U.S.-issued International Reply Coupons (IRCs) Item 330700 (currently sold by the U.S. Postal Service®) expire December 31, 2009. To ensure customers have sufficient time to use current IRCs before they expire, the cut-off date for selling expiring IRCs, Item 330700, is October 15, 2009.
Postal retail units (PRUs) in possession of unsold IRCs that expire on December 31, 2009, must return them from all retail stamp credits and segments to the unit reserve by October 1, 2009, and maintain them in the unit reserve inventory. A future Postal Bulletin will provide instructions and dates for returning redeemed/exchanged IRCs to Stamp Distribution Offices (SDOs) or Stamp Services Centers (SSCs).
Images of the front and back of the expiring IRC are shown below.
IRC Being Withdrawn From Sale on October 15, 2009 (Item 330700)
New IRCs, Item 330800, bearing a denominated price of $2.10, go on sale nationwide September 10, 2009. There will be no automatic distribution of this item. PRUs may request this item from their local SDO or SSC. PRUs are reminded to order stamps and stamped paper to meet customer demand and to not exceed stamp stock limits.
Note: The new IRCs will not require additional postage stamps at the time of sale; they are properly denominated at the $2.10 sales price.
Images of the front and the back of the new IRC are shown below.
New IRC Offered for Sale on September 10, 2009 (Item 330800)
For units that sell IRCs, use the following procedures to maintain customer satisfaction before the December 31, 2009, expiration of IRC Item 330700:
n Order a supply of new IRCs, Item 330800, from your local SDO/SSC.
n Return all IRCs with the December 31, 2009, expiration date from retail stamp credits and segments to the unit reserve stock by October 15, 2009.
n Advise customers to exchange IRCs that expire on December 31, 2009, for the new IRC version (Item 330800), or for other postage stamps. Retail associates (RAs) can exchange unused U.S.-issued IRCs for $0.01 less than the value of the IRC. (The amount to exchange is the printed price of the IRC along with any additional postage affixed minus one penny.)
See Handbook F-101, Field Accounting Procedures, section 11-6.6 for additional information concerning IRCs. To access Handbook F-101:
n Go to http://blue.usps.gov/wps/portal/accounting.
n Under “References”, click Handbook F-101, Field Accounting Procedures (FAP).
The direct website address is http://blue.usps.gov/accounting/_pdf/HandbookF-101.pdf.
— Field & International Accounting,
Corporate Accounting, 9-10-09
