Method and system for processing return to sender mailpieces, notifying sender of addressee changes and charging sender for processing of return to sender mailpieces

A method of processing incoming mailpieces and address changes, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. sorting incoming mailpieces with a mailpiece sorting apparatus and determining whether a mailpiece is a return to sender mailpiece by reading information from the mailpiece;
• b. inputting information for an addressee and a sender of the return to sender mailpiece at an input station, the input station operatively coupled to the mailpiece sorting apparatus;
• c. requesting updated address information for the addressee of the return to sender mailpiece from a corrected address database;
• and
• d. requesting updated address information for the addressee of the return to sender mailpiece from the address-cleansing database if updated address information is not available from the corrected address database.

A method of processing incoming mailpieces and address changes, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. sorting incoming mailpieces with a mailpiece sorting apparatus and determining whether a mailpiece is a return to sender mailpiece by reading information from the mailpiece;
• b. inputting information for an addressee and a sender of the return to sender mailpiece at an input station, the input station operatively coupled to the mailpiece sorting apparatus;
• c. requesting updated address information for the addressee of the return to sender mailpiece from a corrected address database;
• d. requesting updated address information for the addressee of the return to sender mailpiece from the address-cleansing database if updated address information is not available from the corrected address database;
• e. storing address information that was input for the addressee and the sender of the return to sender mailpiece at the input station, the address information for the addressee stored in association with the sender;
• f. incrementing a counter each time the addressee of the return to sender mailpiece is input at the input station, the increment is stored in association with the sender of the mailpiece;
• g. printing a label with addressee information obtained from the corrected address database or the address cleansing database and placing the label on the return to sender mailpiece to assist in subsequent delivery of the mailpiece to an addressee contained in the addressee information printed on the label;
• h. calculating a cost of processing the return to sender mailpiece using the increment stored in association with the sender of the mailpiece and a cost per mailpiece;
• and
• i. updating a sender database with updated addressee information, whereby a sender can use the updated addressee information on subsequent mailpieces sent to the addressee.