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USPS deals with different types of mail packages every day. The rules to shipping magazines are slightly different from just shipping a letter on USPS services. Magazines come under another class of mail shipments called the periodicals for USPS. To send magazines using USPS, you will have to sign up on the Periodicals mail program using form 3500. Getting enrolled in the periodicals mailing program is a good decision because it is the cheapest way to ship magazines. With periodicals, you get a discounted rate of shipping magazines to a certain volume threshold. 

Advantages Of Choosing USPS

When sending out marketing mail like magazines with advertisements, there are certain advantages if you choose USPS. It only costs 19 cents per piece to send out a volume of magazines under USPS periodicals. However, you have to follow a set of rules when you send out marketing mail or journals. For example, you only get maximum profits when you are shipping magazines in bulk with USPS. 

A sender can only avail of the discounted rates when sending 200 pieces per mail shipment or at least 50 pounds in bulk weight. If you are a small-scale seller, you may not be able to send out that many pieces in one shipment every day. However, if you are a large scale seller, USPS periodicals or marketing mail programs are the cheapest way to mail catalogs and magazines. 

How to Mail Magazines with USPS

1. Fill out the form 3500 to apply for periodicals account activation. 

2. Drop off the complete form 3500 at your local USPS postal office. Once the approval comes, your periodicals mail account gets activated. You can then learn about the rules of shipping magazines from a local post office official.

3. Estimate the postage cost needed for each mail piece and add the amount due to your periodicals mail account.

4. Design and print the labels for each magazine that will carry the address of each recipient. Incorporate this with the magazine so that the post office can easily read it. 

5. Get an envelope or a box to ship the magazines. Bundle the magazines together and wrap them in plastic or any other protective coating before putting them in the box. You can even buy appropriate boxes and envelopes at any USPS location. 

6. You can use newspaper or other packing material to cushion the magazine bundles. It is always better to use biodegradable packing material instead of plastics and Styrofoam. 

7. Shake the box to ensure there is no rattling in the shipping box once packed. 

8. Write the address of mailing clearly and correctly. Never forget to mention the return address in the upper left corner and the sender's address in the middle of the packaging box.

9. Affix postage stamp on the upper right corner and double-check the sealing of the box. 

10. Once you are sure, you go to the nearest USPS office to drop the package off. You either pay the mail charges, or it already counts from your periodical mail account. Once you drop it off and get the mail invoice, you can ensure that the magazines will be shipped. 

Once you get the hang of shipping magazines USPS way, you can send out magazines every month or week. How many magazines you ship through USPS depends on your customer volume and the period of your subscription cycle. 

Recommended: Compare USPS Priority Mail to Priority Mail Express