Postal presorting is a process of sorting and bundling mail before it is delivered to the post office. This process helps to reduce the time and cost of delivery and also helps in streamlining the postal operations.

In this blog post, we will be discussing postal presort statistics that shed light on the importance and benefits of postal presorting.

Key Postal Presort Statistics 2023 – MY Choice


  • Postal presorting can save mailers up to 60% on postage costs compared to non-presorted mail.
  • The USPS processes over 142.6 billion pieces of mail each year.
  • In 2019, the USPS delivered 47.5 billion pieces of marketing mail.
  • According to the USPS, over 70% of first-class mail is eligible for presorting.
  • The USPS offers various levels of presort discounts, including automation discounts and high-density discounts.
  • To qualify for automation discounts, mail must be sorted using USPS-approved equipment and meet certain addressing and barcode requirements.
  • In 2020, over 12.4 billion pieces of mail were sent using USPS Marketing Mail presort services.
  • Nonprofit organizations can also qualify for special presort discounts when mailing certain types of mail.
  • Presorted First-Class Mail is typically delivered in 1-3 business days, while presorted Standard Mail can take 2-9 business days for delivery.
  • Many businesses outsource their presorting needs to third-party presort bureaus, which can handle the sorting and processing of large volumes of mail.

Postal Presort Stats

  1. Postal presort can save businesses up to 50% on postage costs.
  2. In 2020, the USPS processed over 129 billion pieces of mail.
  3. Presorted first-class mail is delivered within 1-3 days, while non-sorted mail can take up to 5 days for delivery.
  4. The USPS offers discounts of up to 34% for presorted standard mail.
  5. The average postage cost for presorted standard mail is $0.289, compared to $0.353 for non-sorted mail.
  6. Postal presort can save businesses an average of $0.03 per piece of mail.
  7. The USPS processes over 2 million pieces of mail every hour.
  8. Presorted mail is typically processed through automated sorting machines, which can sort up to 36,000 pieces of mail per hour.
  9. Postal presort can save businesses time and labor costs associated with manual sorting.
  10. The USPS has over 485 processing and distribution centers across the United States.
  11. Presorted mail can be tracked using USPS Intelligent Mail barcodes.
  12. The USPS processes over 20 million mailpieces per day during the holiday season.
  13. The USPS delivers to over 160 million addresses in the United States.
  14. Postal presort can improve the accuracy of mail delivery by reducing sorting errors.
  15. Presorting software can help businesses identify incorrect or incomplete addresses, which can reduce the likelihood of undeliverable mail.
  16. The USPS offers discounts of up to 9.3% for presorted international mail.
  17. Presorted mail can be separated into specific trays or sacks for faster and more efficient processing.
  18. The USPS employs over 644,000 people nationwide.
  19. Postal presort can help businesses reduce their environmental impact by reducing the amount of undeliverable mail that ends up in landfills.
  20. The USPS has been using automated sorting machines since the 1950s.
  21. Presorted mail can be combined with other mailings to create larger batches, which can result in additional discounts.
  22. Postal presort can help businesses improve their overall mailing efficiency.
  23. Presorting software can help businesses optimize their mailing lists to ensure maximum postal discounts.
  24. The USPS offers discounts of up to 6.7% for presorted periodicals.
  25. Presorted mail can be sorted by destination for more efficient delivery.
StatisticsValue
The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment. [0]Less than 0.005%
42.2% of direct mail recipients either read or scan the mail…42.2%
Direct mail requires 21% less cognitive effort to process tha…21%
Direct mail recipients purchase 28% more items and spend 28%…28%
Direct mail offers a 29% return on investment. [1]29%
73% of American consumers say they prefer being contacted b…73%
In fact, mailings have a median ROI of 29%; online displays …Direct mail: 29%, Online displays: 16%
The data shows packages delivered in the fourth quarter in …94.5%
During the 2020 holiday season, the first quarter of 2021, …80.4%
In Northern Ohio, the percentage of on-time package deliver…Jan. 1 – 81.9%, April to June – 90.7%
During the 2020 holiday season, 41.1% of the mail was deliv…Holiday season 2020 – 41.1%, April to June 2021 – 65.9%, Q4 2021 – 74.6%
Meanwhile, presorted, first-class mail arrived in three-to-…Jan. 1 to March 31, 2021 – 52%, April to June – 82.7%, July to Sept. 30 – 88.7%
During Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020, the mail was delivered with…63.8%
The overall on-time rate for the fourth quarter of 2021 in …89.5%
The USPS’ peak season runs from Thanksgiving through New Ye…Approximately 12 billion letters, greeting cards, and packages
To prepare for the peak season this year, the postal service…185,000 new employees, including 40,000 seasonal employees
The national daily average amount of time for a delivery on…2.7 days
Each type of First Class went through the same ups and down…Single-piece mail – declining to 38% on-time in December

Postal Presort Market Statistics

  1. The global postal automation market is projected to reach $3.3 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2020 to 2025. (Source: MarketsandMarkets)
  2. In 2020, the United States Postal Service (USPS) delivered 129.2 billion pieces of mail, including 84.3 billion pieces of marketing mail. (Source: USPS)
  3. The USPS offers postage discounts of up to 39% for presorted First-Class Mail and up to 62% for presorted Standard Mail. (Source: USPS)
  4. Postal presorting can save businesses up to 50% on their postage costs. (Source: Pitney Bowes)

Benefits of Postal Presorting

  1. Postal presorting reduces postage costs by grouping mailings together based on zip code, carrier route, and other factors. (Source: USPS)
  2. Presorted mail is delivered faster than non-presorted mail. (Source: USPS)
  3. Presorted mail is less likely to be returned to the sender due to incomplete or incorrect addresses. (Source: USPS)
  4. Postal presorting can help businesses reach their target audience more effectively by ensuring that mailings are delivered to the correct zip codes and carrier routes. (Source: Mail Shark)
  5. Presorting mail can improve the accuracy of mailing lists, reducing the likelihood of duplicate or incorrect mailings. (Source: Postalytics)

Postal Presort Technologies

  1. The most common method of postal presorting is through the use of software that sorts mailings based on zip codes, carrier routes, and other factors. (Source: USPS)
  2. Postal presort software can be integrated with other direct mail technologies, such as address verification and data cleansing. (Source: AccuZIP)
  3. Some postal presort software can also generate barcodes that can be used to track mailings and confirm delivery. (Source: Quadient)
  4. Some postal presort solutions also offer real-time tracking and reporting of mailings, allowing businesses to monitor the progress of their campaigns. (Source: Midwest Direct)
  5. Postal presort software can also generate documentation required by the USPS for presorted mailings, such as postage statements and qualification reports. (Source: BCC Software)

Postal Presort Best Practices

  1. The USPS recommends that businesses use Certified Mail or Registered Mail for high-value mailings, even if they have been presorted. (Source: USPS)
  2. Presorted mailings should be kept separate from non-presorted mailings to ensure that they are processed correctly. (Source: Postal Advocate)
  3. Businesses should regularly update their mailing lists to ensure accuracy and avoid duplicate mailings. (Source: Data Axle)
  4. It is important to use a reputable postal presort provider that is familiar with USPS regulations and requirements. (Source: PC Synergy)

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