Address Verification Service

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Address Verification Service: Why Is It Important to Businesses and Their Customers?

In 2019, UK businesses faced £239.9 million worth of online frauds. And this figure does not seem to be getting better even today! Thus, companies must devise several fraud prevention measures to protect themselves from such threats.

One of the most prevailing tactics businesses in the US, UK, and Canada employ is the address verification service (AVS). It helps you check the validity of your orders by cross-checking the billing address with the cardholder’s issuing bank.

However, an Address Verification Service (AVS) check only offers basic-level assurance that an order isn’t fraudulent. They still need to employ more payment protection strategies to identify spam orders and process the genuine ones.

Many merchants still struggle with this new technology, and we hope to offer some insights to make the concept clearer for you. Also, this blog discusses how the AVS system and codes work.

Let us dive in!

What is Address Verification Service?

This service is a fraud prevention tool that issuing banks and credit card processors provide to eCommerce retailers or merchants. It allows businesses to detect suspicious transactions and reject them.

The address verification service checks the billing address a cardholder provides to the merchant with their address in the issuing bank’s system. The prime goal is to determine that the person making the transaction is the genuine cardholder. If the addresses match, it becomes evident that they are the same person, and the placed order is legitimate.

Customers also benefit from AVS checking because it blocks other people from using their cards and making large purchases. Most people look for such security features before buying from an online retailer.

AVS is primarily a MasterCard service to stop card-not-present (CNP) fraud. But, all major credit card issuers also use it the same way. Once the merchant receives an order, the system sends an authorization request to the issuing bank that sends an AVS response code in return.

These AVS check codes help determine the degree to which both the addresses match to authenticate the ownership of the card. Thus, the merchant can decide whether to accept or reject the order.

Understanding the AVS Checking System

The AVS system is not a foolproof fraud prevention tool because of some obvious flaws. It compares the customer’s current address to the one registered with their credit card issuer. Often, these addresses differ because of the following reasons:

• The person recently shifted to a new place and is yet to update their address with the issuer
• The customer has two addresses, perhaps a permanent family home and a temporary residence
• The customer entered an incorrect address mistakenly

Thus, most companies also pair their fraud prevention tools with a postal address verification service like PostGrid. It helps them update old addresses of customers using the Postcode Address File (PAF), which has over 30 million updated mailing addresses.

Also, PostGrid allows businesses to conduct fuzzy matching and modify addresses that have some errors, like misspellings and typos. Therefore, they can reduce false negatives that the address verification service may generate because of such minor mistakes.

The entire process of PostGrid’s postal address verification service includes the following three steps:

• Parsing: You need to disintegrate an address to check the validity of every component, like the street name, city, etc. It helps identify partially incorrect addresses and allows the tools to modify the same.
• Standardisation: This step helps you reformat the addresses into the correct postal format. Though it alone does not help much in AVS checking, this stage allows you to validate addresses—which is crucial to completing the process.
• Validation: The final stage is address validation when PostGrid finds a match for the address in Royal Mail’s PAF file.

All these steps take place simultaneously, and you can verify millions of addresses together using our address verification API.

Examples of AVS Checking for Online Transactions

There are several examples of the address verification service, but let’s consider the most popular one. Suppose a customer wants to order something on Amazon. The site asks customers to complete a series of steps, like signing up for an account, adding things to the cart, and filling in the billing information.

Once they enter all the details and proceed with the transaction, the following things take place:

• Amazon’s payment gateway sends the billing address to the customer’s credit card issuer—Discover, MasterCard, RuPay, Visa, etc.
• Then, these brands transmit the data to the card-issuing bank that compares it with their records
• The issuing bank sends the authorization status and AVS check codes to Amazon’s payment gateway

The AVS code indicates a mismatch, and the transaction automatically declines if the address does not exist in the bank’s database.

This process does not show up on the customers’ screens, so they only get a transaction success or fail message. Also, the AVS checking process is super-quick, allowing customers to check out faster.

However, you should know that the AVS only checks the numeric portion of a billing address. Typically, it only cross-verifies the house number and postcode with the bank’s records. It makes it crucial for businesses to use a postal address verification service like PostGrid to confirm whether the address is accurate.

For instance, if your customer enters the address-

73 Gayton Road

Eastcote

Northamptonshire NN12 8NG

The AVS check only focuses on the number 73 and the postcode; the remaining address does not affect the results.

Please note: The AVS does not determine the deliverability of a postal address.

