United States Postal Service

The Setting the Record Straight section of USPS.com features letters to newspaper editors, television producers, and other media representatives which USPS has sent in response to criticisms of the Postal Service and to uses of the term "going postal.". Under that bill's terms, Beaverton is specifically barred from forcibly annexing the land that Nike and Columbia Sportswear occupy in unincorporated Washington County for 35 years, while Electro Scientific Industries and Tektronix get that same protection for 30 years. Another example is the movie Men in Black II, where all of Tommy Lee Jones' co-workers at the post office turn out to be aliens. That led to a lawsuit by Nike, and lobbying by the company that ultimately ended in Oregon Senate Bill 887. This stereotype in turn has influenced American culture, as seen in the slang term "going postal" and the computer game Postal. The annexation standoff soon led Beaverton to attempt a forcible annexation. Thanks to sensationalistic media coverage, postal employees gained a mostly undeserved reputation among the general public as being mentally ill. After a year, which included a threat by Nike to move 5,000 jobs out of the state, Beaverton backed down from the requirement for housing, but the lack of accommodation was something that Nike did not forget.

In the early 1990s, there was a widely publicized wave of workplace shootings by disgruntled employees at USPS facilities. Beaverton's request was mostly consistent with Metro's transit-oriented development plans for the region. USPS employees are divided into three major categories according to the work they engage in:. When Nike proposed expanding their headquarters in that direction, Beaverton at first wanted them to build housing near the MAX station and criss-cross the property with two public roads, expectations defined by the zoning already in place with Nike bought the land. It employed 790,000 personnel in 2003, divided into offices, processing centers, and actual post offices. The Oregonian dates the bad blood between the two back to the Nike purchase of 74 acres of nearby Beaverton land which soon fronted the MAX Blue Line. The USPS employs more people than any other single company in the United States except Wal-Mart. A nearby Costco store, one of that company's earliest, was annexed into Beaverton years ago without incident, and Beaverton's focus on additional annexation during the 21st century reflects a desire to streamline both city and county government by having metropolitan-area services handled by cities instead of counties.

The sponsorship ended in 2004, after which the Discovery Channel stepped in as the main sponsor, with the team renamed Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. From Beaverton's perspective, the company's expectation for special treatment is counter to the city's desire to have zoning and other laws apply equally to all businesses, big and small. The team features Lance Armstrong, winner of the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005. Intel, another large employer in the state, routinely receives special tax breaks on various capital investments it makes in the county. For a number of years, the USPS had been head sponsor of a professional cycling team, bearing its name. Annexation would cost the company $700,000 per year in increased taxes for services it already receives from the county and various special-purpose districts. Authorized providers of PC Postage are:. Nike prefers to work with county government as it develops and expands its headquarters.

In addition to using standard stamps, postage can now be printed from a personal computer using a system called Information Based Indicia. From Nike's perspective, the company, the only Fortune 500 employer still headquartered in the Portland metropolitan area, has such a large payroll in the area that it shouldn't be forced to be annexed into Beaverton without its consent. [1]. This technicality reflects a dispute that The Oregonian characterized as an increasingly personal disagreement between Phil Knight and Beaverton mayor Rob Drake. Written permission is required for use of copyrighted postage stamp images. Nike's world headquarters are surrounded by Beaverton, Oregon but are technically within unincorporated Washington County. After this time they are copyright by the postal service under Title 17 of the United States Code. With Minor Threat being emblematic of underground punk rock culture, and their former frontman Ian MacKaye (of Fugazi and Dischord Records) being an outspoken champion of true independent music and the DIY ethic, Nike's move to use this image struck many as a cynical attempt by a large, money hungry corporation to target an untapped demographic, undermining what Minor Threat stood for, and what Dischord continues to represent.
On June 27th, Nike skateboarding's website issued an apology to Dischord, Minor Threat, and anyone else who was offended by their act, and announced that all uses of the image would be removed.

All US postage stamps and other postage items that were released before 1978 are in the public domain. In late June 2005, Nike came under fire from independent music fans for their use of an easily identifiable Minor Threat album cover slightly modified into a promotional tool for their line of skateboarding shoes. Stamps with no value shown or denominated by a letter are also still valid at their purchase price. Such use is considered by some to demean the author's intent in writing the song. All unused US postage stamps issued since 1861 are still valid as postage at their indicated value. Nike has been a focus of criticism for their use of the Beatles song "Revolution" in a commercial, against the wishes of John Lennon's widow and Paul McCartney. Paul. Kasky, but was sent back to California courts without a substantive ruling and subsequently was settled out of court.

