Here’s What You Need to Know
Good news, catalogers: there’s a new postal incentive in town, and it’s designed just for you. If you’re sending printed catalogs through the mail, there’s a golden opportunity to trim your postage costs while continuing to drive powerful results through the mailbox.
What’s the New Discount All About?
The USPS has introduced a Catalog Incentive Program that offers a generous 10% discount on postage for qualifying mailers. If you’re in the business of sending out catalogs, this is big. It’s a strong signal that the USPS recognizes the role print still plays in driving commerce and wants to encourage its continued use.
This isn’t just a random promotion. It’s a well-timed move at a moment when marketing budgets are under pressure and brands are scrutinizing every dollar spent. Print, particularly catalogs, has proven time and again to be an emotional, high-performing channel. This incentive makes it more affordable to keep doing what works.
Who Can Benefit?
To qualify, you’ll need to be a Marketing Mail customer who mails physical catalogs. The USPS is focusing on flat-sized, non-carrier route marketing mail, which typically means the kind of beautifully designed catalogs that land in mailboxes and live on coffee tables.
And here’s the exciting part: the discount isn’t capped at a tiny number. For brands mailing large volumes, the savings can really add up over the course of a campaign.
Why This Matters Now
We’ve been saying it for years: print is not dead. In fact, in a crowded digital landscape, catalogs offer something different, something tangible, emotional, and memorable.
When people receive a catalog, they engage with it differently than they do with digital ads. It becomes a physical part of their environment. It sticks around. And often, it drives people to purchase—not just once, but repeatedly.
Combine that long-lasting impact with a 10% cost reduction, and you’ve got a powerful case to keep (or restart) your catalog program.
What Should Brands Do Next?
If you’re already mailing catalogs, this incentive is low-hanging fruit. Talk to your postal rep or marketing agency (hint hint) to make sure your campaigns are set up to qualify.
- Learn More About the Program
- Start by getting smart on the details. The USPS has put together a helpful summary of the promotion, and there are webinars on the horizon that walk you through how it works.
- Register Your Campaign
- You’ll need to register your campaign in order to receive the discount. Registration opens August 15. It’s not a rush—you don’t have to hit that date exactly—but you’ll want to get organized and get on the books.
- Prepare to Capture the Savings
- Look at your mail schedule for October through June (the window for the promotion). Make sure your catalogs meet the format requirements and align your production timeline so you’re ready to take full advantage of the discount.
If you’ve been on the fence about getting back into print, this might be the nudge you needed. With the USPS footing part of the bill, there’s never been a better time to test.
Our advice? Don’t wait. These incentives are often time-bound and budget-limited. Jump in while the opportunity is fresh, and while your competitors are still hitting “snooze.”
Let’s Talk Strategy
Not sure how to make the most of the discount? We can help you build a strategy that aligns with your goals, audience, and budget, without sacrificing creativity or performance. From brand identity to mailing logistics, we’ve helped catalogers succeed in every channel, and this one is no exception.
Let’s move your brand forward, and do it smarter (and cheaper) than ever.
Tags: advertising, Brand Storytelling, catalog creative, marketing, Strategy