Why Isn’t Address Verification Service (AVS) a Foolproof Fraud Prevention Tool?

It isn’t illegal to send mail to customers on the MPS register. But, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 states that companies should avoid doing so repeatedly.

However, following the mail preference service regulation is mandatory under the DMA’s code of practice. Also, the organisation has the right to investigate the matter and pass it on to the Advertising Standards Authority if someone files a complaint against you.

Having an MPS licence protects you against such claims that tarnish your image and lead to negative publicity. Therefore, you must screen your mailing lists against the postal preference service UK before launching every advertising campaign.

What Are the Other Options for Customers to Subscribe Out of Unsolicited Mail?

You should know that AVS does not guarantee fraud prevention but is one of the many tools that help merchants check order accuracy. Sometimes, the system can generate partial and false declines because of confusion or misinterpretation. Such partial rejection requires the merchant to use an additional postal address verification service to complete or reject the transaction.

Moreover, all payment gateways should employ the AVS in conjunction with other fraud prevention tools, like:

• IP address verification
• Biometric analysis
• CVV validation codes
• Device authentication
• 3D Secure, etc.

Global businesses must ensure that their payment gateway accepts and manages the international address verification service. Most fraudsters conduct unauthentic transactions from international destinations for multiple items in one go.

Thus, using multi-layers fraud detection mechanisms to protect your genuine customers is crucial. Also, always use a postal address verification service like PostGrid to reduce false declines and customer dissatisfaction.

How Do the AVS Codes Work?

Different credit card brands use separate sets of AVS check codes. Thus, you may notice some code sets apply to one company but not another. It is advisable to read the documentation provided by your credit card brand and issuer. You can find several AVS code charts for reference, but it is best to rely on official documentation only.

Ensure to configure your payment gateway to respond to and manage the AVS check codes. Try using a custom rules engine to specify the acceptable AVS codes and the ones that should trigger an instant confirmation step or decline.

Remember that there should always be room to accommodate and investigate partial declines because being too aggressive would mean losing several genuine customers.

The AVS response codes consist of a single letter that may have different meanings across countries. Here are the most commonly-used codes:

N – no match

W – partial match of ZIP code, street address match failed

R – system unavailable or retry

U – Address data unavailable, or the card issuer does not use the AVS check

Merchant Liability and Card Associations

The credit card associations like MasterCard and Visa dictate the terms and conditions of AVS checking. Hence, the banks that want to issue branded credit cards and participate in the AVS system must adhere to these rules always.

Also, these credit card brands state the circumstances under which businesses can contest chargebacks. Sometimes, merchants need to accept a chargeback and leave back their representation rights.

You only get representation rights when you attempt to verify the transaction’s validity if a chargeback occurs because of an unauthorised charge or potential fraud. Thus, an AVS check system helps you in fraud-related chargeback conflicts.

Sadly, many merchants aren’t aware of what a fully-validated AVS check means. They might assume they are not liable if they use the AVS and get a full match. However, they still need to participate in fraud chargeback disputes and provide relevant evidence.

Many merchants opt-out of such disputes and write off the losses because they don’t have the resources and time to fight them. Also, they might not know the card association rules about chargebacks and how to dispute them, so they drop the matter.

An address verification service may not guarantee your win. But, it supports your case and increases your chances of winning the dispute. We get several questions about why merchants are held liable even after verifying that the cardholder and buyer are the same. The short answer to these doubts is—cardholder rights.

Cardholder Rights

All banks issuing credit cards to their customers have some obligations towards these cardholders. They should take measures to safeguard their interests and help them avoid fraud.

Hence, they must investigate all unauthorised transactions irrespective of other factors. The address verification service allows banks to get to the root cause and identify fraudsters. A bank still needs to acknowledge the claim and take the necessary steps even if the merchant receives a full match from their AVS check.

Luckily, PostGrid’s address checker allows banks to update their database from time to time to help them deal with such situations.

How Can PostGrid’s Postal Address Verification Service Help Businesses Spot Fraudulent Transactions?

PostGrid’s address verification API and software help you confirm the accuracy and validity of your customer addresses. It also cross-checks the deliverability of your mailing lists to identify spam orders and reduce mail returns.