The Postal Service also contracts with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or Amtrak to carry some mail between certain cities such as Chicago, Illinois and Minneapolis-St. Supreme Court Nike v. Contract airlines have included: Emery Worldwide, Ryan International, Federal Express, Rhoades Aviation, and Express 1 International. The dispute proceeded all the way to the U.S. Depending on the contract, you may see aircraft painted with the USPS paint scheme. The company faced criticism when it claimed immunity from a false advertising lawsuit filed by Marc Kasky in California based on the claim that it enjoyed First Amendment rights, as if the corporation were a human being. The contracts change periodically. while engaging in practices in East Asian factories which some felt disempowered women ([3]).

The mail and packages are flown on airlines with which they have a contractual agreement. Nike was criticized about ads which referred to empowering women in the U.S. The United States Postal Service does not directly own or operate any aircraft or trains. The forced labor camp like conditions in some overseas production plants led to several called-for boycotts ([1]), together with coining the alternative name "swooshtika" for the company's swoosh logo ([2]). Airmail, Global Priority, Global Express, and Global Express Guaranteed Mail are offered to ship mail and packages to almost every country and territory on the globe. This criticism is reflected in the novel Jennifer Government, in which an amoral Nike executive is the story's villain. Express Mail is the fastest mail service. Sources of this criticism include Naomi Klein's book No Logo and Michael Moore's documentaries.

Priority Mail is an expedited mail service with a few additional features. The company has been subject to much critical coverage of the often poor working conditions and exploitation of cheap overseas labor employed in the free trade zones where their goods are typically manufactured. Same as Media Mail, but receives an additional discount and may be used only for books or recordings being sent to or from a public library, museum or academic institution. Nike has been criticised by some for using sweatshop labor in countries like Indonesia and Mexico. Maximum weight is 70 pounds (31.75 kg). Nike received a 100% rating on the Corporate Equality Index released by the Human Rights Campaign in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Formerly (and colloquially, still) known as "Book Rate," Media Mail is used to send books, printed materials, sound recordings, videotapes, CD-ROMs, diskettes, and similar, but cannot contain advertising. .

Used to send packages weighing up to 70 pounds (31.75 kg). The company takes its name from the Greek goddess of victory, Nike. Used for businesses to send large quantities of mail. Nike's mailing address is in Beaverton, Oregon, part of the Portland metropolitan area; the company's headquarters are in unincorporated Washington County. Used mainly for businesses. Nike produces the kit for many of the world's Football clubs and national sides, including Brazil, Portugal and Manchester United. One rate regardless of distance. Nike, Inc. NYSE: NKE (pronounced - 'Nigh-Key' in America but usually pronounced to rhyme with "Mike" in the UK) is a major manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment, marketing its products under its own brand as well as Air Jordan, Nike Golf, Team Starter (among others), and under brands from wholly-owned subsidiaries including Bauer, Cole Haan, Converse, and Hurley International.

The normal mail service used by individuals and business sending a small amount of mail. 2005 Nike introducses the Nike Free shoe. Mail is flown, usually as baggage on commercial airlines, to the airport nearest the destination station, then at a nearby processing center the mail is once again read by a Delivery Bar Code System which sorts the items into their local destinations, including grouping them by individual mail carrier. 2005 Nike launches the Air Jordan XX, the 20th edition of the Air Jordan basketball shoe series. Items for local delivery are retained in the postal station while other items are trucked to either the appropriate station if it is within approximately 200 miles, or the airport for transport to more distant destinations. Zhu eventually wins the lawsuit, and Nike is sentenced to pay $36,000 to the cartoonist. Once the mail is bar coded, it is automatically sorted into destination postal stations. Nike representatives deny the accusations, claiming that the stickman figure lacks originality, and is public domain.

If no valid address can be determined, the items are held for 90 days in case of inquiry by the customer; and if they are not claimed then they are destroyed. 2004 In June, Chinese animator Zhu Zhiqianq, of Xiao Xiao fame, files a lawsuit against Nike for plagiarizing his cartoon stickmen in their commercials. If not, the item is sent to one of three Mail Recovery Centers in the United States (formerly known as Dead Letter Offices, originated by Benjamin Franklin in the 1770s) where it receives more intense scrutiny, including being opened to determine if any of the contents are a clue. 2004 Annual revenues exceed $13 billion. If a local postal worker can read the address, the appropriate bar code is printed onto the item. Brands include Starter, Team Starter, Asphalt, Shaq and Dunkman. Mail with addresses which cannot be resolved by the automated system are separated for human intervention. 2004 Nike creates the Exeter Brands Group, a wholly owned subsidiary for athletic footwear and apparel brands for lower price points.

