Cutting Postage Costs in 2025: Why Commingling and USPS Postal Promotions Cannot Be Ignored
William Anderson, Director of Structural Design and Postal Affairs
If you’re feeling the impact of the July 2025 postage increase, you’re not alone. Marketers across industries are seeing per-piece costs jump, sometimes by 15% or more, thanks in part to the elimination of National Distribution Centers (NDCs) and their associated discounts. What was once a reliable way to lower costs has disappeared, forcing many mailers into the most expensive Local Entry rates.
But smart use of commingling and USPS Postal Promotions can help you control costs, improve campaign performance, and even uncover new ROI opportunities.
Commingling: A Non-Negotiable for Cost Control
Commingling, or combining multiple mailers’ volumes to target Sectional Center Facility (SCF) entry, is one of the most effective ways to protect your budget.
The goal of data presort is to strategically collect mail by Zip code for processing the address list to target SCF dropship, bypassing Local entry. However, there’s often “fallout” mail that defaults back to Local Entry. Without dropship, that fallout can erode your savings quickly. By ensuring those residual pieces are moved to commingling, you can:
- Avoid costly Local Entry rates
- Gain better in-home consistency improving delivery predictability
- Keep campaigns competitive even as postage climbs
At sg360°, we’re strongly encouraging marketers to make commingling a standard practice.
USPS Promotions: Overlooked Discounts That Add Up
USPS offers a calendar of promotions each year, designed to reward marketers for enhancing their mail. These provide real savings layered on top of presort discounts.
Key 2025 promotions include:
- Continuous Contact (Apr–Dec, 3%)
- Reply Mail IMbA (Jul–Dec, 3–6%)
- First-Class Mail Advertising (Sep–Dec, 3%)
- Integrated Technology (consecutive 6 months of a calendar year, 3%)
- Catalog Insights (Oct 2025–Jun 2026, 10%)
Add-on incentives like Informed Delivery and Sustainability can stack an additional 1–2%.
For many marketers, that translates into $0.02–$0.03 per piece in additional savings. On national mailings, that’s a six- and seven-figure impact.
Integrated Technology: Flexible, Powerful… and Easy to Miss
Among the promotions, Integrated Technology deserves special attention. Unlike others, you can choose any six consecutive months in 2025 to apply your 3% discount.
Eligible treatments include:
- Mobile Shopping
- Augmented or mixed reality
- NFC or video-in-print
- Integration with voice assistants
- NEW in 2025: AI-generated copy or imagery
As great as that sounds, your mail won’t qualify unless you complete a few critical steps:
- Create a Business Customer Gateway (BCG) account. sg360° can walk you through this, but unfortunately, an MSP cannot create it for you.
- Enroll in the Integrated Technology Promotion and upload your Customer Registration ID(s).
- Make sure sg360°’s mailing CRID is included—Double check the CRID you provide sg360° is included within your enrolled CRIDs
- Check multiple accounts. If your brand manages mail under different BCG logins, ensure all CRIDs are covered.
Missing these steps has already tripped up marketers this year. The fix is straightforward, but only if you act before your campaign hits the mailstream.
The Big Picture: Pairing Logistics with Incentives
On their own, commingling or USPS promotions can help mitigate the impact of rising rates. But combining commingling with the right promos can almost offset the postage increases.
Think of commingling as the foundation; it ensures you’re not paying more than necessary for entry. Layering USPS promotions on top not only drives savings but also makes your mail more engaging through sensory treatments, repeat touches, or tech-enabled experiences.
Don’t Leave Money on the Table
With rising costs putting pressure on marketing budgets, brands cannot afford to overlook available savings. By making commingling standard and fully leveraging USPS promotions, especially Integrated Technology, you can protect margins and give your campaigns a competitive edge.
Not sure if your mail is enrolled properly?
sg360°’s postal affairs experts can help you audit your setup, align CRIDs, and ensure every eligible piece earns its discount. These small details make a big difference, so request your free consultation today.