Below, we have mentioned some benefits and features of our address verification solutions that benefit companies:

• Geocoding: Using rooftop geocoding, you can capture the customer’s accurate address for AVS checking. Thus, it helps you eliminate possibilities of typos, misspellings, swapped words, and other mistakes that hamper the process.
• International address verification: This feature allows global businesses to verify the validity of their overseas orders. It helps them transliterate and reformat addresses to match the guidelines of the destination country.
• Bulk verification: It does not make a difference if you need to use our address verification service for validating one or a million addresses. Our API is scalable and can accommodate your ever-growing needs.
• Not-yet-built (NYB) and multiple residence (MR) address files: PostGrid uses the Royal Mail NYB and MR files to validate your customer addresses. Often, the reason for false declines is because the address of the customer is under construction, and they provide a different address for the transaction. Our solutions help you know the reasons for a potential AVS check mismatch.
• Data security and confidentiality: PostGrid is compliant with the Data Protection Act and GDPR, enabling you to verify your mailing lists securely. Our API and dashboard for address verification service are in-built to protect your data and keep it confidential. Also, PostGrid is ISO 27001, 2701, 9001, and 14001 certified—helping you process your delivery addresses confidently.

Furthermore, PostGrid offers:

• Affordable pricing
• 24 x 7 technical assistance
• Dedicated customer onboarding
• API integration

Wrapping Up

With increasing online attacks in the UK, almost all businesses have resorted to using numerous fraud prevention mechanisms.

Undoubtedly, the address verification service plays a broad role in detecting fraudulent transactions. But, avoid making it your standalone strategy for fraud detection.

You can use PostGrid’s address verification service to standardise and validate your addresses. It enables you to make prompt decisions and always access a cleansed and updated database.

Are you ready to see PostGrid’s address verification service in action? Sign up now and save your genuine customers from fraud and other threats.

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The post Address Verification Service appeared first on PostGrid UK.

source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/address-verification-service/

source https://postgridunitedkingdom.blogspot.com/2022/07/address-verification-service.html

What is Transliteration in Address Verification

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What Is Transliteration, And How Can It Help Your Business Communication?

Does your business have a customer database that crosses numerous countries? Do you have trouble managing customer address data in foreign languages? If your answer is a yes to both these questions. In that case, using an address verification tool with transliteration capability can be especially beneficial.

Transliteration in address verification is a simple but often effective way for businesses to manage their international address data. But, what does transliteration mean? Is it just another fancy name for translation? These are questions that are likely on your mind right now.

We promise that we will answer all your questions as you read further. Here, is an attempt to help you understand what is transliteration process and how it differs from translation. There are even several examples here to help you better understand the concept of transliteration.

What is Transliteration?

Transliteration is a process that involves converting a text in one language into text in another language. Now, before you say, “isn’t that the same as a translation?” no, it isn’t. Let us explain why. In translation, the conversion of the text is such that it maintains its underlying meaning.

On the other hand, the text conversion in transliteration is more literal and does not bother with the underlying meaning. The process may seem the same for transliteration and translation, but the outputs are very different.

But, we can discuss the similarities and differences between transliteration and translation in the next section. What you need to know about transliteration is that it converts each character from one alphabet to another. In other words, transliteration replaces sounds phonetically in another language. However, this replacement does not apply to the word’s meaning.

Understanding Transliteration Using Examples

Even with the explanation above, you may still be confused about the transliteration concept. It’s pretty normal to have these confusions, which is why we will help you understand what does transliteration mean with the help of an example.

Let us consider the example of the Japanese word KONNICHIWA. The word KONNICHIWA in Japanese looks like this こんにちは. During transliteration and translation, each word goes through a conversion process. So, the Japanese phrase こんにちは splits into pieces, as you see below.

こ	KO
ん	N
に	NI
ち	CHI
は	HA or WA

As you can see from the table above, the transliteration process becomes interesting as we reach the sound は. There are two possible transliterations for the sound は, which are HA and WA. So, what does transliteration mean in this situation?

Transliteration Can Have Different Phonetic Matches

In the example we discussed above, we saw how a character by itself can have two different sounds. Here, you can see that the transliteration depends on the context and has other phonetic matches. It is the same as some English letters sounding different in words, such as the “c” in cold and city.

Transliteration Is Dependent On The Country

Another thing you should know about transliteration is that it is also dependent on the country which uses or speaks a specific language. The best example of what does transliteration means in this situation is the use of the letter “Z.”

In most English-speaking countries, such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc., the pronunciation of Z is ZED. But in the US, the letter Z is pronounced ZEE. It means you can not transliterate the letter Z without knowing the country and the language.