When it has decided on a correct address, it prints the appropriate bar code onto the envelopes, similarly to the MLOCR system. 28. It also corrects spelling errors and, where there is an error, omission, or conflict in the written address, identifies the most likely correct address. Perez as CEO of Nike, effective Dec. Mail with handwritten addresses goes to the Remote Bar Coding System, a highly advanced scanning system with a state of the art neural net processor which is highly effective at correctly reading almost all addresses, no matter how badly written. Knight is replaced by William D. Mail with typed addresses goes to a Multiline Optical Character Reader (MLOCR) which reads the ZIP Code and address information and prints the appropriate bar code onto the envelope. 2004 Phil Knight steps down as CEO and President of Nike, but continues as chairman.

The mail is then output by the machine into three categories; mail already having bar-coded addresses (such as many preaddressed reply envelopes and cards), mail with typed addresses, and mail with handwritten addresses. 2003 High school basketball star LeBron James signs with Nike; James went on to be the rookie-of-the-year. Using the location of the stamp as one clue among others, it identifies the orientation of each item, and rotates them when necessary so that all the items are similarly oriented. 2003 Nike is named "Advertiser of the Year" by the Cannes Advertising Festival, the first company to earn that honor twice (also 1994) in the festival's 50-year history. In contrast to the previous system which merely canceled and postmarked the upper right corner of the envelope, thereby missing any stamps which were inappropriately placed, the Advanced Facer-Canceler is sophisticated enough to locate the stamp anywhere on the envelope and cancel it and apply a postmark. 2003 For the first time in the company's history, international sales exceed USA sales, as Nike continues to develop into a truly global company. Mail is removed from the plastic tub in which it is transported and inserted into the Advanced Facer-Canceler System by hand, which is the last individual human contact most of the mail has until it is sorted by the carrier at the destination postal station. 2003 Nike acquires bankrupt rival Converse for $305 million.

Currently, processing of standard sized envelopes and cards is highly automated, including reading of handwritten addresses. 2002 Rap star Nelly releases a chart topping song about Air Force Ones, a brand of Nike shoes. The USPS postal addressing standards may be found here. 2000 Shox is introduced. The Post Office recommends use of all upper case block letters using the appropriate formats and abbreviations and leaving out all punctuation except for the hyphen in the ZIP+4 code to ease automated address reading and speed processing, particularly for handwritten addresses; if the address is unusually formatted or illegible enough, it will require hand-processing, delaying that particular item. 24 at age 88. A common myth is that a comma is required after the city name, but this is not true. 1999 Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike, dies on Dec.

The formatting of a return address is identical. 1998 Phil Knight formally commits Nike to strict standards for manufacturing facilities used by Nike, including: minimum age; air quality; mandatory education programs; expansion of microloan program; factory monitoring; and enhanced transparency of Nike's corporate social responsibility practices. The USPS maintains a list of proper abbreviations at this page. 1996 Nike causes controversy with advertising campaign at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta which features the slogan, "You Don't Win Silver — You Lose Gold." Nike's use of this slogan draws harsh criticism from many sources, including several former Olympic silver and bronze medalists. It is placed in the upper-left corner. Woods becomes the standard bearer for Nike Golf as that division gains market share. This is the address you wish the recipient to respond to, and, if necessary, the letter to be returned to if delivery fails. 1996 Nike signs Tiger Woods soon after the young golfing phenom gives up his amateur status.

A third, and optional (but strongly suggested) addition is a return address. 1994 Nike signs a long-term partnership with the Brazilian national football (soccer) team, launching a company-wide effort to become the world's leading football brand. First-class mail costs 37¢ upwards, depending on the weight of the letter and the class, and the indicia is supposed to be placed in the upper-right corner. which is used in the making of athletic courts, tracks and fields. The second is some means of indicating that postage has been paid, usually a stamp, but perhaps a meter label, or in certain cases such as members of Congress a signature or other writing indicating that the sender has franking privileges. 1993 Nike introduces an innovative sustainability program, Reuse-A-Shoe, which collects athletic shoes, separates and grinds them up into Nike Grind. Another optional addition to the address is a ZIP+4 code. 1990 Nike opens its world headquarters in unincorporated Washington County, just west of Portland, on 74 acres of land.

