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HomeResource CenterInformed Delivery, the USPS Mail Preview Service
in USPS

What is Informed Delivery?

it's a USPS mail preview service for consumers

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Launched in 2017, Informed Delivery (ID) is a Postal Service program that emails consumers images of the mail they will be receiving that day. The consumer signs up on the USPS website, providing proof of identity, their home address, and an email address. Once registered, each morning they will receive an email from USPS that provides a black and white image of each mail piece that is expected in their mailbox that day, along with a list of any packages that are being delivered by the USPS.

They can also log into a USPS online portal or mobile app to see their mail. The images they see are captured from sorting equipment as the mail piece is processed by the Postal Service.

As of Q1 2019, there are approximately 15.5 million households registered in the system, about 15% of eligible US addresses. Of these registered users, 10.5 million receive a daily email, while the rest view their mail through the portal or app. The USPS believes approximately 12 million households per day use some form of the system to preview their mail, about 11.5% of US totals.

When Rick Baarman (our VP Sales and Marketing) and John Neumann (our Direct Mail Manager) attended the National Postal Forum May 5-9, the subscribers were up nearly a million since this infographic was produced (less than 60 days before)!

The Postal Service has set a goal of 40 million registered users by the end of 2020. This would represent approximately 38% of US households.

Keep in mind that Informed Delivery only is available to consumers, not businesses. Therefore, it's not a platform that will add value for our B2B customers.

why is adoption so strong?

The user adoption rates reflect the value that Informed Delivery delivers to its users. The primary benefit is the removal of uncertainty: Is a check arriving in the mail? Is a package coming today? What bills can I expect? Who's offering the week's great deals? The email arrives like clockwork, for this writer around 7 am in the morning. It's easy to understand and incredibly helpful when expecting something important.

want to know more?

Our next article, Putting Informed Delivery to work for your direct mail campaigns, talks about some great marketing opportunities for mailers. While you're there, look for the special offer that you can find at the bottom of the page!