greeting cards, which are square and sold with a square envelope.

Currently, for our greeting cards mailed within the United States, First Class postage is as follows:

For all Panoramics, Tres Panache, Pop-Up Snow Globe Greetings, Tres Panache Boxed Notes, and Tres Panache Imprintables: 45 cents/envelope, unless additional items are added to the envelope to increase the weight. Each extra ounce over one ounce is an additional 20 cents. A Panoramics card with an extra letter or photo that takes the weight to 1.5 ounces, for example, would require 65 cents of postage.

Our Sight ‘n Sound greeting cards are mailed in a standard size envelope, but weigh more than an ounce, so the cost to mail them is now 65 cents.  Each extra beyond 2 ounces would require an additional 20 cents.

TThe Postal Service has specifically noted that the 20-cent non-machinable stamp covers the extra postage needed for square greeting cards (in addition to the basic 45-cent First Class stamp).  This has significantly reduced the confusion and frustration many consumers have experienced when trying to determine the proper postage for one of our square cards.  In addition, the Postal Service has released the Butterfly stamp, now costing 65 cents, specifically for square greeting cards.  With this one stamp, consumers can be confident that their Treasures cards weighing less than one ounce will reach their destination with no additional postage required!  The Butterfly stamp icon is included on all Treasures envelopes, as an indication for our customers and postal service employees that the Butterfly stamp will cover postage.

Up With Paper is actively involved with the Greeting Card Association (GCA) in working with the PRC and the Postal Service to hold the line on postage rate increases, which act to reduce the flow of First Class mail in our country, to the detriment of long distance relationships between families and friends. In addition, we support efforts to eliminate the confusion that the non-machinable and weight requirements create among consumers.  We were pleased to be a part of the development and introduction of the Butterfly stamp, and to take part in the dedication of this stamp in 2010

The GCA has been the only advocate for the citizen mailer, supporting lower postage and the broadest availability of the U.S. Mail, often opposed by direct and bulk mail interests. For more information on the GCA and its efforts on postal issues in general and the Butterfly stamp in particular, please visit: http://www.greetingcard.org/AbouttheIndustry/ButterflyStamp/tabid/83/Default.aspx.

To learn more about the Postal Service, the Postal Regulatory Commission, and postal rates and regulations, go to www.usps.com or www.prc.gov