INBOX

To the editor:

I've been quite concerned that the postage rate and rule changes last year, and more importantly the confusion created in post offices, has hurt sales by those of us having square and 'out of aspect' cards in our line. Since the change in May 2007, we're getting several calls a week from retailers and consumers who are incorrectly told by local post offices that our Treasures cards cost 75- and 93-cents, or up to $2 per card to mail!

As a result, the GCA Postal Affairs Committee has been working with the U.S. Postal Service to secure help in understanding the importance of educating post offices on the proper handling of square and other odd sized mailings and of square greeting cards in particular.

While postal rates will be increasing, the postal service is coming out with a 62-cent stamp that is specifically for non-machinable products like square greeting cards. Despite the 4-cent increase in the cost of mailing, I think this will be a big positive for square cards in the industry, as highlighting square cards with this stamp should lead to more consistency in treatment at post offices across the country.

I thought your readers would be interested in knowing about this. Based on the number of retailers and consumers I have heard from, it has been a key issue holding back sales of square cards over the last year, and should be a big plus for the sale of square cards after the rate increase becomes effective on May 12.

In fact, stores that sell a lot of square cards may want to start carrying the new 62-cent stamps and promoting the fact that they have them as a way to move more square cards in their stores.

—George White, CEO, Up With Paper, Mason, Ohio and Chairman, GCA Postal Affairs Committee