What is Courtesy Reply Mail?
A preprinted, preaddressed reply envelope or card the mailer includes so the recipient can respond easily. The recipient affixes their own postage. It carries the mailer's address and an Intelligent Mail barcode for fast processing but no prepaid indicia. Lowest cost to the mailer (no permit or per-piece fee), since the responder pays. See DMM 505.
What is Business Reply Mail?
A reply piece on which the mailer, not the responder, pays return postage, and only for pieces actually returned. It carries the "NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES" legend, the Business Reply legend and permit number, a Facing Identification Mark (FIM), and an Intelligent Mail barcode. Requires a BRM permit and payment of an annual account and a per-piece fee on returns. Layout and barcode must meet DMM 505 exactly or pieces are surcharged. See DMM 505.
What is Qualified Business Reply Mail?
BRM that meets automation standards (letter- or card-size, correctly barcoded and prepared), earning a lower per-piece return fee. QBRM uses Intelligent Mail barcode Accounting (IMbA) for automated counting and daily invoicing. Set up with a permit application (PS Form 3615). Best when reply volume is high enough to justify the setup. See DMM 505.
Facing Identification Mark (FIM)
The pattern of vertical bars at the top of a reply piece that tells USPS equipment how to orient and process it. Reply mail with an Intelligent Mail barcode uses FIM D. Placement and clear space are specified in DMM 505/202; Plavidian prepress sets it. See DMM 202 and 505.
Which reply mail device should I use?
If you want responses to be effortless but are fine with the responder paying postage, use Courtesy Reply Mail. If you want to prepay so more people respond and only pay for returns, use Business Reply Mail, and QBRM once volume justifies the lower per-piece fee. Plavidian can set up the permit and layout.