CD & DVD Mailer Frequently Asked Questions
Why the MediaSAFE™ CD/DVD Mailer?
The MediaSAFE™ CD/DVD Mailer is the only product on the market that was developed in conjunction with, under the authority of and to develop a set of standards for disc mailing, with the help of a postal authority, the Australian Post. The MediaSAFE™ Mailer was designed to benefit the postal authority, the mailer and the recipient combined. That allowed for the invention of the perfect mail piece. All other mail pieces on the market today, are strictly designed to the published specifications, without consideration of all three interested parties. Thus the market being flooded with many products that fall under a certain classification, but are either no easier for the USPS to process or do not help in reducing damage to the disc, or just plainly are not approved. Elimination of damage also saves the mailer the cost of having to mail the same disc more than once.
Why is postal automation so important?
When the USPS raised their rates to the current formula, it brought them closer to what other postal authorities in the world do. Offering rates that are commiserate with the amount of work that the postal authority has to put in to the process. Letters are the most efficient and when automated, more can be processed in the same amount of time by fewer people. Under the old rates, certain types of mail, including disc mail, received the same rate based upon weight, not size or processing efficiency. The majority of discs mailed, could not be processed through the letter automation system, therefore creating a larger overhead to mail those pieces at the same cost as a letter. The result was the 2007 Rate Case which evened the playing field. Mail pieces that required less handling and increased efficiency, costs less to post thus reducing the perceived or actual subsidization that occurs under a weight based system.
How Does The MediaSAFE™ coating Help Prevent Breakage?
A lot of breakage happens when the disc moves within the mail piece. The patented MediaSAFE™ coating holds the disc in place as it moves through the mail stream. Rapid acceleration, deceleration along with very sharp twists and turns are throughout the automated mail stream, any one of these can put your disc into a place that is shouldn't be, thus making it susceptible to breakage. Having the patented MediaSAFE™ coating assures you that from the beginning of the automation stream to the ultimate delivery destination, your disc will remain in place. This also eliminates the need to resend discs to your customers.
Is the MediaSAFE™ Mailer USPS approved?
Yes, in fact our first letter class design was approved in 2006, before there was a final proposed 2007 Rate Case. Our Series 100, 200, 300 & 400 MediaSAFE™ Mailers have been approved and are classified by the US Postal Service PCSC (Pricing and Classification Service Center) as both machinable and meet the standards for letter automation rates. We have the letters for each MediaSAFE™ Mailer available if you need it for you local representatives.
Are you really sure the MediaSAFE™ Mailer is a Letter?
We understand that some customers may have been given incorrect or uninformed information from their local representation, as to either the approval of the MediaSAFE™ Mailer or its classification of a letter. Just E-mail info@mediamailsolutions.com to have us send you or your representative any of our letters approval letters.
How many types of mailers do you have?
We currently have 4 different mailer designs available to meet your specific disc mailing needs and have a couple others in development.
How much can I save in postage?
The majority of disc mailers who want their media to arrive intact and playable are currently sending out their discs in bubble packs, boxes or plastic cases. Under the new USPS rates, this puts them at the very best, in the Flat category and at the worst the parcel category. That's a difference of $.39 against a first class flat and a whopping $.72 against a parcel, assuming they are the same weight as the MediaSAFE™ Mailer. If not, those differences will be higher. Standard mail savings can be $.225 less than a flat, and even more against a parcel. Utilize automation discounts now that you may not have been exposed to and the postage savings increases even more.
Is the MediaSAFE™ Mailer patented?
Yes, these mailers fall under a number of international patents. When you spend 11 years finding a solution that works, you want to protect it.
Does Media Mail Solutions own the patents?
The patents are owned by Media Technology PTY of Australia. Media Mail Solutions owns the exclusive license to these patents in the U.S.
What do I do with my jewel case?
The MediaSAFE™ Mailer allows you to not only save money on postage, but eliminates the need for jewel cases, clam shells and any other protective disc devices you may be currently using or thinking of using, thus saving even more money than just on packaging and postage. It makes it much easier for both you and your customer, not having to worry about the jewel case breaking or taking the disc in and out of the jewel case.
Can I insert something with the disc?
Yes, two of our designs, the Series 100 and the Series 400 have handy document spaces behind to place inserts. The Series 100, is large enough for 8 ½ x 11 paper and the Series 400 for smaller item, such as play lists.
Can I still do a mailing at letter rate, with enclosures?
The Series 100 and 400 were designed to accept between 2 and 3 pieces of paper without impacting the integrity of the classification of the piece. Over our 11 years of development, we have done numerous successful tests worldwide; however, we and the PCSC (Pricing and Classification Service Center) recommend that any enclosures you add to your mailing should be tested through their process which may mean testing at your local BMEU or through the PCSC themselves to get accurate classifications status. With different weights, shapes, sizes of paper, as well as different methods of folding or placement within an envelope, what you may decide to enclose may or may not impact its letter classification.
Can the MediaSAFE™ Mailer be used to mail anything else?
Although it was designed specifically for discs and all of the research and development went into discs, we have a few customers using these mailers for photographs and collectors cards. Surprisingly we have had many inquiries from card shops as local collectors have found the MediaSAFE™ Mailer and have been using it to mail their collector's cards. Considering that the slightest flaw in these cards can reduce their value significantly, it just adds to the testimony that the MediaSAFE™ Mailer protects the contents through the rigors of the automated mail stream, while providing the savings associated with letter class mail compared to flat and parcel mail.
Can I Ink Jet Onto MediaSAFE™ Mailer?
Yes you can. We can offer many printed solutions, but if you want to print your own billboard or have specific items that need to be printed differently on each mailer, you can easily inkjet those particular areas. If we present you a printed solution, you can specify the areas on the mailer that you may be ink jetting, and we won't put our protective aqueous in those areas.
Can I have my MediaSAFE™ Mailer custom printed?
Yes, you can and you will be impressed by the professional image that your brand purveys to your customer. The MediaSAFE™ Mailer provides a large branding space, offering your organization a huge billboard to promote that brand.
Is the MediaSAFE™ Mailer Recyclable?
Yes, it is. Once you are done with it, it can either be recycled or used as a useful disc holder.
Do you use recyclable materials in the making of the MediaSAFE™ Mailer?
No we do not. That is not because we aren't environmentally conscious, but because of practicality. We use virgin paperboard in our mailers. If we could recreate the MediaSAFE™ Mailer to do all the same things it does, along with the same protection and benefits using recycled paperboard, we would. Unfortunately, many problems can be associated with recycled paperboard. The strength is not as good and with the automated mail stream both you and the USPS want to make sure that the disc doesn't come flying through, or if by chance the disc does break, the pieces don't come flying out, which can hurt both people and equipment. The MediaSAFE™ coating cannot be applied to recycled paperboard, because with the impurities hidden within recycled paperboard, the MediaSAFE™ coating will not adhere. Those impurities also can subject the discs to scratches, smudges and smears. Yesterday's pizza box is today's disc mailer. It's not that we wouldn't like to use recycled paperboard, the MediaSAFE™ Mailer just would not be the MediaSAFE™ Mailer and would be like all other mailers out on the market today.
Does the MediaSAFE™ Mailer work with disc inserters?
Yes it does. There are currently no disc inserters that are specifically made to handle the MediaSAFE™ Mailer, but we have clients who have easily modified existing machinery to work with our mailers.