mailing options

First Class Mail Advantages
 

speedy delivery

first class mail, in-state, is generally delivered in 1 to 2 days, and rarely takes longer than a week to anywhere in the continental u.s. returned mail bad addresses and moves that are 12 to 18 months old come back to the sender at no charge. moves within 12 months automatically get forwarded (or could be directed by the use of postal endorsements) to come back to the sender. in either case, there is no charge.

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postal employees try harder

postal employees are instructed to make every effort to deliver first class mail. no directional indicator? bad handwriting? if it's first class there's a good chance of arrival.

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likely to be opened by the recipient

because things of importance are mailed first class (bills, travel confirmation, etc.) recipients often feel compelled to open their first class mail.

First Class Mail Disadvantages
 

cost

the postage on first class mail is higher than some of the other classes of mail to compensate for the additional services provided.
 

weight / cost

standard mail keeps the same rate as long as the piece weighs less than 3.3 ounces. the cost of first class mail rises incrementally with every ounce.
 

weight restriction

weight of a single piece cannot exceed 13 ounces.

 

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Marketing Mail (standard rate) Advantages  also applies to non-profit rate
 

low cost

the post office gives standard mail users a low postage rate.
up to 3.3 ounces: while first class postage increases with every ounce, standard mail gives you the same low rate of postage up to 3.3087 ounces.
 

incremental postage increase

after 3.3 ounces, postage goes up incrementally as the weight goes up

Marketing Mail Disadvantages  also applies to non-profit rate
 

slow delivery

the postage on first class mail is higher than some of the other classes of mail to compensate for the additional services provided.
 

not required to return mail

the post office is not required to return undeliverable mail, and in fact throws most undeliverable standard mail away. while a mailer can use an endorsement to be notified of moves or bad addresses, it is not a free service. much of this has been mitigated by ncoa (national change of address) regulations and move update requirements.
 

weight restriction

weight of a single piece cannot exceed 1 pound, unless your piece qualifies for bulk printed matter.
 

qualification

to qualify for standard mail, one must have 50 lbs. or 200 pieces of mail. either way, all the pieces must have identical weight.