What’s That Sound? A Look Behind the Scenes of Bulk Mailing

Turn up your sound for a moment. 🔊

That quick buzz and snap you hear is our strapping machine at work. It may only take a few seconds, but it is an important part of preparing a commercial mailing for the United States Postal Service.

When you send hundreds—or even thousands—of postcards, letters, newsletters, or other mail pieces, you cannot simply place them in a box and drop them off at the post office. The mail must first be processed, sorted, labeled, documented, and packaged according to USPS requirements.

That is where our mailing team—and this noisy little machine—come in.

What Is the Strapping Machine Doing?

Once a mailing has been sorted, letter-size pieces are placed into USPS mailing trays. Each tray is covered with a sleeve and then secured with a plastic strap around its length. [1]

The strap helps keep the tray, sleeve, and mail securely together as they are handled and transported through the postal system.

It may seem like a small detail, but it is one of many steps involved in preparing a commercial mailing correctly. USPS provides some exceptions for trays placed on certain properly prepared and stretch-wrapped pallets, but the right preparation method depends on the type, size, destination, and volume of the mailing. [2]

Thankfully, you do not need to sort through all those requirements on your own.

There Is a Lot More Happening Behind the Scenes

Strapping the trays is one of the final—and most visible—steps. Before we reach that point, our team may also:

• Review and process the mailing list
• Check addresses for formatting or delivery issues
• Organize the mail by ZIP Code and postal destination
• Add the appropriate postal barcodes
• Prepare tray and container labels
• Confirm that the piece meets USPS size and design requirements
• Complete the necessary postal documentation
• Prepare and deliver the mailing for USPS acceptance

These steps help the mail move more efficiently through the postal system. They may also help a qualifying mailing receive commercial postage prices instead of individual retail postage.

The exact requirements vary depending on the mail class, piece design, destination, quantity, sorting level, and where the mailing enters the postal network. The USPS Domestic Mail Manual is the official source for these standards. [3]

Postal Rules and Prices Continue to Change

The original version of this article focused on postal changes introduced in 2023. Since then, USPS prices, terminology, and preparation requirements have continued to evolve.

Another round of mailing-service changes takes effect on July 12, 2026. The price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp will increase from 78 cents to 82 cents. USPS is also making structural changes to several commercial-mail categories. [4]

One significant change for commercial mailers is the elimination of ADC and AADC rate categories for First-Class Mail, USPS Marketing Mail, and Periodicals. Those categories are being replaced with 3-digit rates, along with changes to some tray and container terminology. [5]

That may sound technical—and it is. The important takeaway for most businesses is that mailing requirements and postage costs do not stay the same for long.

Instructions or estimates from even a few years ago may no longer be accurate. That is why it helps to work with a mailing provider that keeps up with the latest postal standards.

We Handle the Details So You Don’t Have To

A successful mailing involves much more than printing the piece.

From processing your list and preparing your artwork to sorting the finished pieces, completing the paperwork, securing the trays, and delivering the mailing to USPS, our team helps manage the process from beginning to end.

Whether you are sending:

• Promotional postcards
• Customer newsletters
• Fundraising appeals
• Event announcements
• Catalogs
• Business letters
• Community publications

We can help you choose a mailing approach that fits your audience, message, timeline, and budget.

The next time you hear that quick buzz and snap, you will know what is happening: another mailing is secured, prepared, and one step closer to reaching its audience.

Planning an upcoming mailing? Contact Coughlin and let our team transform your idea into a finished project that’s ready to reach your customers’ mailboxes.

Get started with your next mailing here!

Helpful Sources:

[1] United States Postal Service. “Get Supplies.” Postal Explorer: Business Mail 101. USPS explains that trays of letter mail must be sleeved and secured with a single strap around the length of the tray.

[2] United States Postal Service. “Customer Support Ruling PS-345.” Postal Explorer. USPS outlines the general strapping requirement for sleeved letter trays and the different requirement used for flat trays.

[3] United States Postal Service. Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual. The DMM contains the official standards governing domestic mail preparation, eligibility, documentation, and postage.

[4] United States Postal Service. “U.S. Postal Service Recommends New Prices for July.” April 9, 2026. USPS announced that mailing-service prices taking effect July 12, 2026, include an increase in the Forever stamp price from 78 cents to 82 cents.

[5] United States Postal Service. “New Mailing Standards for Domestic Mailing Services Products.” April 9, 2026. The final rule removes ADC and AADC rates for several commercial-mail products and replaces them with 3-digit rates.