Save on Postage with QR Codes

USPS has introduced a new summer discount for mailings using QR (2D) barcodes on all pieces. From July 1 to August 31, you can save 3% of your postage by including a QR code on First-Class and Standard Mail letters, flats and cards. Here are some tips to make the most of this summer sale.

• To qualify for the discount, the QR code must link to advertising content. This could be a website, picture, video or text message. Use URL shorteners like TinyURL or bit.ly to compress longer URLs for easier to read QR codes.

• To generate your QR code, use specialized software to generate unique QR codes for each mail piece in your mailing.

• On the mail piece, insert the QR code along with instructions on how to use it. In order to scan the barcode, many smartphones need special software. Use incentives such as coupons or additional information to encourage the reader to scan the code.

• If the QR code links to a website or other content, make sure the content is formatted for smartphones. Test the content with several different smartphones to make sure it is easy to read on smaller screens.

• Use metrics to track the response to the barcode. If you get a positive response, you may want to continue using QR codes after the postage sale is over.

• Submit your postage statements electronically using Mail.dat, Mail.xml or the Postal Wizard.