Up For Sale: The United States Postal Service

So the U. S. Postal Service is running a SALE? Interesting.

Nothing is cast in stone at this point but here is what is envisioned for the Summer Sale:

• The sale will run from July 1, 2009 through September 30, 2009.
• Mailers who mailed over one million Standard letters and/or flats from October 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008 are eligible to participate in the sale. (about 3,250 mailers accounting for 75 percent of Standard Mail volume)
• Mailers will receive a rebate of 30 percent on any mail volume in that period which is over the past threshold.
• Mailers' rebate will be adjusted if their October, 2009 volume is less than their October, 2008 mail volume adjusted their mailing trend
  

So what's wrong with this picture? Several things seem obvious even to the most casual observer:

Who does this "Sale" really help? Certainly not new businesses attempting to use the mail, perhaps for the first time.

No, it rewards those 3,250 very large volume mailers who already depend on and pay for mail to generate sales and revenues. They figured out how to use the mail profitably and it is a central part of their marketing plan already.

One has to wonder how many of these special 3,250 are the same credit card companies the current administration is attempting to scale back. (Perhaps the Postmaster General and the President should have a Summit)

This "sale" feels more like a loyalty reward program and you have to be a card carrying mail biggie to qualify for the VIP treatment.

And its interesting that the Postal Service just want marketers to mail MORE, not necessarily TARGET more effectively.

There will be benefits, of course. List company will sell a few more names, printers will print a few more pieces, mailers will address more letters and flat and truckers with haul it to destinations.

But none of this seeks to enhance the position of mail in the marketing mix. It does not encourage companies to enter the mail or for mid size mailers to test new approaches and targeting.

No, the USPS just hopes there will be more mail (than projected) for a short period of time and is willing to reward the big boys who can make it happen.

End of story.

Is this a valid approach to DELIGHT CUSTOMERS?