AusPost relaxes Print Post rules

Australia Post is temporarily relaxing some its rules governing Print Post, in particular insert weights, frequency, and volume, following representations from The Real Media Collective concerned to maintain volumes in the coronavirus crisis.

Among the new guidelines for securing lower cost mailing AusPost now says that minimum number of units is down from 100 to 10, frequency is down from twice a year to once a year, and weight increases from inserts will be treated with leniency when they tip a publication into a new rate.

Kellie Northwood, CEO, The Real Media Collective, said, “The current regulations include minimum volumes restrictions, however we approached Australia Post to reduce these volume restrictions for the wider industry to benefit. The solutions were worked through with Australia Post, and allow companies to shift into quick onboarding of new subscribers, conversion of office subscribers to in-home subscriptions and more to maintain volumes and to start new one-off pieces with smaller lodgement entry units.”

Print Post is primarily used for magazines, periodicals and mail-order catalogues which printers and mail-houses process and lodge daily. Additional solutions have been tabled by the Collective across Promo Post and Sample Post, with possible expanded discussions into Charity Mail. These remain under review.

Northwood said, “When we moved into the Covid-19 pandemic, we immediately reached out to Australia Post with relief solutions that would encourage print volume stability, get content into homes to assist with Australians struggling with social connectivity whilst in isolation and incentivise advertisers to see the power of print as a highly effective in-home media channel.”

“From day one, Australia Post was positive and consultative, looking at all options to support the mail channel, and indirectly the industry, across this initiative. We thank the Australia Post team for pushing this through as quickly as they have, these product changes are often months in the making, however they have moved these discussions and execution in days,” Northwood said.

“There are a lot of complexities when you consider the size of the Australia Post network so we will need to take it step by step. To all the members who assisted in this process, I personally thank you for your input – now is a time for actions and without your focus we couldn’t have achieved this,” concluded Northwood.