Return Receipt for Merchandise (RRM)
Service for Documents
Updated February 2004
PS-288 (503.8.2.2)
This Customer Support Ruling
discusses the documents that are eligible to be mailed with return
receipt for merchandise service.
Return receipt for
merchandise (RRM) service provides the sender with a mailing
receipt, a return receipt, and a delivery record at the office
address. It is available for merchandise sent at the Priority Mail,
Standard Mail (pieces subject to the residual surcharge only), and
Package Services rates of postage.
Because Domestic
Mail Manual (DMM) 503.8.2.2 makes RRM service available for
merchandise, it is necessary to first determine whether an item is
merchandise before determining whether it is eligible to be mailed
with RRM service. For this purpose, matter that is commonly bought
or sold is considered merchandise.
The fact that an
item may have the appearance of a document (meaning it is written or
printed on paper) does not disqualify it as merchandise for the
purpose of determining whether it is eligible to be mailed with RRM
service. The only differentiation in postal standards between
documents and merchandise exists for the sole purpose of determining
limits of indemnity. Because insurance coverage is not provided
with RRM service, it is not necessary to further define an item as
either a document or as merchandise.
Examples of items
eligible to be mailed with RRM service that have the appearance of a
document but are considered merchandise for this purpose because
they are commonly bought or sold are:
-
Airline Tickets
-
Theater or
sporting events tickets
-
Engineering
drawings
-
Blueprints
-
Manuscripts
-
Collector or
antique items (such as, a handwritten letter signed by Abraham
Lincoln)
The above items are
eligible to be mailed with RRM service regardless of whether they
may or may not be required to be mailed at the First-Class rates.
(Signed) Sherry Suggs Manager
Mailing Standards
United States Postal Service Washington DC 20260-3436 |