United States Postal Service Full Service Approved
The Rapid Information Bulletin Board System (RIBBS) website has been infected with malware! This is especially distressing, as I often refer customers to that site for information on mailpiece design. The site also comes in handy for verification when they get that “What you talkin' bout, Willis?” look on their face when I tell them of certain mailing requirements foisted on us by the USPS.
As a mailer, I use RIBBS as a resource to keep up with the latest changes and updates on all things postal. It is distressing that the site was hacked, but even more distressing to me is the fact that, as one in the mailing industry, I was not notified by any U.S. postal personnel or office that the site was infected.
There is some great information about the malware at Zscaler Research. At first I thought it was someone directly attacking the United States Postal Service but it's a Blackhole Exploit kit that has been infecting other legitimate sites in addition to the Postal Service RIBBS site.
I hope that they can get the site running clean soon. Do you use RIBBS? If so, how often?
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Barney Fiber mascot and logo of Clampitt Paper
Our friends at Clampitt Paper have us thinking about the material that makes mailing possible. Every year, Clampitt puts together several Paper School events aimed at informing their clients on the subject of paper selection.
It shouldn’t be surprising that the paper stock you choose can have a big impact on your mailing. It is, after all, what the mail is made of. While there are several kinds of paper out there, many of them are specialized for different uses. As a mailer, you can use these differences to your advantage, both to maximize the efficiency of your mail, and to impress your customers.
The physical characteristics of different papers affect how well they mail. For postcards, you need something that is stiff enough to run through postal machinery without getting torn up, but is also lightweight enough to not drive up your postage costs unnecessarily. Some papers are sold by thickness instead of weight. While having a consistent thickness is important, inconsistent weight is literally a dealbreaker. When your mail is entered at the post office, the piece count is always verified by weight. Even tiny variations in the weight of individual pieces can add up to a big difference when you’re mailing thousands of them, and if your mailing doesn’t weigh what it is supposed to you will lose any postage discounts from mailing in bulk.
Choosing a paper stock can seem overwhelming at first, thanks to the variety in the market. But you can narrow your selection by knowing which papers work best for your specific needs. And those details can help you produce a successful mailing campaign.
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We were pleasantly surprised to see today's Google Doodle. If you love snailmail like we do, then you probably recognize the style of today's Google Doodle from Robert Indiana, whose work was used to create a “Love” U. S. postage stamp in 1973. Do you have a favorite Valentine card, story or stamp? If so, post a comment about it here or on our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/ipresort)