Transliteration Is Not Always Phonetic Conversion

Usually, transliteration may seem like a phonetic conversion process, but that is not always the case. You need to consider what does transliteration mean if a character in one language has an equivalent in another language. Let’s also assume that the pronunciation of these characters is also different.

For instance, take the letter Ö. You can usually find this letter in places that speak German languages, including German, Danish, Swedish, and Icelandic. The English transliteration of the letter Ö can be either O or OE. Here O and OE are considered equivalent.

Transliteration Is Not Romanisation

People often confuse transliteration with romanisation. However, they are not the same. A romanisation is a form of transliteration that does not use Roman characters, such as

• Arabic 
• Chinese
• Cyrillic 
• Japanese
• Korean
• And more

But in romanisation, the output is a language that does use Roman characters, such as 

• English
• French
• German
• Spanish

Transliteration Involves Converting Numbers

When you first asked yourself, “what is transliteration?” you probably did not think it involved converting numbers. Surprisingly enough, transliteration also involves converting numbers. For instance, transliteration can convert Roman numerals to Japanese numbers. The table below shows the transliteration of five roman numbers to Japanese numbers.

Roman Number	Japanese Number
I	一
II	二
III	三
IV	四
V	五

What Does Transliteration Mean In Address Verification?

By now, you have a good idea of what is transliteration and the process behind it. But, how does transliteration apply to address verification?

First of all, the transliteration in address verification applies to your business if you have international customers and business partners.

So, let us say you have customer address data from every corner of the world. We are talking about addresses in different languages, such as Chinese, Russian, Arabic, etc. There is no way you can read all these languages by yourself and have no way of telling the customer’s location.

This is a situation where transliteration can help your business. “But, what does transliteration mean in this situation?” you may wonder. Well, it allows you to spell out the addresses in different languages in your native language, which in this case is English.

Ensure CRM Compatibility

Before searching for a transliteration tool for your business organisation, you should first check your CRM. If your business website or app already supports foreign languages, things should be pretty smooth and straightforward for you.

On the other hand, if you are looking for transliteration capability for future international customers, ensure your CRM can keep up. Ask yourself, what does transliteration mean if your CRM cannot support different languages. Without a good CRM, you cannot provide the services you wish, even with transliteration.

Address Parsing and Address Standardisation

An advanced address verification tool like PostGrid provides superior address parsing and standardisation capability. Our system breaks down your addresses into small units and rearranges them into a standard format.

The standard format PostGrid is the official address format obtained directly from the official postal service provider. For UK addresses, PostGrid uses the standard address format defined by Royal Mail; for US addresses, it is USPS standard format and so on.

Transliteration vs Translation

We have already established that transliteration and translation are not the same. If you are unfamiliar with a language, translation and transliteration can give you a good idea of what a word means. However, you can not use translation and transliteration interchangeably.

Translation Is Interchangeable. Transliteration Is Not.

Let’s take the Japanese word KONNICHIWA. It will help you understand interchangeability in translation vs transliteration. You can do an easy exercise here. Type in KONNICHIWA in Google translate in Japanese, which is こんにちは.

The result should say the translation of こんにちは is HELLO. Now, try the same by typing in the English word (HELLO) and looking at the result, and it should show こんにちは. In that sense, translation words are interchangeable.

Now, try to transliterate the English word HELLO and check the result. The Japanese transliteration of HELLO is ハロー. Here is where the translate vs transliterate argument becomes interesting. If you try to transliterate ハロー back to English, your result will be HARŌ.

As you can see, transliteration is not a two-way street. It doesn’t work both ways like translation, and you may lose some information. More importantly, it is unlikely that you will get a meaningful word using transliteration.

Conclusion

Business organisations with customers from all over the world can benefit from transliteration. It allows them to ensure the validity of addresses even if they are utterly alien to their customer’s native language.

However, it is not the same as translation. A business organisation should never confuse transliteration and translation because their results can be entirely different. Transliteration does not take into account the underlying meaning of the words.

Hence, the outcome of a transliteration process may seem random. However, transliterating specific phrases and numbers can be helpful for address verification. Investing in a robust address verification tool like PostGrid with bulk mailing capability enables you to streamline communication with your domestic and international customers.

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The post What is Transliteration in Address Verification appeared first on PostGrid UK.

source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/what-is-transliteration-in-address-verification/

source https://postgridunitedkingdom.blogspot.com/2022/07/what-is-transliteration-in-address.html

UK Mailing Preference Service

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What Is the DMA Mailing Preference Service and How Can It Benefit Businesses?

