Returns
Every mail service request that we process is rigorously subjected to industry best practices, including CASS (Coding Address Service System) and NCOA (National Change of Address) along with running against our own growing in-house Do Not Mail List. However, even the very best practices cannot guarantee a 100% delivery rate on all request. Across the industry, a 5-10% return rate can be expected. When you're planning your direct mailing campaign, be sure to factor that rate of returned mail into your list purchase to be sure to hit your goals.
It is important to understand that ultimately the last say in whether a given mail piece is left at its target address is up to the individual letter carrier. This human element is a part of the process that can not be avoided and therefore cannot be controlled. While we will always do our due diligence and investigate any cases of returned mail if it is discovered to be the fault of the USPS HomeVisit cannot be held accountable.
Delivery Standard Variability
It is important to understand that the delivery standards of the USPS is highly predicated on the time of year. When planning a mailing in June, you can expect a much higher percentage of your mail service request to reach their target addresses in just one day for local deliveries as opposed to mailings in November, when the volume is much higher. Below is a general outline of how the USPS performs throughout a typical year and reflects general USPS delivery times:
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January |
Performance recovery from the holidays usually comes by week two. Delivery is not where it will be in June, but there is an improvement. |
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February-April |
Good delivery performance with only minor fluctuation. |
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May-June |
The best delivery months of the year as the volume is very low. |
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July |
Expect some mid-month slowing as back-to-school catalogs cause some disruption. |
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August |
First fall catalogs mail and cause a slight dip in performance, usually the first and third weeks of the month. |
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September |
The week of Labor Day is usually a “good” delivery week, as the USPS prepares for it. The week following the holiday is the first slower week of the fall season. The last two weeks of the month usually are back to near-August levels. |
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October |
Typically shows a drop in performance mid-month as Christmas catalogs mail heavily at this point. The last week of the month is usually one of the 3 slowest delivery weeks of the year due to the heavy volume. |
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November |
Delivery from mid-October through the first week of December remains slow, but the slowest week is right after Thanksgiving when volume is extremely high as most catalogers mail their last big holiday push that week. |
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December |
After the first week of the month, Standard mail delivery times increase because quantity drops precipitously. The USPS prepares for the First Class and Parcel surge and we typically see all mail move very quickly. The 2 days prior to Christmas typically slow down, as USPS focus shifts to that First Class mail. The period between Christmas and New Year’s is difficult – there are two days with no processing and in some years it’s, even more, depending on when Sundays fall. Distribution companies lose days they can ship and deliver to the USPS. |
*** Please note that any issues experienced with mailing must be reported to us within 18 days of mailing. USPS only keeps records on both first class and standard mailings for 18 days.
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