What is First-Class Mail used for?
For personal, private, or time-sensitive content, and anything that must be mailed First-Class by rule. Invoices, statements, checks, appointment reminders, lab results, and personal correspondence must go First-Class, not Marketing Mail. Fastest routine class. Includes cards, letters, flats, and parcels 13 ounces or less; over 13 ounces it becomes Priority Mail. Price includes forwarding for up to 12 months and return of undeliverable pieces. See DMM 133.
What can and cannot go in USPS Marketing Mail?
Formerly Standard Mail. For advertising, promotional, and solicitation content sent in bulk. Cannot contain personal correspondence, bills, statements, or anything required to go First-Class. No forwarding or return is included unless an ancillary service endorsement is added and paid. Requires a bulk mailing (see How many pieces do I need for presort pricing). Lower postage than First-Class in exchange for slower, non-guaranteed delivery. Each piece must weigh less than 16 ounces. See DMM 243.
Who can use Nonprofit Marketing Mail prices?
Marketing Mail at reduced nonprofit prices, available only to USPS-authorized nonprofit organizations for their own mailings. Authorization and content eligibility rules apply. In POMS, nonprofit is priced only from explicit Notice 123 nonprofit rows, never scaled from commercial rates. See DMM 243 and 703.
Bound Printed Matter
For bound advertising, directories, or catalogs of printed sheets bound together, generally heavier promotional print pieces. Weight and content limits apply. See DMM 263.
What qualifies for Media Mail?
For eligible media only (books, sound recordings, educational material). Cannot contain advertising. Low cost, slow, and subject to inspection. Rarely used for marketing mail. See DMM 273.
How do I choose a mail class?
Decision order for a typical mailing: if the content is personal, private, or required to be First-Class, use First-Class. If it is advertising sent in bulk of at least the minimum quantity, USPS Marketing Mail (or Nonprofit if the mailer is authorized) is usually cheapest. For saturating a geographic area with no mailing list, see EDDM in What is EDDM. For exact price comparisons, use the Postage Estimator, which prices from the imported Notice 123.