Do you repeatedly get items in your mailbox that you don’t want? It can be annoying to receive unsolicited mail for most people, primarily junk mail from businesses promoting themselves.

We cannot disregard the significance and popularity of direct mail. About 76% of the UK adult population opens all the mail pieces they get. Also, traditional mail drives nearly 70% of people to a digital engagement with the company sending it.

Hence, businesses can continue mailing to relevant prospects using the mailing preference service (MPS) file. It consists of all the names and delivery addresses of people that do not wish to get advertising mail.

This postal preference service safeguards recipients from unwanted items. And businesses can save money by not mailing people who aren’t interested.

In this blog, let’s discuss everything you need to know about the mail preference service and how you can benefit from it.

What Is the Mailing Preference Service?

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) UK runs the MPS service to enable people to opt-out of unwanted, personally addressed mail. Customers can register for this service for free, making it more convenient for anyone to stop getting unsolicited items.

It is also known as the ‘do not mail’ list that blocks junk mail by businesses. The primary concept behind this mail preference service is to respect your customers’ preferences and connect with them only when they want.

Thus, companies must check their mailing lists against the mailing preference service register to ensure they don’t mail to anyone who has already opted out. Moreover, all DMA members must follow this rule religiously to avoid getting into trouble.

The DMA set up the MPS register in 1983, but many businesses are still unaware of it. Often, people want to get their details removed from the postal mailing list because:

• Their mail has the name of a previous resident
• They are not interested in advertising mail items
• They want to temporarily avoid junk mail because they are sick or someone in their family passed away

Hence, try accessing the mailing preference service file before every campaign to avoid wastage. Also, it allows you to preserve your brand reputation and save company-customer relationships.

Please note that both Royal Mail and ICO support the postal preference service UK- which regulates advertising mail.

What Are the Benefits of Having a MPS Licence?

Businesses can buy a licence to access the MPS file now and then. It enables them to:

Reduce Marketing Expenses

Cross-checking your database against the mailing preference service register helps you filter out customers who are not likely to convert. Hence, you can save costs by not spending millions of dollars on printing and shipping items to people who despise promotional mail.

Keep Wastages Low

Recipients have the option to send back unsolicited mail to the sender. They don’t need to pay anything to mail your items back to you, but you would have to bear the postage. Thus, the postal preference service Royal Mail allows you to prevent wastage caused by mailing to people who have voluntarily opted out.

Showcases Your Brand In Good Light

By following the DMA guidelines and not sending anything to customers on the mailing preference service list, you showcase yourself as a responsible marketer. It allows you to boost your brand image and strengthen your marketing strategies.

These people might see your email or social media ad and contact you. But, you will be blowing your chances of getting conversions if you have already hurt your reputation by spam mailing.

What Is the Cost of an MPS Licence?

Many people are confused regarding- Can businesses use the mailing preference service, and the answer is yes!

You can purchase an annual mailing preference service licence for £1,150, excluding VAT. It gives you access to the DMA’s MPS register, and you can download it online from their website. This list includes the names and addresses of all the people who have registered for it in the UK.

Businesses that do not mail regularly have several more postal preference service options. Instead of getting a licence, they can buy a one-off data file that costs nearly £290. They can purchase it any number of times, making it an excellent option for non-frequent marketers.

Local businesses who want to conduct location-specific marketing to small neighbourhoods or areas also need not get a licence. They can purchase a small section of the MPS register for only £60.

But, using PostGrid’s direct mail services for your mailing campaigns allows you to cross-check your lists against this register for no added costs.

Is Sending Mail to the People on the Mailing Preference Service File Illegal?

It isn’t illegal to send mail to customers on the MPS register. But, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 states that companies should avoid doing so repeatedly.

However, following the mail preference service regulation is mandatory under the DMA’s code of practice. Also, the organisation has the right to investigate the matter and pass it on to the Advertising Standards Authority if someone files a complaint against you.

Having an MPS licence protects you against such claims that tarnish your image and lead to negative publicity. Therefore, you must screen your mailing lists against the postal preference service UK before launching every advertising campaign.

What Are the Other Options for Customers to Subscribe Out of Unsolicited Mail?

There are many other ways in which your customers can register themselves in the do not mail list, including:

Put Up a ‘No Junk Mail’ Sign on the Letterbox

If a customer has this sign on their door or letterbox, the postal carrier does not drop off junk mail there. However, it isn’t the best option as some delivery people might ignore the sign.

