State urged to join junk mail 'do not mail' registry

ttravis said on January 14, 2010 at 4:00 PM

Yes! Let me be the first to sign up on a, "No Junk Mail" Registry. People should have the Option to Opt-in or Opt-out. Over (90%) of of my paper mail is Junk Mail. It's Extremely annoying, and a Gigantic waste of time, money, trees, and other valuable resources!! Moreover, we need a Registry which is a Law would forcing the Direct Mail Association to take you offer their list if you so choose. The way it is now, the association does NOT have to take you off their list!! Go Seattle! Go "No Junk Mail Registry"!

nickf said on January 13, 2010 at 6:07 PM

You know what, I don't really care how the system current works or what percentage of business the USPS gets from junk mail. Its simply something that should be opt-in, not opt-out. I am all for the city's move here to try to solve this problem, but you know, the opt-out do not call list didn't really work, did it? I still get calls from all kinds of unsolicited advertisers and I am on the list.

gablestout said on January 13, 2010 at 3:17 PM

@jerrymac; in line with ktothec, the lower 3rd class rate is granted to bulk mailers who take a lot of the USPS's work and do it themselves, for example: 1- deliver it to a regional processing center (instead of a mailbox or local post office) 2- Presort all their mail by the 1st 3 numbers in the zip code into trays (the regional processing centers are assigned by the 1st 3 digits, so you can sort an entire tray to a destination just by scanning the tray) 3- Pre-barcode their mail (look at a regular 1st class letter and you'll see a barcode below your address. It's a barcode of your address, and is usually entered by the post office) Still hate the junk? Get a oversized locked mailbox, put all of your bills on paperless bills or Ebills, and check your mailbox about every three weeks. Better yet, tip our mailman and buy him a nice Christmas gift. Tell him how much you hate junk mail in a casual chat. You junk mail will magically start to disappear.

ktothec said on January 13, 2010 at 6:50 AM

jerrymac, because the "junk mailers" is third class postage, they don't pay as much as you pay for first class for services such as forwarding the mail, or getting your mail returned.

jerrymac said on January 12, 2010 at 10:09 PM

Why do the junk-mailers get a discount from the post office for mailing their junk, and we have to pay full price to mail a letter.

gablestout said on January 12, 2010 at 9:48 PM

@diggity That, is in fact how the "do not call list" works. Business which you have a relationship with (whether by calling them to request information, buying a product, or receiving a service) are allowed to call you as part of their business relationship with you. It would stand to reason that a :do not mail" registry would have the same provisions. The interesting piece (or lack of) is the U.S. Postal Service component. Over 52% of the mail volume in 2008 was "Standard Mail: Advertising" (aka Direct Mail or Junk Mail to some people) . The post office, in fact, needs junk mail to survive.

diggity said on January 12, 2010 at 9:30 PM

Why are they 'do not call' or 'do not send' lists? Shouldn't it be don't call or send unless I sign up for it? Our politicians not working for us, again.