It is sometimes required to put the name of the addressee above the address; regardless, it is always a good idea to do so. Over the next ten years, Nike will open 14 more Niketown stores across the USA and in England and Germany. The first is the address of the recipient, to be placed in the center of the envelope. 1990 Nike opens the first Niketown store in downtown Portland, and the store quickly earns numerous retail design and business awards. For any letter addressed within the United States, the USPS requires two things on the envelope. 1989 Nike introduces a new type of footwear designed specifically for cross-training, and features two-sport athlete Bo Jackson in a series of memorable ads called "Bo Knows.". Temporary stations are often set up for applying pictorial cancellations. 1988 Nike introduces its "Just Do It" slogan.

While common usage refers to all types of postal facilities as "substations," the USPS Glossary of Postal Terms does not define or even list that word. A television ad featuring the Beatles' song "Revolution" was the first and only time that a song performed by the Beatles was used in a TV ad. Although its customer service centers are called post offices in regular speech, the USPS recognizes several types of postal facilities, including the following:. This was the first of many generations of Air Max-branded technologies. In addition, congress appropriated the USPS a total of $762 million for biohazard decontamination and detection equipment in response to the 2001 anthrax attacks. 1987 The Nike Air Max shoe is introduced, which uses a much larger Air cushioning unit, and for the first time is visible at the side of the midsole. $36 million such compensation was paid for fiscal 2004. 1986 Nike revenues surpass $1 billion for the first time.

It does, however, receive compensation from taxpayer funds for certain services that it is mandated to provide for free or at a discount, including free mail for the blind, military mail, nonprofit mail and overseas ballots. The introduction of the Air Jordan shoe was a key event in Nike's successful development. The USPS claims to have operated "in a businesslike manner without taxpayer support" since it became a government-owned corporation on July 1, 1971 following the passage of the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970. The first model of his signature shoe, the Air Jordan, originally is banned by the NBA, drawing a tremendous amount of publicity. Therefore some critics view the current tax exemption as a subsidy provided by the government to the USPS. 1984 Nike signs Michael Jordan to an endorsement contract. However there is a possibility that a private alternatives to the USPS monopoly on normal letter delivery could be profitable and net tax contributors (Private competitors in package delivery have become profitable even with the tax burden placed on them). 1982 The Air Force 1 basketball shoe becomes the first Nike court shoe to make use of the Air technology.

Since the USPS is also directed by law to break even in the long run, there is currently not much tax revenue lost due to this tax exemption. In October, Nike airs its first national television ad during the New York Marathon. As an affiliate of the federal government, the USPS is not required to pay any of the federal or state income taxes that regular businesses pay. 1982 Dan Wieden and Dave Kennedy start their own advertising agency, taking with them the Nike account on April 1. As it continues to lose package services market share to private competitors, the USPS and its organizational structure face an uncertain future. on December 31, and the company officially becomes known as Nike, Inc. In countries that have recently undergone postal service privatization, such as Germany, no meaningful competition for first-class letter delivery has materialized and the overall cost of services to consumers has risen. merges into Nike, Inc.

Today, it is doubtful whether any meaningful competition for ordinary letter delivery would develop in the absence of a monopoly, as letter volume continues to dwindle due to replacement by more efficient electronic means of communication and payment (disputed — see talk page). 1981 BRS, Inc. However, this 37 cents does not include taxpayer-funded assistance that the USPS receives. 1980 Nike completes an initial public offering of 2,377,000 shares of Class B common stock on December 2. compares favorably to other industrialized countries, such as those of the European Union, where the postage for an ordinary domestic first-class letter is nearly twice that much. Gas-filled plastic membranes are inserted into the sole of running shoes to provide cushioning. The 37 cents (USD) required by the USPS to deliver a letter in the U.S. Frank Rudy is introduced in the Tailwind running shoe.

government and exhausted his resources trying to defend what he believed to be his right to compete. 1979 Nike's Air technology patented by inventor M. He was successfully challenged with legal measures by the U.S. 1978 Tennis 'bad boy' John McEnroe is signed by Nike to an endorsement contract. In the 1840s Lysander Spooner started the commercially successful American Letter Mail Company which competed with the United States Post Office by providing lower rates. 1977 Nike print ad with the tag "There is no finish line" is introduced, and is so popular that poster versions are created to meet consumer demand. Mail." Hence, private carriers must deliver packages directly to the recipient, leave them in the open near the recipient's front door, or place them in a special box dedicated solely to that carrier (a technique commonly used by small courier and messenger services). 1974 The Waffle Trainer is introduced, quickly becoming the best-selling training shoe in the U.S.