Instead, they should use the mailing preference service for free to take a firmer step towards not getting junk mail.

Contact the Post Office

Royal Mail does not deliver unaddressed mail to people who have opted out of junk mail using the mail preference service. All the customers need to do is fill out a form or drop an email to the Post Office. Royal Mail stops sending unaddressed advertising to them within six weeks for up to two years.

You can mail items to such customers if they don’t renew their subscription to the mailing preference service after two years.

Register with the DMA’s ‘Your Choice’ Program

DMA also lets people get marketing mail of their choice. It limits the number of items they receive by enabling them to select the categories of mail they want.

Again, customers must fill out a form or call the DMA office to register under this free scheme. The duration of every registration lasts from 12 weeks to two years.

However, the mailing preference service takes up to four months to come into effect. Companies can mail their promotional pieces to customers until their registrations are approved and active.

Stop Charity Mail

Contact the Fundraising Mailing Preference Service if you don’t want to get charity solicitation mail items. Keep the charity organisation’s name or registration number handy while making a call or filing a request on their website.

Then, the Fundraising Preference Service would ask the organisation to delete your contact details from their database within 28 working days.

Along with these methods, customers can also contact the electoral registration office or reach out to the mail senders directly. The good news is that you only need to run a check against the DMA mail preference service file as it is updated monthly.

How Can PostGrid’s Direct Mail Services Help You Send Mail to Relevant Prospects?

As discussed above, sending mail items to people who aren’t interested makes no sense and can lead to wastage. It can hamper all areas of your marketing and sales operations for a long time.

Thus, accessing the mailing preference service register and filtering out contacts is your best bet. But, you may not want to buy the files or get a licence. It is when PostGrid can help you out!

Our direct mail API helps businesses from all sectors, like healthcare, real estate, insurance, etc., send advertising items effortlessly. They don’t need to do anything manually or manage campaigns themselves.

Also, PostGrid verifies addresses and checks them against the mail preference service register to avoid returns.

Thus, companies can only mail to a laser-targeted audience and optimise their marketing budget.

Conclusion

Being socially responsible and not indulging in spam mailing help companies attract genuine customers. They can save their precious time and effort by not trying to connect with people who made it clear they weren’t interested.

Using the DMA’s mailing preference service lists, you can channel your marketing plans toward a relevant audience and reach your goals easily.

PostGrid’s direct mail services can help you send mail to PAF-certified addresses that assure deliverability. Along with the mail preference service register, it processes your addresses against the NCOA file to update any recent changes.

Thus, it is your all-in-one solution to create, print, and mail items to deliverable addresses, helping you improve your ROI.

Request a demo to learn more of our features that help you use the mailing preference service to conduct accurate mailings!

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The post UK Mailing Preference Service appeared first on PostGrid UK.

source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/uk-mailing-preference-service/

source https://postgridunitedkingdom.blogspot.com/2022/07/uk-mailing-preference-service.html

Standard Envelope Sizes UK

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Standard Envelope Sizes In The UK: What Are They And How To Use Them?

Most companies have no clue about the envelope size they should use for their business mailers. They don’t pay attention to it until something goes wrong and they are left with a pile of unusable wrong-sized envelopes. So, if you are among those companies that have no clue about the standard envelope sizes, don’t worry you are not alone.

However, when it comes to business operations, ignorance is NOT bliss. Instead, you could lose valuable money and resources by not paying enough attention to what is the size of a standard letter envelope you use.

It pays to know the standard envelope sizes if you wish to use an integrated marketing strategy in the future. Unless, of course, you are planning on automating your postal mail process. But even with an automated system, it is worth learning about the envelope sizes to optimise your campaigns.

What Are The Standard Envelope Sizes In The UK?

Every country or, more accurately, every postal mail service provider has a set of standard envelope sizes for sending your mail. The Royal Mail also use some standard envelopes for sending your postal mail. The envelope you send your business mail in can vary depending on what you are sending.

For example, suppose you want to send an important document and don’t want to fold it. In that case, you might want to consider a larger envelope. Also, if you want to save yourself the trouble of printing the address twice, you can use a window envelope. Either way, the standard envelope size will vary.

Categorising Standard Envelope Sizes UK

It might surprise some of you that every envelope you use, whether it is for sending postal or something, has standard envelope dimensions. They don’t make envelopes as per some random measurements.

