2025 Promotions & Incentives: Reply Mail IMbA
Postage rates may be on the rise, but mailers able to innovate might have the opportunity to save. While there are many ways to approach this, one of the ways to make this happen is to make use of the Promotions & Incentives. And for those mailers paying to get responses through the mail, this promotion is for you.
The Reply Mail IMbA Promotion runs from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 and allows mailers qualifying for Qualified Business Reply Mail to save three or six percent on reply pieces—but only if registered for the promotion and following the rules. What are those rules? We explain it all below.
And as a reminder, this document is only meant to serve as a supplement to the USPS Reply Mail IMbA Guidebook available on PostalPro.
Background: USPS Promotions & Incentives
Every year, the United State Postal Service announces savings opportunities alongside their Market-Dominant Price increases. Designed to encourage mailers to make use of interesting programs, embrace innovation, or to otherwise change up their mailings, these are always a hot topic in the postal world.
And as we discussed in our 2025 Promotions & Incentives preview article, next year will offer mailers a variety of opportunities to get rewarded for doing something fun.
Following our “brief” looks at the Tactile, Sensory, & Interactive Promotion and Integrated Technology, we’re looking at the Reply Mail IMbA Promotion, built to help mailers save money on inbound mail.
As we’ll discuss in other blogs, our goal here is to translate the Guidebooks into something useful in your direct mail planning. Today’s topic is an interesting one—and due to its processing, a bit unique in the scope of Promotions and Incentives.
The Basics: Reply Mail IMbA® Promotion
Discount: 3 Percent OR 6 Percent
Registration Period: May 15, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Active Period: July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Available Classes: First-Class Mail® Single-piece Qualified Business Reply Mail™ letters and cards; First-Class Mail® Single-piece High Volume Qualified Business Reply Mail™ letters and cards
Preview: Intelligent Mail Barcode Accounting (IMbA)® Promotion
New technologies continue to make it easier to connect with mail recipients. And Reply Mail Intelligent Mail Barcode Accounting (IMbA®) can make life even easier for mailers requesting or requiring a reply from recipients.
By adopting Intelligent Mail® barcode Accounting (IMbA®), Qualified Business Reply Mail™ (QBRM™) and High Volume QBRM™, mailers can improve visibility, while also delivering easier payment methods and faster delivery speeds.
Back for 2025 after positive reviews over the past couple years, Reply Mail IMbA® will offer a three percent OR a six percent discount, depending on the type of barcode used.
And to help you understand the basics of the program and the promotion, the USPS released this helpful video explaining both.
Got a Question? Leanne Can Help!
Have a burning question to ask our Director of Postal Affairs, Leanne Herman? Simply drop your message in the box and she’ll be in touch!
Primer: BRM vs. QBRM, Intelligent Mail Barcodes and IMbA
Already familiar with or approved to send Qualified Business Reply Mail™ (QBRM)? Understand all the acronyms? Feel free to skip this section. But if the following quote comes across as a bit confusing, we’ll try to help.
“Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM) is Business Reply Mail that utilizes the enhanced processing capability of Intelligent Mail barcode Accounting (IMbA) to reduce processing times and ensure QBRM mailers receive reply mail and invoices quickly.“
Business Reply Mail vs. Qualified Business Reply Mail
What difference does one word make? A lot. 19 slides worth of information documenting the differences. BRM includes more Classes and shapes. QBRM works with First-Class Mail Postcards & Letters, but offers faster processing and reduced manual effort. QBRM gives you a unique ZIP+4 for postcards and another one for letters.
But if you need one real difference, it’s this: Business Reply Mail isn’t eligible for this promotion—QBRM is.
The Postal Service requires applicants to complete a PS Form 6805 QBRM application and submit it to the postmaster or Manager, Business Mail Entry.
If you’ve put in the effort to get started with BRM, the jump to QBRM isn’t too overwhelming. And the benefits do outweigh the little bit of effort required. Need some help understanding the process? We can help. Reach out with questions using our helpful contact page.
Intelligent Mail Barcodes
To qualify for Reply Mail Intelligent Mail Barcode Accounting, you must use Intelligent Mail Barcodes. Another one of those topics that would take a bit of time to explain, an IMb is simply a barcode comprised of 31 digits that consists of the barcode ID, service type ID (STID), 6- or 9-digit mailer ID (MID), the 6- or 9-digit serial number and routing code (i.e., delivery point code), as displayed by the image below:
When pertaining to this discount, two elements will be most important—the Service Type Identifier (STID) and the Serial Number. Though STIDs include a lot more information, the basic concept is that it determines if your Reply Mail qualifies, and the other determines whether a piece is static or serialized. Only the following STIDs are eligible for the Reply Mail IMbA Promotion, and we recommend reviewing your pieces to ensure they qualify:
708 (Business Reply by ZIP, basic/nonautomation without Informed Visibility Tracking & Reporting)
052 (Business Reply by ZIP, basic/nonautomation with Informed Visibility Tracking & Reporting)
072 (Business Reply by MID (Mailer ID), basic/nonautomation without Informed Visibility Tracking & Reporting)
032 (Business Reply by ZIP, basic/nonautomation with Informed Visibility Tracking & Reporting)
778 (Ballot Returns using Reply Mail by ZIP Envelopes (Business Reply by ZIP, basic/nonautomation with Informed Visibility Tracking & Reporting)
Additionally, as we’ll discuss below, the 6- or 9-digit serial number determines whether your reply piece is static or serialized. A static serial number would simply be 000000 or 000000000, while a serialized barcode would include a unique, generally sequentially-ordered serial number (000001/000000001, 000002/000000002, etc.).
