Business Reply Mail (BRM) makes it easier for your customers to respond to your inquiries and/or surveys.
BRM allows you to receive First-Class Mail from your customers (or potential customers) by paying postage (and a fee) only on the mail that your customers actually return to you. You provide your customers with specially designed business reply envelopes, cards or labels that they can return quickly and easily because they do not have to address an envelope or affix any postage. Because BRM is pre-addressed and pre-coded with a barcode, you also do not have to worry about incorrect addressing by your customers.
Cost
You will be charged First Class Postage for each piece of Business Reply Mail returned to you plus a per-piece service charge. You can distribute your Business Reply Mail in unlimited quantities within the United States. The ODU Mail Center pays an annual fee to the U.S. Postal Service to participate in the Business Reply Mail Accounting System (BRMAS), which allows for automated accounting of your Business Reply Mail postage and service costs.
Designing Business Reply Mail
Contact the Mail Center for a list of vendors that design Business Reply Mail. Once your BRM is designed, you should also provide the Mail Center with a sample of your BRM before you contract for final print.
When designing BRM, the zip code for ODU must be 23508 + four. (Postcards: 23508-9963, Business Envelope: 23508-9956, Flat envelopes: 23508-9800, Label: 23508-9900). Do NOT use the University's unique zip code 23529 on BRM.
Examples of Zip Codes for ODU Business Reply Mail
- Postcards
NORFOLK VA 23508-9963 - Business Envelopes (size 10)
NORFOLK VA 23508-9956 - Flat, Large Envelope
NORFOLK VA 23508-9800 - Labels
NORFOLK VA 23508-9900
NOTE: The unique zip code for the university is 23529 and is NOT to be used on Business Reply Mail.
Reply Postage
Meter stamps may prepay reply postage on Express Mail; Priority Mail when the rate is the same for all zones; First-Class postcards, letters, and flats up to a maximum of 11 ounces; single-piece rate Special Standard Mail; and Library Mail, under the following conditions:
- The meter stamp amount must be enough to prepay the postage in full, at the next higher whole cent amount, or at another rate permitted by standards.
- Meter stamps may be printed directly on a mail piece or address label that bears the delivery address of the meter license holder. A label must adhere well enough so that, once applied, it cannot be removed in one piece.
- Postage on Priority Mail over 11 ounces, single-piece Special Standard Mail rate or Library Mail may be paid on with meter-stamped address labels.
- Any photographic, mechanical, or electronic process, or any combination of such processes (other than handwriting, typewriting, or hand stamping) may be used to prepare the address side of reply mail. The address side must follow the style and content of the example below; nothing may be added other than a return address, facing identification marks (FIMs), or barcodes.
- Reply mail prepaid by meter stamps is delivered only to the address of the meter license holder. If the address is altered, the mail is held for postage.
- Meter postmarks used to prepay reply postage must not show the date.