Postal Service Targets Mobile Holiday Shopping: Continues Barcode Promotion Program

by Holly Shoemaker

The U.S. Postal Service continues to target the smartphone and tablet markets as part of its 2011 Mobile Barcode Promotion, a program designed to enhance direct mailing efforts. The agency is now offering the USPS Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion geared to spur online holiday shopping.

Promotion Overview

The Post Office created the promotion to complement Black-Friday and Cyber-Monday shopping deals. The agency hopes that by using mobile promotion offers, coupons and catalogs customers will have needed discounts to maximize online holiday shopping efforts.

The promotion will run from November 7, 2012 to November 21, 2012. Registration opened in the middle of September and continues until November 21, 2012. Businesses that register will receive the following:

• A two-percent postage discount on Standard Mail and First-Class Mail pieces that include a barcode or other image users may scan on a smartphone or other mobile device like a tablet. The barcode must lead a user to the advertised product on a mobile device or the sale will not qualify. 
• The agency will offer an additional one-percent rebate on qualified mailings fulfilled by Priority Mail between November 9, 2012 and December 31, 2012.

Concluding Thoughts

In July and August 2012, the U.S. Postal Service offered a postage discount for direct mailers that included QR codes. The latest promotion shows a continued effort to ensure that direct mail remains a relevant marketing tool. By combining mobile technology with a more traditional marketing approach, consumers have another way to accomplish their holiday shopping.

Postal Service to Offer Smartphone Barcode Discount

by Holly Shoemaker

The U.S. Postal Service is temporarily targeting the smartphone market. In July and August 2012, the agency will offer a postage discount for direct mailers that include smartphone barcodes. 

Discount Overview

While not a deep discount, advertisers who send mass mailings including smartphone barcodes will receive a two-percent postage discount on letters and cards using QR codes, also known as two-dimensional barcodes.

When potential customers scan the barcode using an Android device, iPhone or other smartphone, the code will link them to the website selling the product or service.

The overall promotion has the potential to benefit three areas:

• Postal Service – By offering this discount, the agency hopes the move will entice advertisers to continue using print advertising as a way to targets its consumer base. The Postal Service has seen a decrease in revenue from mailers as advertisers continue to gravitate toward online marketing tools. Using a smartphone barcode better ties into current ad trends and should allow people to engage in more effective direct marketing.

• Advertisers – Mailers provide a way to supplement other ad campaigns, such as television ads. By using codes that link to smartphones, consumers have fewer steps to take to gain the promotion, which leads them directly to the products or services the advertiser sells.

• Consumers – The targeted consumer base receives an efficient way to make use of mobile technology and simplifies the process of finding a targeted product or service, at a discount.

Concluding Thoughts

The proposed discount by the Postal Service supports research cited by MarketingProfs, a marketing advice group. In Dec. 2011, approximately 50 percent of U.S. subscribes owned a smartphone. In addition, one in five of those owners scanned a QR code.