Next year, you’ll have six opportunities to save money on postage by using the USPS incentive programs. For each one, you’ll need to sign up in advance on the USPS Gateway site, and you’ll need to use both the Intelligent Mail barcode and electronic documentation. Here’s a quick look at the incentives you could try out next year:
- Direct Mail Mobile Coupon/Click-to-Call
March 1 – April 30
This incentive offers a 2% upfront discount on First-Class and Standard Mail letters, cards and flats. These pieces must have a 2D barcode like a QR code that redirects to a mobile coupon site or activates a phone call. - Earned Value Reply Mail
April 1 – June 30
This incentive offers a $0.02 postage credit for each Business Reply Mail (BRM) or Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM) piece that is scanned in the network. This will encourage the use of BRM/CRM pieces in outgoing mail. - Emerging Technologies
August 1- September 30
For those on the cutting edge of mail technology, this incentive offers a 2% upfront discount on First-Class and Standard Mail letters, cards and flats. These pieces must include advanced features such as augmented reality or near-field communication. - Picture Permit
August 1 – September 30
For mailers who would like more options around their permit indicia, this incentive offers the use of the Picture Permit indicia for no fee. - Product Samples
August 1 – September 30
USPS wants to get samples back in the mail. This incentive offers a 5% upfront discount for parcel mailings that include a product sample. - Mobile Buy-it-Now
November 1 – December 31
Timed for the holiday shopping season, this incentive offers a 2% upfront discount on First-Class and Standard Mail letters, flats and cards that include a mobile barcode that redirects to a shopping web site.