Warners Mailing Guide

 

When we reference mailing we are referring to the process by which we can dispatch individual copies of a magazine, catalogue or brochure to named individual recipients through the post. This article is intended to give our readers a taste of the mailing process and familiarize you with some of the terms. If you ever find yourself unsure, remember that there are specialist mailing providers who are always ready to assist and guide you through the process.

Whilst we offer in-house mailing, we are not a specialist mailing house geared to large-scale, complex and specialist customer requirements. For us, mailing is the final element of a service that we provide to our customers as part of an overall package. For any other specialist mailing requirements that our customers require that we can’t manage in-house our customers often engage a specialist mailing house and ask us to deliver them there.

The Mailing Process

• We receive your instructions as to how the job will be mailed.
• We securely receive and process the data (names and addresses of recipients)
• Run the job on the mailing line, either bagging in paper or polythene and ink-jetting addresses on.
• Mark up and arrange collection by the appropriate agent.

Data

 

Data is at the heart of mailing and understandably requires the greatest of care in its management. When data is supplied to a printer, it needs to be safe and secure. It is best sent through an encrypted and password-protected FTP site. It is important that the only data sent to the mailing provider is that which is required to fulfil its purpose, i.e., the recipient’s name and postal address!

Our team processes the data by sorting it ready to be run through the machine ready to fulfil the order.

The data always remains the property of the sender (our customer), and we, as the processor, cannot make changes or keep copies of it. We can only use the data to fulfil its agreed-upon and intended purpose of mailing the items to the correct recipients. The data is destroyed as soon as the purpose has been fulfilled.

The Mailing Line

 

The mailing line is a relatively simple machine. The finished magazine, catalogue or brochure is placed in a hopper at the start of the line. A single item is then drawn on a chain that passes under additional units where inserts can either be placed on top of or within the item.

After any inserts have been added, the item is then enclosed and sealed within the wrap, either melted if poly or glued if paper, and cut to size and sealed. On the wrap the name and address of the individual recipient has been printed, prior to sealing, as well as all necessary postage information such as barcodes and PPIs. The finished copy is then stacked with others going to the same destination and placed in appropriate containers for collection by Royal Mail or downstream access companies and marked up with the appropriate information.

 

The Mailing Wrap

 

We currently use 2 main types of wrap that are used to mail individual items to our customers end users, Poly and paper.
Polywrap is a wrap made of plastic that is lightweight, strong and waterproof making it an excellent way to protect copies in transport. There are several options available when it comes to poly wrap including options that look to address the environmental concerns with plastic usage. There are options for regular and branded poly as well as biodegradable and recyclable wrap.

Paper is proving a popular choice for many customers due to the ease with which it can be recycled, the removal of the need for carrier sheets, and the ease with which barcodes can be printed. The only drawbacks with paper wrap are that is significantly more heavy than poly (approx. 15grammes) which could push the weight of the mailed item into a higher tariff, and of course that it is not as weather proof as poly.

It is well worth checking the comparative weights of each wrap, as mentioned previously, when considering your mailing, as this could massively influence your pricing.

Important considerations

 

The main things to consider with mailing are the size and weight of the item that you are looking to send. These two aspects will determine the price of mailing more so than anything else. There are some special tariffs available if the content of the printed item matches the correct criteria, but as a rule, the larger and heavier the item, the greater the cost will be.

Downstream Access

 

There are companies that specialise in sorting items for posting through Royal Mail that can sometimes offer discounts or cheaper pricing. These companies are known as downstream access as they eventually send the items through Royal Mail.

Inserts

 

Inserts are a popular way of generating additional income with advertisers. An insert is a smaller item, usually a leaflet, that is to be enclosed with the magazine or catalogue being mailed. There are limits to the size, number of pages and number of inserts that it is possible to enclose within the wrapping. Each mailing provider is different and there will be some variation, so it is always good to check.

 

Weights and Mailing Tariffs

 

There are many different services and options available for the mailing of individual items, each with its own requirements and costs. It is very important to consider which tariffs are available to your product and to be aware of its weight, size and thickness. These three considerations can have a massive impact on the price. It is crucial that the product weight, packaging weight and that of other items such as inserts enclosed are factored in, to budget correctly to avoid a shock!

For a better understanding of what is available we would recommend having a chat with our mailing team, A downstream access provider or Royal Mail.

 

For More Mailing Help

 

Our mailing walkthrough is available upon request, which provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide to how we work with customers to mail each job.

Whenever in doubt it is always better to seek assistance, particularly as the mailing element of a job is often comparable, or in some cases greater than the cost of printing and producing the job in the first place.

Our mailing team and account managers are always on hand to help with any questions or concerns that you might have. If you would like to get in touch, please find the form on our Contact Us page or by calling 01778 391000.