Want to mail the world
Deciding to go international? The opportunities are unlimited but the rules can be intimidating. That's where GPS comes in. GPS has years of industry leading experience in international mail. We know the regulations, the trends, and the details. We sweat all of the small stuff and keep your big picture in mind.
Not ready for experts to take over your mail? Then keep the following in mind:
ADDRESS HYGIENE
Keeping your address formats correctly printed on the mail is called Address Hygiene. Incorrect address hygiene is likely the leading cause of undelivered mail overseas. Some countries are very specific regarding how letters are addressed; the most common examples, taken from the United States Postal Service, are below.
LINE 1: NAME OF ADDRESSEE
LINE 2: STREET ADDRESS OR POST OFFICE BOX NUMBER
LINE 3: CITY OR TOWN NAME, OTHER PRINCIPAL SUBDIVISION (ie, PROVINCE, STATE, COUNTY, ETC.) AND POSTAL CODE (IF KNOWN) (Note: in some countries, the postal code may precede the city or town name)
LINE 4: COUNTRY NAME (UPPERCASE LETTERS IN ENGLISH)
The following are examples of properly formatted delivery addresses:
MS JOYCE BROWNING
2045 ROYAL ROAD
LONDON WIP 6HQ
ENGLAND |
MS JOYCE BROWNING
2045 ROYAL ROAD
06570 ST PAUL
FRANCE |
For mail to Canada , the location of the country name and postal code are interchangeable: either one may be placed on the last line, with the other one placed after the city and provincial name.
The following are examples of destination addresses to Canada :
MS HELEN SAUNDERS
1010 CLEAR STREET
OTTAWA ON K1A 0B1
CANADA |
MS HELEN SAUNDERS
1010 CLEAR STREET
OTTAWA ON CANADA
K1A 0B1 |
As a precaution, senders should place a card showing the names and addresses of the sender and addressee inside parcels. Items sent to general delivery must show the addressee's name and the endorsement "Poste Restante," which is the French term for "general delivery."
Some countries require different address standards for who is actually sending the mail, such as the Czech Republic, where there are over fifteen different ways to format the address depending on both who is sending the mail and who is destined to receive it.
GPS has several professional resources, such as professional translation services both in the United States and overseas, to keep your address hygiene correct. Our resources are available to our clients and have been proven to increase the rate of deliverable mail as well as save them money.
INTERNATIONAL FORMS
While Address Hygiene is probably the number one cause of undelivered mail overseas, the United States Postal Service's International Forms are likely the single most intimidating factor to businesses wanting to go international with their mail. There are over fifteen different forms which could relate to the type of mail you are sending and the forms must be filled out with complete accuracy.
GPS is ready to help you wade through the changing waters of the documentation required for overseas mail. Our industry experts have custom-designed software that will complete the forms for you, saving you time, money, and headaches.
You can survey the forms here on the United States Postal Service's web site. |