Most envelopes you buy follow the standards set by ISO (International Organization for Standardisation) 269 standards. However, The Royal Mail does not use all standard envelope sizes from ISO. Most of the postal mail uses one of the two envelope categories, and they are

• C Series Envelopes
• DL Envelopes

While the DL envelope is a single-size envelope, the C series envelopes include a variety of standard envelope sizes ranging from C0 to C10. Generally, the standard size of envelopes the Royal Mail uses falls between 28 mm x 40 mm to 917 mm x 1297 mm.

However, categorising postal envelopes does not depend on the envelope dimensions alone. After choosing the right size for your envelope, you can also choose the style or type of envelopes you want to use. The major envelope types or styles you can choose for your business mailers include

• Commercial Flap Envelopes
• Announcement Envelopes
• Window Envelopes
• Side Seam Envelopes
• Square Flap Envelopes
• Wallet Flap Envelopes
• Policy Envelopes
• Ticket Envelopes
• Metal Clasp Envelopes
• Booklet Envelopes
• Wallet (Open) Envelopes
• Catalogue Envelopes
• Coin Envelopes
• Square Envelopes

DL Envelopes

The DL standard size envelopes are the most common envelope to send business mailers. It can comfortably fit an A4 size folded into thirds. It is the envelope that we consider “the” letter envelope.

You might have noticed that most of your standard post arrives in a DL standard size envelope. And since DL envelopes allow you to send A4 documents and marketing materials, you can send the following items with DL envelopes.

• Catalogues
• Letters
• Forms
• Magazines
• And more

Besides direct mail marketing, businesses like insurance companies send letters regularly. Insurance companies sending letters like monthly billing statements, cancellation letters etc., often use DL envelopes. So, if yours is an insurance business, it is worth knowing the standard envelope size for DL envelopes.

DL Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C7 envelope in mm, cm, and inches.

DL Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	220	110
In cm	22	11
In inches	8.66	4.33

C Series Envelopes

As mentioned above, most of the postal mail letters in the UK use C series envelopes as the standard envelope size. It is worth noting that most envelopes use a C series paper. The geometric area of the C series paper lies between the A and B series papers of the same number.

In other words, the C4 size is bigger than the A4 size and smaller than the B4 size papers. When it comes to practical application, it means that you can comfortably fit A4 size papers or documents in C4 standard-size envelopes.

Royal Mail typically uses every envelope size from C0 to C10 for their mailers. However, as you can guess, not many people use a sizeable page-size envelope for their mailers. Nonetheless, we discuss every C series envelope you can use to send your business mailers.

C0 Envelopes

The C0 envelope dimensions are relatively big, so you can use it to send extra-large documents. As you can figure, the basis of the C0 envelope size is the ISO 269 paper size standard. The practical use of C0 envelopes is limited, especially regarding business communication.

However, you can comfortably fit an A0 size paper inside the C0 envelopes. The A0 paper is ideal for holding technical drawings. You can also use it for sending posters. So, if your direct mail marketing campaign involves sending marketing posters, then the C0 standard envelope size can help you.

C0 Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C0 envelope in mm, cm, and inches.

C0 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	1297	917
In cm	129.7	91.7
In inches	51.5	36.1

C1 Envelopes

The C1 envelopes are smaller than the C0 but not by a large margin. So, as you can guess, the C1 envelope dimensions are pretty big, and you can find out exactly how big it is by going through the table below.

But first, let’s talk about what you can fit inside the envelope. It can accommodate a standard A1 size paper inside it. And much like A0 papers, you can use them for sending technical drawings. But more relevantly, you can use the C1 standard size envelope to send large-format advertising materials, including posters and maps.

C1 Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C1 envelope in mm, cm, and inches.

C1 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	917	648
In cm	91.7	64.8
In inches	36.1	25.5

C2 Envelopes

The third-largest envelope size among the C series envelopes is the C2 envelope. You may not be aware of this, but the A2 paper format is a trendy paper format that businesses often use. However, that does not necessarily mean that the C2 standard size envelopes are just as popular.

The common uses of A2 size papers include printing

• Medium-sized posters
• Calendars
• Architectural illustrations
• Diagrams

It is not uncommon for businesses to send calendars and even posters as part of their direct mail marketing campaigns. So if you want to implement a similar marketing plan, the C2 envelop dimensions are perfect for your mailers.

C2 Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C2 envelope in mm, cm, and inches.

C2 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	648	458
In cm	64.8	45.8
In inches	25.5	18

C3 Envelopes

You might have noticed how the envelope dimensions decrease as you count the envelope size from C0. The C3 envelopes are much smaller than the C0 envelopes. It is relatively common for business organisations to use C3 envelopes for their marketing mailers.

