Why do some mailings get delivered with smudges / smears on them?
On occasion, mail pieces may arrive with some extraneous wear and tear due to the automated postal sorting equipment used by the USPS. This may be seen in scuffing, black marks, print degradation, etc. However, we believe this to be a problem that impacts a small percentage of our mail pieces and that percentage is on par with what other mailers in the industry experience. Weve reviewed industry print durability studies showing comparable results with offset and digitally printed pieces with and without protective coatings applied. When mailed, all had a similar number and severity of defects resulting from the postal equipment.