The USPS also enjoys a monopoly privilege in placing mail into standardized mailboxes marked "U.S. 1973 American record-holder Steve Prefontaine becomes the first major track athlete to wear Nike shoes, and converts many of his fellow competitors to Nike until his death on May 30, 1975. postage, whichever is greater (other stipulations, such as maximum delivery time, apply as well); or, alternatively, it may be delivered for free. 1972 The first Nike products, adorned with the Swoosh, are delivered to athletes competing in Eugene, Oregon for the US Olympic Track & Field trials. However, an exception to private carriers is made with regard to "extremely urgent letters" as long as the private carrier charges at least $3 or twice the U.S. Dozens of suggestions, including Knight's favorite "Dimension Six," are rejected until Jeff Johnson dreams up the name Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. The USPS enjoys monopoly status in that it possesses the exclusive permission under federal law to deliver first and third class mail. needs a name for its new line of footwear.

The USPS says that these statutes were enacted by Congress "to provide for an economically sound postal system that could afford to deliver letters between any two locations, however remote." In effect, those who mail letters to a near location are subsidizing those who are mailing letters to distant locations. 1971 Along with the new brand, BRS, Inc. The USPS enjoys a government monopoly with respect to first-class and third-class letter delivery under the authority of the Private Express Statutes. Davidson receives a gold Swoosh ring with an embedded diamond at a luncheon honoring her, along with a certificate and an undisclosed amount of Nike stock, in recognition of the Swoosh design logo. However, some links on the website, like to the international rate calculator, link back to .gov, and the .com address does not work. Twelve years later, in 1983, Ms. The more-appropriate usps.gov address merely redirects to the .com version. She is paid $35 (US), and works for Nike for a few years until they need a full ad agency.

Although they are governmental in nature, they have for the last few years insisted on using usps.com as their primary Internet address, with a .com top level domain implying that they are a commercial entity. A graphic design student at Portland State University named Carolyn Davidson is hired by Knight to design the new brand to put on the side of his company's shoes. The United States Postmaster General, formerly appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, but now appointed by the board of governors, serves as Chief Operating Officer and oversees the day to day activities of the service. and Onitsuka Tiger deteriorates, causing Knight to begin development of a new athletic footwear brand. They set policy and procedure and postal rates for services rendered. 1971 The relationship between BRS, Inc. The USPS is headed by a Board of Governors or Governor of the United States Postal Service, (appointed by the President and confirmed by the US Senate), who serve as its corporate board of directors. 1970 Bowerman experiments with rubber spikes, pouring a liquid rubber compound into his wife's waffle iron, which led to the creation of the 'waffle' sole.

. 1969 With annual sales approaching $300,000, Knight resigns as a professor at Portland State University to devote himself full-time to BRS, Inc. The Department of Defense and the USPS jointly operate a postal system to deliver mail for the military known as the Army/Air Force Post Office and the Fleet Post Office. 1967 Knight and Bowerman incorporate Blue Ribbon Sports, creating BRS, Inc. Competition from e-mail and private operations such as United Parcel Service, FedEx, and DHL has forced USPS to adjust its business strategy and to modernize its products and services. Knight and Bowerman convert their handshake agreement into a formal, written agreement. Some rural mail carriers use personal vehicles. 1966 Johnson opens the company's first retail outlet in Santa Monica, California.

The USPS is the third-largest employer in the US (after the Defense Department and Walmart), and operates the largest civilian vehicle fleet in the world, with an estimated 170,000 vehicles, the majority of which are the easily identified "mail trucks," as shown in the picture to the right. He sells shoes out of the back of his van to high schoolers at track meets. In 1971, the USPS was reorganized as a government-owned corporation. 1965 Jeff Johnson, a former track rival of Knight's, joins as the company's first full-time salesman. Based on a clause in the United States Constitution empowering Congress "To establish Post Offices and post Roads," it became the Post Office Department in 1792. The two shake hands and each pledge $500 to start the new venture. The postal service was created under Benjamin Franklin on July 26, 1775 by decree of the Second Continental Congress. Bowerman suggests that he and Knight become partners, with Bowerman to provide endorsement clout as well as footwear design ideas.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is the United States government-owned corporation responsible for providing postal service in the United States; it is generally referred to within the United States as "the post office.". 1964 Knight sends samples of Tiger footwear to legendary University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman, for whom Knight ran middle distances while an undergraduate. DCO's (Data Conversion Operators), who type out and forward mail to their destinations. After earning his MBA, Knight travels to Japan, where he meets with executives from Onitsuka Tiger and persuades them to make Knight's company, 'Blue Ribbon Sports,' the distributor of Tiger brand footwear for the western United States. Clerks work in the post offices, handling customers' needs, receiving express mail, and selling stamps. 1962 Phil Knight drafts a thesis paper at Stanford University in which he asserts that low-priced athletic shoes made in Japan could compete with more expensive footwear made in Germany. Work is physically strenuous, especially for mail handlers; many mailbags loaded from and onto trucks weigh as much as 60 pounds (27 kg).

