Use of envelopes

Abstract

An envelope has two separate equal sized back to back sections, each individually sealable. At least one piece of content is provided in one section and that section is sealed. The delivery charge is paid to a delivery service for delivery of the envelope and its contents. The cost of the said delivery charge is shared between one party associated with the said one piece of content and another party which uses the other section to send at least one other piece of content to a recipient chosen by the another party via the delivery service.

1 . A method comprising: 
 providing an envelope, the envelope having two equal sized compartments, each sealable independently of the other, for containing respective contents,    one of the compartments being sealed and containing content; and    providing the envelope to a user with the other compartment empty for the user to insert their own chosen content and with the delivery charge at least partly paid by a party other than the said user.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the envelope is sold to the said user at a price less than the face value of the delivery charge.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the envelope is supplied to the user free of charge, the delivery charge being wholly paid by a party other than the user.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the envelope is attached to, or otherwise associated with, a product.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising the further step of the said user inserting their chosen content into the said other compartment, sealing the compartment, and addressing and initiating delivery of the envelope to their chosen recipient.  
   
   
       6 . A method comprising: 
 providing an envelope, the envelope having two equal sized compartments, each sealable independently of the other, for containing respective contents; and    using an inserting machine to insert content into one of the said compartments and to seal the said one of the compartments.    
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 6 , comprising applying Postage Paid indicia to the envelope.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 7 , comprising providing the said envelope, with the said one sealed, compartment containing content, to a sales outlet for sale to a buyer with the said other compartment empty and unsealed for use by the buyer.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 7 , comprising providing the said envelope, with the said one sealed compartment containing content to a user with the said other compartment empty and unsealed for use by the user.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 6 , comprising using an inserting machine to insert further content into the other compartment and to seal the said other compartment.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein one inserting machine is used to insert content into said one compartment and used again to insert the further content into the other compartment.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein two inserting machines are used in series to insert the said contents into the two compartments.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 10 , comprising the steps of applying an address to the envelope and consigning the envelope to a delivery service for delivery to a recipient.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the step of providing an envelope, the envelope having two equal sized compartments, each sealable independently of the other, for containing respective contents, comprises obtaining the said envelope directly from a manufacturer thereof.  
   
   
       15 . A method comprising 
 offering content delivery services to an organisation wishing to deliver content to potential recipients;    organising the delivery of content to a mailing house;    organising the delivery to the mailing house of envelopes, each envelope having two equal sized compartments, each sealable independently of the other, for containing respective contents; and    charging the said organisation for at least a portion of the delivery charge for delivering the envelopes and contents to recipients via a delivery service.    
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , comprising the step of organising the delivery of the envelopes to a sales outlet, the envelopes having content in one sealed compartment thereof, and the other compartment empty and unsealed, and bearing delivery charge paid indicia.  
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 15 , comprising the step of organising the delivery of the envelopes to a user with content sealed in one compartment and the other compartment empty and unsealed and bearing delivery charge paid indicia.  
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 15 , comprising the further step of 
 offering to a further organisation the opportunity to share the use of the envelopes with the said first-mentioned organisation;    organising the delivery of content from both organisations to the mailing house;    organising the delivery of mailing addresses from the said further organisation to the mailing house; and    organising the delivery of the envelopes to the said mailing addresses, the envelopes having one organisation's content in one sealed compartment thereof, and the further organisation's content in the other compartment, and with delivery charges paid.    
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 15 , comprising organising the production of content.  
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 15 , comprising organising the payment of delivery charges for delivering the envelopes to the recipients via a delivery service.  
   
   
       21 . A method comprising the steps of: 
 providing an envelope having two separate sections, each individually sealable;    providing at least one piece of content in one section and sealing that section;    paying the delivery charge of a delivery service for the envelope and the said at least one piece of content together with a predetermined amount of content of the other section; and    sharing the cost of the said full delivery charge between one party associated with the said one piece of content and another party which uses the other section to send at least one other piece of content to a recipient chosen by the another party via the delivery service.    
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the said one party pays the said full delivery charge.  
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 21 , comprising the step of selling, to the said another party, the envelope with said at least one piece of content in the said one section which is sealed, the other compartment being empty and unsealed, the envelope being sold at less than the said full delivery charge.  
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 21 , comprising the step of providing, to the said other party, the envelope with at least one piece of content in the said one section which is sealed, the other compartment being empty and unsealed.  
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 23 , comprising the step of said another party inserting content into the said other compartment.  
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein the said other party initiates delivery of the envelope to a recipient of their choice.  
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 21 , comprising the step of inserting the content of the said one party into the said one compartment of the envelope and content of another party into the other compartment of the envelope, sealing the two compartments, and initiating delivery of the sealed envelope to a recipient chosen by one of the two parties.  
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 24 , comprising the step of providing, the envelope attached to, or otherwise associated with, a product.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the two sections are of equal size.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the envelope comprises first, second and third panels, which panels are the same size and shape, and arranged such that one of the panels is sandwiched between the other two panels thereby defining two separate compartments, the compartments being individually sealable.  
   
   
       32 . A computer program in the form of a set of instructions which, when run on a system comprising a data processor linked by a network to a plurality of computers of respective first parties, to a plurality of computers of second parties and to a data processor of a mailing house, implements: 
 a) registration of a said party at the request of the party, registration incorporating recordal of registration information including data indicating the fields of activity of the parties;    b) production, at the request of a said first party of a list of one or more second parties whose activity matches an activity criterion selected by the said first party;    c) production, at the request of a said second party of a list of one or more first parties whose activity matches an activity criterion selected by the said second party; and    d) selection by a first party of a second party or vice versa and the transmission of a message to the selected party informing them of their selection and by whom; and    e) subsequent processing including initiation of transfer of data from one or both parties to a mailing house.    
   
   
       33 . A computer system comprising a data processor linked by a network to a plurality of computers of respective first parties, to a plurality of computers of second parties and to a data processor of a mailing house, the system running a computer program according to  claim 32.