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Those hardest hit by the postal rate changes, which took effect in May 2007, include retailers who send their products and catalogs via mail. By learning to keep packaging small and flexible, however, retailers can weather the higher U.S. mail costs.

What's Changed and Why
The new rates make shape and dimension a larger part of the criteria, explained Matt Steichmann, team leader for the U.S. Postal Service's business service network in Northern Illinois.

"We used to price most items based on weight alone," said Steichmann, "but our costs are related to cubic feet."

Another key factor and one that will apply to a large percentage of retailers selling CDs or DVDs is the rigidity of an item. Mailers such as paperboard envelopes or bubble-lined kraft envelopes were previously considered large envelopes or "flats." Under the new standards, however, when these packages are filled with media, they are too rigid to be considered an envelope.

"The rationale behind this is we have two types of flat processing machines," explained Steichmann. "The older machines processed mail in a linear fashion so flexibility really wasn't a factor. But we're phasing those machines out in favor of a machine that works faster, but has a lot of curves in it. If a piece is not flexible, it jams [the new machines]."

Keeping Your Prices Down
If you are looking to keep costs down, there are three elements you must keep in mind when choosing your mail packages: shape, weight and flexibility.

"Remember that price is now based on shape," said Steichmann. "So letters are the least expensive to send, flats are next, non-machinable flats are next and parcels are last."

Another option available to CD and DVD retailers is sending their products out via "media rate." Media rate is a subcategory of parcels and, in many cases, is more affordable than sending a package as a parcel. If you are sending items more than -inch thick and weigh about 6 ounces or more, you should check it out. These lower rates are available to companies and individuals who are mailing items such as: sound and video recordings, CDs, DVDs and more.

A trusted name in media packaging since 1972, Polyline is the largest U.S. distributor of in-stock media packaging for CDs, DVDs, VHS and audio. Polyline also offers a large variety of bulk CDs and DVDs, as well as duplicating equipment.

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