Mailing FAQ

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a new program by the USPS that allows retail businesses to mail at 14.2 cents per postcard. Not only can you mail postcards, but you can also mail catalogs, brochures, samples, or anything else. You can mail anything as long as it meets "commercial flat" size requirements.

Flats may be up from 6.25”x11” up to 12”x15” and can weigh up to 3.3oz. This is generally referred to as a flat. Most “flat” mailings used with EDDM are single sheet pieces printed on both sides within the dimensions listed above. For a list of the sizes we at Clash Graphics recommend for the most effective mailing campaign, click here.

With Every Door Direct Mail you can mail to all homes and businesses in a mailing route. Each zip code is comprised of many different routes. Each of these routes contain approximately 300-600 homes and businesses.

You must have: 4w x 2.5h inches of blank space at the bottom right hand corner for addressing and barcode. 1w x 1h inches of blank space at the top right hand corner for the indicia/permit. (see figure below)

The post office has created a new website called Simplified Mailing Process located at http:/eddm.usps.com . This website allows you to geo-target your area by zip code, city, or address and then you can map out the carrier routes that you want to mail to. Best of all this website will automatically generate the paperwork necessary to give to the USPS mail clerk.

You can omit businesses from your mailing, however one of the core requirements of EDDM is that you have to mail to all homes in the route. You do have the opportunity to exclude certain addresses, such as competitors, customers, or people you know that do not wish to receive your marketing messages. You can exclude the addresses via the facing slip in the provided paperwork.

The USPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) Program allows you to market by mail to households and businesses in targeted neighborhoods. Because the program is delivered to every door on a particular mail carrier's route the mailpieces do not require addresses or individual names.  This also allows for a reduced postage rate.  EDDM Retail is specifically designed for small volume mailers who mail less than 5,000 EDDM mailpieces a day and has special rules. For full details, please visit the USPS website Here.

 

*Clash Graphics does not offer bundling and delivery services for EDDM at this time.

 

While the eddm.usps.com will let you choose only residential routes, it is important to change your endorsement to "Local Residential Customer" on your postcard. This way, the carrier will know you want to omit businesses from your mailing.

There’s both a minimum and a daily maximum. You must mail at least 200 pieces and to at least one carrier route each time you mail, so the minimum number of pieces required is the number of active deliveries on a single carrier route, but not less than 200. The maximum number of pieces is 5,000 per Post Office, per day. There’s also a limit of five 5-Digit ZIP Codes per EDDM Retail mailing.

No USPS postage permits or annual fees are required with EDDM Retail, but program registration with USPS is required (FREE). To begin the registration process through Clash Graphics, click here or contact us at info@clashgraphics.com.

EDDM Retail uses a “simplified” address of Postal Customer instead of street numbers or boxes so no mailing list is required. You just need a list of mail routes and active delivery counts, which can be obtained free of charge from the USPS EDDM website. Your target area can be a city, neighborhood or a specified distance from your business. To identify which USPS mail routes match your target area visit this USPS site for information about delivery routes and number of deliveries per carrier route.

We don't recommend that you try to print these on your home printer because the paper stock required is too thick. Additionally the cost of toner is very expensive, and the quality will not be the same as if it was printed by a commercial printing company. We are offering discounted print rates to help customers take advantage of this new program.

If you want to prepare your own EDDM mail, we will walk you through the process and assist you in preparing mailing for free. Although it is not technically difficult, there are some guidelines that should be followed in order for your mail to be accepted by the post office. We at Clash Graphics will be glad to assist you with any questions you have about the EDDM process. We can also bundle and deliver your postcards to the post office for 4¢ a postcard.