What is USPS Bound Printed Matter in 2024? The Complete Guide

Have you ever received a catalog or magazine in the mail without a stamp or postage attached? If so, chances are it qualified as USPS Bound Printed Matter (BPM) – a unique mailing classification used by large-volume shippers like retailers, publishers, and distributors.

But what exactly is Bound Printed Matter? As your shipping expert, I‘ll walk you through everything important to know about BPM in 2024 so you can determine if it could benefit your business.

Bound Printed Matter Eligibility Requirements

First, let‘s dive into the key ground rules to qualify mailpieces for Bound Printed Matter rates:

Binding Method

BPM pieces must have permanent bindings like:

• Staples
• Spiral or plastic comb bindings
• Glue
• Stitched bindings

Looseleaf binders, snap rings, and other temporary fastenings do not qualify.

Printed Content

At least 90% of the content pages must be printed material. This includes:

• Advertisements
• Promotions
• Directories
• Editorial content

Handwriting, personal notes, and blank pages do not count toward the 90% printed content minimum.

Size and Weight Restrictions

Each BPM piece has maximum allowable dimensions:

• Weight – 15 pounds
• Size – Combined length and girth 108 inches (but no dimension larger than 12 inches)

Oversized BPM parcels that exceed these limits may still ship but typically at higher Priority Mail rates.

Examples of Bound Printed Matter Mailpieces

Common BPM items include:

• Catalogs
• Magazines
• Telephone directories
• Travel guides
• Industry directories
• Non-personal bound booklets

Virtually any permanently bound promotional, directory, or editorial content could potentially qualify if size/weight limited and 90% printed content minimum is met.

Bound Printed Matter Pricing in 2024

BPM pricing depends primarily on weight, destination zone, and presort level. Commercial mailers with USPS permits can achieve the greatest discounts.

Here are some benchmark pricing examples for 2024:

With commercial pricing, BPM can offer significant per piece cost savings compared to Priority Mail and Parcel Select Ground. Even non-presorted BPM rates are very reasonable for lighter pieces.

How Long Should You Expect for BPM Delivery?

In 2022, the average delivery time for non-presorted Bound Printed Matter was 5.11 days according to USPS service performance reports.

However, maximum delivery timeframes can vary based on:

• Destination zone (with further zones taking longer)
• Seasonal impacts like peak holidays
• Local transportation disruptions

As a ground shipping service without day-definite delivery, BPM aligns most closely with other USPS products like Retail Ground and Media Mail.

Plan for a delivery window of 2-10 business days in 2024 depending on zone and other factors. Of course, delays can occasionally extend delivery times further.

How BPM Compares to Other USPS Shipping Options

Bound Printed Matter occupies a unique classification amongst USPS shipping options:

• Faster but more expensive options include Priority Mail Express (overnight) and Priority Mail (2-3 day)
• Slower but more affordable choices are Retail Ground (7+ days) and Media Mail (2-8 days)
• BPM provides a balanced transportation solution for organizations that mail high volumes of catalogs, guides, directories and other printed promotional materials.

Its niche – affordable ground shipping for permanently bound print content.

Evaluating if Your Business Should Use BPM

Here are a few key questions to help determine if your organization could benefit from Bound Printed Matter:

✅ Do you distribute catalogs, guides, directories, magazines, or other printed promotional materials on an ongoing basis?

✅ Can your content pieces meet the requirements around binding, size/weight limits, and 90% printed content minimums?

✅ Do you generally ship 500+ pieces at a time to zones 1-8?

✅ Is delivery time flexibility less important than controlling shipping costs?

If you answered yes to the above, then preparing a BPM permit application and approval process with USPS is likely worthwhile to lock in savings.

The Final Word on USPS Bound Printed Matter

Hopefully this guide gave you a complete overview explaining Bound Printed Matter mail class – from eligibility rules to real world pricing and delivery insights.

While confusing at first, BPM offers huge cost saving potential for organizations that frequently mail qualifying print content. Take time to understand if your promotional materials meet requirements to benefit from these uniquely discounted USPS rates in 2024 and beyond!