THE KEY TO Comailing Feb 1, 2008 12:00 PM
, BY TIMOTHY GABLE
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As
more catalogers discover the joys of comailing, there have been a few
innovations on the bindery front. For instance, printers have recently
developed a new hopper a feeder pocket that inserts a bound guest
catalog onto the conveyer belt after the trimmer in
postal-carrier-route order with the host catalog.
This
hybrid hopper is attached after the trimmers that insert a prebound
book into the mail stream. Because this takes place after the trimmers,
the guest book does not need to be the exact same size as the host book.
This
innovation does have some limitations, however. The most constraining
is that the guest book can have only one version, because the guest
book is prebound, just like a bulk book.
The
guest book is loaded onto a feed table, inkjetted with the mailing
address, and dropped onto the conveyer belt in the correct the postal
sort for bundling with the host book. The addressing is only on the
back cover, with no messaging or addressing on the order form.
Other
hybrid-hopper limitations are that the ratio between guest and host is
no more that 20%. This is because to open up a space for the guest book
to be included in the postal sort, the bindery line creates a blank
space on the line. These make the bindery line 20% less efficient. But
the printers are working on eliminating this need for the open space
for the guest catalog.
The
hybrid hopper process is new, so the pricing varies from bindery to
bindery and can be expensive. Because it slows the bindery down, the
process results in longer schedules and usually a slowdown charge.
Some
printers charge a run rate that pays for the hopper and the slowdown of
the bindery; others take a piece of the postal savings.
What's
more, the hopper is found only at some plants of the largest printers
and probably will not be rolled out to all plants or to small mail
houses.
Another
innovation, the off-line comail process, has been used in the magazine
world but is a relatively new option for catalogers. Much like the
hopper, a prebound book is introduced into postal sort of a zip stream.
The
difference is that this is done off the bindery line, and from 10 to 40
prebound catalogs are fed into the zip stream. This has many of the
limitations of the book hybrid hopper longer schedules, no inside
inkjet, and it's limited in availability to larger printers and plants.
It's
also expensive because it is a secondary process it usually costs
about 30% to 50% more than the inline comail. The potential is that you
can pre-bind multiple versions and feed them from separate hoppers to
create a demographic bind.
While
the most recent postal increase has been a huge burden to catalogers,
there is some opportunity for relief at the printer and bindery. And
with planning and coordination with your printer, you can execute most
of these processes without affecting customer response.
Timothy Gable is director, production services for Itasca, IL-based cataloger/retailer OfficeMax.
The slim-jim story
Seen
more tall, skinny catalogs in the mail lately? The U.S. Postal Service
is rewarding lightweight, low circulation catalogs that change to a
slim-jim format and mail as a letter rather than a flat.
As
you probably know, a slim-jim or slim-line catalog measures less than
6-1/8" wide and 11-1/2" high and has an aspect ratio between 1.3 to 1
and 2.5 to 1; it is less than 1/4" inch thick, and weighs less than 3.0
oz.
To
qualify for the standard letter rate, the catalog's face or open pages
must be closed by two adhesive tabs or stickers, and the books must be
placed in trays. The renaissance of the slim-jim has challenged the
bindery to improve the tab and tray automation. Printers were hesitant
to invest in equipment before they saw real demand. And the USPS was
concerned about tray supply if catalogers made a mad-rush, but this did
not happen.
The
main advantage to this size is the postal rates are 9% less for the
same weight book that qualifies for carrier route. Because the slim-jim
is a specific size with limited variation, this may be the new it
size. And with many catalogers mailing this size, comail partners may
be easier to locate.
But
many binderies are reluctant to extensively demo bind a slim-jim
because it slows down the line too much. And while cover versioning is
allowed, versioning the catalog body is not.
And
the decision to radically alter your trim size should not be taken
lightly, as your format is part of your identity. To understand the
change in response rates, mailers should test the current format
against the slim-jim size, which is one of the most expensive tests in
direct mail both in dollars and labor resources.
You
also have to consider the page count limitation with a slim-jim,
because if a catalog weighs more than 3.0 oz., it mails as a standard
flat at a 9% penalty.
A
quick calculation of page counts at certain paper weights shows that on
36-lb. paper with a 60-lb. stock cover, the maximum page count is 68
pages. For a 60-lb. self-cover, the maximum page count is 40 pages.
That
means introducing a blow-in or bind-in with a slim-jim will tip the
scale and cost you dearly. And because the tabs tend to rip medium
weight covers, you may need to upgrade your cover paper to 70- or
80-lb. stock if you're considering a slim-jim. TG
Six comailing tips
Considering comailing?
Bruce Jensen, vice president U.S. sales for Transcontinental Printing's
catalog group, has some tips to make your comailing experience a
success:
Examine all your options
Enter
discussions with an open mind. Ask your printer for an analysis of your
list and a recommended comailing strategy. It could be that an inline
solution still generally faster and more efficient is available.
Remember that your goal is to get more of your mail onto pallets to
qualify for additional drop shipping and postal worksharing discounts.
Don't get hung up on how that happens, as long as you can live with the
requirements and have confidence in your print partner to facilitate
your participation.
Look at the total savings picture
The
sweet spot of most offline systems is usually in the 20,000 to 100,000
circulation range. But mailings as small as 5,000 pieces and as high as
200,000 pieces might still experience net savings with comailing. If
you're not overwhelmed with your savings projections, keep in mind that
you might see more significant savings from a series of incremental
postage gains. Perhaps several list hygiene improvements combined with
comailing will add up to worthwhile savings.
Standardize
Bindery-line
comailing requires catalogs with identical trim sizes and similar
thickness. Offline comailing systems are more flexible, but there will
usually be an acceptable range such as 734" to 834" Χ 10" to 10 7/8".
Your source may offer pools for catalogs of different trim sizes, such
as a tabloid or digest. Again, there will be some ranges of acceptable
trim sizes. Thickness
requirements are liberal in offline solutions, but there will likely be
some restrictions, often a 1/8 minimum and a ½ to 5/8 maximum. You'll also
usually have to conform to an addressing window and the use of inkjet
addressing.
You have to give to get
Besides
any dimensional restrictions, you need to evaluate your ability to
handle both schedule flexibility and adherence. In the case of
bindery-line systems, the more flexibility you have with in-home dates,
the easier it is to find a comailing partner. But once there is an
agreed-upon schedule, all participants must meet the required dates for
electronic files, postage funds and other requirements or risk
negatively impacting the comailing partners. Offline systems might
allow for more participation flexibility, but if you miss the window,
the mailing goes without your catalog and you then either mail solo or
wait for the next pool. Additionally, offline comailing does not allow
polybagging or inside inkjet addressing.
Get your CAPS
Comailing
requires a centralized account processing system (CAPS) account, which
provides an electronic alternative to presenting checks and cash for
postage and fees at multiple post offices. A national CAPS account can
be used to pay for mailings at multiple locations, eliminating the need
for maintaining trust accounts at numerous post offices. You will also
need to set up a new entry point for your postal mailing permits that
indicates the entry point of the comailing distribution center. There
is a $175 application fee plus $175 annual permit fee for a CAPS
account, and actual postage payment must link to a CAPS debit account.
Understand the rules
Nothing
causes buyer remorse like unpleasant surprises especially those that
involve money. Make sure you address issues such as the cost of the
comailing service, how your savings share is calculated, any penalties
that might apply for missing a comailing date, and your ability to move
in and out of the program.