Intelligent Mail Barcode Accounting
As mentioned above, QBRM requires less manual effort. And this is because of Intelligent Mail Barcode Accounting (IMbA). IMbA is an automated solution for the counting, rating, invoicing, and billing process, highlighted by the following image:
Using an IMb on a mailpiece allows mailpiece counts based on processing equipment scans to be linked to the mailer and sent directly to PostalOne!®. What does this mean for you?
Automated Invoicing
Expedited Processing
Improved Consistency
Two Discounts: 3 Percent Static Barcodes, 6 Percent for Serialized Barcodes
Now that you understand the basic terms, here’s why you’re here. To understand your savings potential. Unlike our last two blogs discussing Tactile, Sensory, & Interactive and Integrated Technology Promotions in 2025, this is a reasonably simple one.
Static Barcodes: 3 Percent Discount on Qualified Business Reply Mail
Static Barcodes offer mailers an easy way to drive responses. Every piece gets the same serial number, requiring less effort—but providing less information.
In essence, every piece is the same. This allows for the easiest approach to drive responses.
Serialized Barcodes: 6 Percent Discount on Qualified Business Reply Mail
Start a conversation. Serialized Barcodes offer a bit more customization, require a bit more work, and ultimately can provide you better information (and a bigger discount).
Compared to static barcodes, serialized barcodes contain a unique identifier embedded within the barcode. The serial number field typically will go up sequentially and each piece will have a unique serial number. This can result in deeper understanding of the pieces and individuals responding.
Preparation for Reply Mail IMbA Promotion Takes a Bit of Effort
One of the more complex of the promotions—especially for those Mail Owners who have not previously sent QBRM—the process to get from traditional Business Reply Mail to Qualified Business Reply Mail does require a bit of time, patience, planning, and effort.
If You Have Not Used QBRM Before
Contact the MSSC and complete USPS QBRM Application (Form 6805).
Submit 10 samples to Mailpiece Design Analyst once instructed.
If samples approved, link new QBRM permit to Enterprise Payment Account. You will be auto-enrolled in IMbA parallel.
Create a 2025 IMbA Promotion Service Request in the Mailing Promotions Portal.
If request is approved, register for the 2025 IMbA Promotion through Incentive Programs.
Already a QBRM Customer? Yet to Enroll in IMbA?
Ensure your permit for QBRM is linked to your Enterprise Payment Account.
Contact the MSSC and onboard your QBRM Permit to IMbA.
Create a 2025 IMbA Promotion Service Request in the Mailing Promotions Portal
If request is approved, register for the 2025 IMbA Promotion through the Incentive Programs.
Have Both?
Create a 2025 IMbA Promotion Service Request in the Mailing Promotions Portal
If request is approved, register for the 2025 IMbA Promotion through Incentive Programs.
Have Questions?
Need some help understanding whether you’re BRM or QBRM, standard or high-volume, or want some help getting started with QBRM, IMbA, or any of the other promotions? Drop us a line!
Did You Know… This Can Combine with Promotions on Outbound Mail
Here’s a fun fact, this promotion exists on its own island. Though you might not have the opportunity to embrace add-ons (as we’ll discuss below), this promotion can run in conjunction with any of the promotions on outgoing mail—including First-Class Mail Advertising, Integrated Technology, Continuous Contact, and the last month or so of Tactile, Sensory, & Interactive Promotions.
A Word of Caution: Add-Ons Don’t Apply
What makes the Reply Mail IMbA Promotion different from others is this: sustainability and Informed Delivery add-ons are unavailable. Mainly because the tracking process is different for one, and the use of Informed Delivery doesn’t apply when the discount is applied to inbound mail as opposed to mail heading to a recipient.
An Additional Note: Mail Diversion Messaging Is Always a No-No
A message on all Promotions & Incentives, from Reply Mail IMbA to Integrated Technology: If you want the discount, you can’t include messaging that aims to cut out the Postal Service. Referred to as “Mail Diversion” messaging, there’s a big red section in every guidebook that says the following:
“Mail diversion” messages included on the mailpiece will make the mailing ineligible for the promotion discount, regardless of whether or not the mailing includes qualifying treatment, technique, or technology for the promotion.”
Translation? Recommend online bill pay, lose discount.
Get More from Your Mail: Sepire Can Help
If you’re looking to create meaningful connections, direct mail remains unmatched in its efficacy and effectiveness. If you’re looking to make the most of your direct mail and omnichannel communications initiatives, that’s where we can help.
Experts in secure print, direct mail, and omnichannel communications, Sepire understands the nuances of this space—both from the print side and the postage side.
Whether you need help getting set up for this or other discounts, are looking for advice on how to get more from your mail, or are looking for a partner who combines security, diversity, and technology to make your life easier, look no further. Feel free to ask us a question on our contact page—we’d love to help.