Mail handlers and processors often work at the evening and night to prepare mail and bulk goods for the carriers to deliver. Letter Carriers, also referred to as mailmen or mail-carriers; are the public face of the USPS. Endicia Internet Postage. Pitney Bowes.

Stamps.com. Available for First-Class Mail, Express Mail, Priority Mail, and Package Services (Parcel Post, Bound Printed Matter, and Media Mail). Amount to be collected cannot exceed $1,000. Insurance comes included with fee.

Allows merchants to offer customers a chance to pay upon delivery. Available for Priority Mail and First Class Mail. Provides mailing receipt, delivery record, and protection for valuables. Available for First Class Mail and Priority Mail.

Provides proof of mailing, and a delivery record. Covers material losses only minus depreciation. Available for amounts up to $5,000. Provides package with insurance from loss or damage while in transit.

Only available with First Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Package Services (Media Mail, Parcel Post, and Bound Printed Matter). Recipient's signature is kept on file. Confirms delivery with signature. Only available with First Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Package Services (Media Mail, Parcel Post, and Bound Printed Matter).

Results available online or telephone. Detailed package tracking is not included, but information is sometimes available. Confirms delivery of package. Money orders are cashable only by the recipient, like a bank check.

Provide a safe alternative to sending cash through the mail. Sunday and holiday delivery. Guaranteed on-time delivery. Delivery to most addresses in the United States.

Packages up to 50 pounds (22.7 kg). Flat rate envelope available. Typically overnight or second-day delivery. Delivery to every address in the United States.

Label can be printed online. Packages up to 70 pounds (31.75 kg). Flat rate envelopes and boxes available (one rate for whatever you put in the envelope). Average delivery time is 2-3 days (but this is NOT guaranteed, may take longer).

Much cheaper than Parcel Post, but sometimes slower. Rates based on weight. Delivery to every address in the United States. Rates based on distance, weight, and shape.

Mail must usually be brought to a postal facility. May require additional work by the sender, such as pre-sorting by ZIP Code. Enforced rules about mailpiece quality and addressing. Permit required.

Discounted rates. Can be First Class or Standard Mail. Annual fee. Not for personal correspondence, letters, bills, or statements.

No return service unless requested (an additional fee is charged for return service). Must weigh less than 16 ounces (454 g). Minimum 200 pieces per mailing. Delivery to every address in the United States, except some small towns with no delivery to addresses within a quarter mile (400 m) of the post office.

Mail is picked up at customer's house or place of business, or can be dropped in any public mail collection box. Recommendations (but no enforced rules) about mailpiece quality and addressing. Available to anyone. Forwarding service: With a valid change of address on file, mail coming to the old address will be sent to the new address for up to 12 months.

Best effort delivery including return service for undeliverable mail. Packages weighing up to 13 ounces (369 g) can be sent. Sending a postcard costs 23 cents. Each additional ounce is an additional 23 cents, up to 13 ounces.

Letters: The cost to send a letter weighing up to 1 ounce (28 g) is 37 cents. A sectional center facility is a P&DC for a desgnated geographical area defined by one or more three-digit ZIP code prefixes. A processing and distribution center (P&DC) or processing and distribution facility is a central mail facility that processes and dispatches incoming and outgoing mail to and from a designated service area. A finance unit is a station or branch that provides window services and accepts mail, but does not provide delivery.

A community post office (CPO) is a contract postal unit providing services in a small community in which other types of post office facilites have been discontinued. A contract postal unit is a station or branch operated by a contractor, typically in a store or other place of business. A classified unit is a station or branch operated by USPS employees in a facility owned or leased by the USPS. A branch or post office branch is a postal facility that is not the main post office and that is outside the corporate limits of the community.

A station or post office station is a postal facility that is not the main post office, but that is within the corporate limits of the community. A main post office, formerly known as a general post office, is the primary postal facility in a community.