Infopost national
Questions and Answers

Infopost

Identical content: what are coding and control characters?

Based on everyday language and in communication with service providers, coding and control characters are characters which control mailings or inserts and are essential for the creation of a mailing, such as <>.

Identification characters: According to the provisions in the GT&C Domestic Letter Mail Service, telephone numbers are regarded as identification characters. Are e-mail addresses also regarded as identification characters?

Both internet and e-mail addresses can be applied toward additional sender information. And starting now, it is also possible to integrate internet and e-mail addresses into the text body as identification characters. It must be noted, however, that the text's identical layout not be disrupted with the insertion or repetition of the identification characters.

Identical content: Does the line spacing have to be balanced by the next line?

Any varying lengths in the identification characters must be set off in such a way that the next line starts with the same word in all mail items, etc. Provided that all the texts have identical content with the exception of the inserted identification characters we allow the balance to be achieved within the same paragraph.

Additional sender information: Is a photograph of the company's contact person considered additional sender information?

A photograph of the company's contact person can be printed as additional sender information in the appropriate spot.

What are unenclosed items?

Großbrief and Maxibrief items presorted by five-digit postal codes which are longer than 23.5 cm or wider than 12.5 cm and heavier than 30 g can also be delivered unenclosed (without an envelope) if:

• they are papers/documents in the form of magazines stapled on the left-hand side or
• papers/documents which are folded like newspapers.

Please note: One-piece items in card format do not qualify as "unenclosed items" as defined in our General Terms and Conditions.

Minimum quantity: How many items must I have in order to be able to send them as Infopost?

The following minimum quantities are required for items to be sent as INFOPOST:

• 4,000 items sorted by postal code in either ascending or descending order
• 250 items for the same routing region (the first two digits in the postal code must be identical) sorted by postal code in either ascending or descending order or
• 50 items for the routing area of the posting office (sequence of postal codes) sorted in either ascending or descending order of the postal code, such as the routing area Bonn with the postal code sequence 53000 to 53359.

Please note: If you do not reach the relevant minimum quantity, you can make corresponding additional payments. The gross charge (charge for the individual item - less any discounts) is taken as the basis.

Identical content: Must the wrapping also be identical in content?

INFOPOST items must in principle be identical in content in terms of the number and appearance of the documents and data carriers as well samples, specimens, promotional items and third-party inserts. They must also be identical in terms of the design of the wrapping and format as well as in the payment of postage with stamps and the stamps used (only in connection with cancelation by the sender and FRANKIERSERVICE).

Identical content: According to the General Terms and Conditions Mail, Infopost items (Infopost and Infobrief) must in principle be identical in content. They may differ by ten identification characters, among other things.

INFOPOST items may differ by ten identification characters not only per mailing, but also per individual document (per document page).

Are Infopost items returned if they are undeliverable?

Infopost items are only returned as part of PREMIUMADRESS. Items without sender's instructions will be destroyed if they are undeliverable. Unenclosed INFOPOST items are neither redirected nor returned for operational reasons.

What are the requirements for payment of postage?

Postage stamp-like forms, so-called Phantasiebriefmarken (fantasy stamps), are being used more and more to increase post's advertising effect. When using Phantasiebriefmarken please note the rules that can be downloaded from www.deutschepost.de/frankiervermerke.

Identical content: Manufacturers send out central mailings for their dealers. In order to send them as Infopost, the manufacturer's address is required as the sender's information and the dealer is entered as an additional item in the sender's information. Is it possible to give the dealer's address as that of the sender?

The dealer's address can be given as the sender's address if, for example, all items have at least a uniform company logo from the manufacturer. This requires that the dealers' stationery has an identical design.