USPS Postnet Expiration Deadline Draws Near

by Nate Schubert

At this point, the Intelligent Mail barcode symbology has been accepted for years by the United States Postal Service for automation price eligibility. Several due-dates have come and gone and while the USPS has worked hard to phase out the former standard Postnet, it has been slow-going. The Postal Service has seen this transition process slowed as a result of working through their own fiscal shortcomings as well as allowing business owners from around the nation to put the proper processes in place so that they can begin using Intelligent Mail.

The US Postal Service website has finally proposed a discontinuation of the Postnet barcode effective by January 28, 2013, and it looks like this is a date that is going to stick. Business owners who receive automation pricing discounts have been scrambling for years to get in line with the latest standards, but as the USPS strives to stay viable with a new 5-year strategy moving forward, it is going to be even more critical for businesses to meet this January 2013 deadline or risk missing out on deep mailing discounts.

IDAutomation has worked to provide businesses and individuals alike with Postnet and Intelligent Mail barcode printing capability. Our products combine the Postnet and Intelligent Mail barcode types, making it possible to generate Intelligent Mail barcodes with Postnet. So, while Postnet may well become a thing of the past in the eyes of the USPS, IDAutomation products will continue to meet both needs with a single product.

The single most popular product IDAutomation provides for generating these postal barcodes is the Postnet & Intelligent Mail Barcode Font Advantage Package which can be used within a wide variety of programs and environments. This increases flexibility for businesses which in turn decreases cost in terms of discounts and time spent. Now is the time to put your plans in place for receiving these automation discounts as offered by the USPS, and we are happy to help make this transition as easy as possible for all businesses who benefit.