GENERAL
- Don't most people respond using the phone or e-mail?
It depends on your target audience, what you are selling, and what type of response you are requesting. For example, Business Reply Mail is well suited if you are asking for confidential information or are targeting individuals who are concerned with providing personal information over the Internet or phone. Besides, it just makes good business sense to give your target audience a range of response mechanisms - let them decide which one they prefer to use.
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- Who is using the service now?
Business Reply Mail is an important element of marketing and direct mail campaigns across all business segments and across all sizes of businesses. Charities, banks, consumer and business services, and government are but a few of the segments that consistently turn to Business Reply Mail as a direct response vehicle to help increase response rates. Consumers like the convenience of a postage paid return envelope or card and the fact that it is a non-intrusive reponse vehicle (as compared with telemarketing).
Many companies include Business Reply Mail envelopes in all forms of mailings or at outlets as a matter of business practice to encourage customers to correspond by offering an easy, free and confidential means to communicate.
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- Why does Business Reply Mail cost more than Lettermail? Are you not providing the same service?
While the service may resemble Lettermail in terms of specifications, Business Reply Mail is separated from other mail products and processed at centers specific to the service. This step is required to ensure that Business Reply Mail is sorted, accurately counted and billed, and processed for delivery to the customer within our stated service standards. While we constantly strive to add value to the process and reduce costs, these extra steps attract additional processing costs and are reflected in our pricing.
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- Why is there an annual fee in addition to per Item postage?
The annual fee helps address costs associated with the service, such as general administration, product support, and the production of Business Reply Mail artwork. Charging an annual fee also helps us keep our per Item postage price as low as possible. You may want to think of it as a membership fee.
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- What is a non-compliant surcharge? How much is the surcharge?
A non-compliant surcharge is a fee that Canada Post charges Customers that mail BRM Items that are considered to be “Out of Spec”. The surcharges are as follows:
| Up to 50 g Out of Spec | $1.60 | $2.30 |
Up to 100 g Out of Spec
Over 100 g up to 200 g Out of Spec
Over 200 g up to 500 g Out of Spec | $2.10
$3.05
$3.70 | n/a
n/a
n/a |
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CREATING THE BRM ARTWORK
- Where can I get new artwork?
Customers can create their own artwork online using the Business Reply Mail Artwork Online tool. To access the tool customers must have a BRM Agreement and an On-line Business Centre (OBC) user ID and password. Alternatively, customers may call 1-800-260-7678.
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- What is BRM Artwork Online?
In July 2004, a new online tool was introduced which allows customers to create their own artwork, any time, at their convenience. This self-serve application is easy, fast and reduces the artwork processing time from days to minutes.
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- Where can customers access the BRM Artwork Online tool?
Customers can access the BRM Artwork On-line tool by visiting the On-line Business Centre (OBC) at www.canadapost.ca/obc
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- How do customers get a user ID and password for the BRM Artwork Online tool?
Customers who do not already have a user ID and password for the On-line Business Centre (OBC), can obtain a user ID and password by registering on-line at www.canadapost.ca/obc
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- What is a 4-state barcode?
The 4-state barcode is the new barcode provided with your BRM artwork. It is a height modulated barcode used in high speed and automated mail sorting machines.
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- How is a 4-state barcode different from the existing barcode?
A 4-state barcode is height modulated, whereas the current barcode is width modulated.
A sample of a 4-state barcode: 
A sample of the current barcode with the same data in it: 
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- Why is BRM using the 4-state barcode? What are the benefits?
Barcodes are used by Canada Post processing equipment. The 4-state barcode is superior to the current barcode in that it is more space efficient and has a built in error correction capability.
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- Will Canada Post continue to accept both types of barcodes?
Yes.
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- Is there a deadline for when Customers must convert to the new barcode?
Not at this time. However, we encourage Customers to create new artwork whenever they re-print BRM cards and BRM envelopes.
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- What is the new maximum width for Machineable BRM envelopes?
The new maximum width for Machineable BRM envelopes is 156 mm.
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- Why do some users of the BRM Artwork Online tool have template options while others do not?
If you had a Business Reply Mail Agreement in place with Canada Post prior to June 28, 2004, your screens will include a template option for envelope and card artwork. If you become a new user of Business Reply Mail after June 28, 2004, in lieu of templates, your first artwork will be created and ready online for your approval, editing or forwarding to your printer.
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- Why are some users of the BRM Artwork Online tool presented with a "Choose Customer" screen and others are not?
The "Choose Customer" screen is only displayed if you have multiple Customer Numbers with Canada Post. If you have access to only one Customer number this screen is bypassed and you'll be taken directly to the BRM Address List screen.
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- The BRM Artwork Online tool is not allowing me to create artwork for a new return address. Why is this?
Each return address requires a separate Business Reply Mail Agreement. To set up an Agreement call 1-800-260-7678.
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- In past campaigns my Business Reply Mail return addresses have been in English only. I would like this information to appear in a combined English/French format.
If a bilingual preference has never been used before you will need to call Canada Post at 1-866-511-0546 to arrange for this address set-up.
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- Using the BRM Artwork Online tool, is it possible to resend "sent" artwork?
Yes. Simply select the artwork and resend it as if you are just creating it.
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- Using the BRM Artwork Online tool, what is the difference between a primary physical address and a Business Reply Mail (BRM) return address?
The primary physical address is the address identified in your Business Reply Mail Agreement with Canada Post. The BRM Address is the Canada Post processing address where your cards or envelopes are processed before being forwarded to you. This is the address that appears on your artwork.
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- Using the BRM Artwork Online tool, what is the difference between the Delivery Address and the BRM Address appearing on the Address List screen?
The Delivery Address is the address identified by you as the return destination for Business Reply Mail cards or envelopes. The BRM Address is the Canada Post processing address where your cards or envelopes are processed before being forwarded to you. This is the address that appears on your artwork.
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- Why does a "Draft" watermark appear on the Preview Artwork screen?
Using the BRM Artwork Online tool, draft appears on the artwork so that there is no confusion that this is not the final artwork to use to create artwork. It is simply an Abobe .pdf file for you to view to approve the artwork.
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