The C3 envelop can easily fit unfolded A3 papers inside it. But to get a better real-life idea of C3 envelope dimensions, think of it as double the size of a standard A4 format paper. In other words, the C3 envelope and A3 paper are still pretty big and may not fit all printers.

You can use A3 paper for printing out

• Drawings
• Charts
• Graphs and related tables
• Diagrams

C3 Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C3 envelope in mm, cm, and inches.

C3 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	458	324
In cm	45.8	32.4
In inches	18	12.8

C4 Envelopes

The standard envelope dimensions start becoming much more practical once you reach the C4 size envelopes. Even in today’s digitised world, offices are overflowing with A4 size documents. You can fit any of those office documents comfortably inside the C4 envelope.

The C4 envelope is possibly the most popular among all the standard envelope sizes UK because a wide variety of documents come in A4 size. Your company can use the C4 envelopes for sending any unfolded A4 copy to your customers. The materials you can send via a C4 envelope include

• Catalogues 
• Letters
• Forms
• Magazines 
• And more.

In addition, you can also send A3 documents folded in half using the C4 envelope. Doing so, you can save yourself some money on your direct mail campaigns.

C4 Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C4 envelope in mm, cm, and inches.

C4 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	324	229
In cm	32.4	22.9
In inches	12.8	9

C5 Envelopes

The C5 standard size envelopes are much smaller than the C4 envelopes. You can easily fit an A4 paper folded in half inside the C5 envelope. Hence, C5 envelopes are ideal if you want to send A4 size marketing materials with minimum folds and waste as little paper as possible.

In other words, you can send an A4 size marketing material in a C5 envelope if you don’t mind folding it. Of course, you can always ship A5 size paper in C5 standard size envelopes without folding it. Some popular A5 size printed materials include magazines, leaflets and flyers.

You can use a specialised service to print business flyers, leaflets, and other marketing materials.

C5 Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C5 envelope in mm, cm, and inches.

C5 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	229	162
In cm	22.9	16.2
In inches	9	6.4

C6 Envelopes

The C6  standard envelope size is perfect for your business if you want to send folded A4 documents or marketing material. Furthermore, A6 paper is widely popular for foldable printouts, including flyers, cards, advertisements, and leaflets. On top of all this, A6 paper is also a popular size for postcards. 

C6 Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C6 envelope in mm, cm, and inches.

C6 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	162	114
In cm	16.2	11.4
In inches	6.4	4.5

C7 Envelopes

When you get to the C7 standard size envelopes, you will notice that the size of your material has become significantly smaller. The A7 paper is ideal for printing discount cards or coupons for your marketing campaign. You can also use it for sending folded A5 documents or marketing materials.

C7 Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C7 envelope in mm, cm, and inches.

C7 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	114	81
In cm	11.4	8.1
In inches,	4.5	3.2

C8, C9, & C10 Envelopes

The standard envelope sizes C8, C9, & C10 are the smallest you can find, and they are useless in most practical situations. However, you could fit the following items into these envelopes

• Bank cards
• Driver’s licenses
• Tickets and coupons
• Stamps

C8, C9, & C10 Envelope Dimensions

The following table shows the accurate size of a C8, C9, & C10 envelopes in mm, cm, and inches.

C8 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	81	57
In cm	8.1	5.7
In inches	3.2	2.2

 

C9 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	57	40
In cm	5.7	4
In inches	2.2	1.6

 

C10 Standard Envelope Size
Unit	Length	Width
In mm	40	28
In cm	4	2.8
In inches	1.6	1.1

Conclusion

Printing and mailing your marketing material is hard enough as it is. No business organisation can afford to spend hours researching online what is the standard size envelope for sending your mailers. And as you can see from all that we discussed above, many envelopes are available for sending business mailers.

Innovative business organisations bypass the struggle of printing and mailing their marketing materials using a service provider like PostGrid. Employing PostGrid’s specialised print and mail API solution takes care of everything. It includes choosing the correct envelope dimensions for your business mailers.

But that’s just a tiny part of what PostGrid can do for your business. PostGrid’s fully automated direct mail software can print personalised marketing materials, schedule delivery, and more. For such an advanced system optimising the standard envelope size for your business mailers is a simple task.

Hence, every business organisation that wants to streamline their direct mail communication must employ a robust print and mailing system like PostGrid.

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