USPS Mobile Shopping Promotion Details

This promotion is a great way to allow customers to make a purchase of your product or service with a mobile devise from your direct mail and save on postage. The mobile shopping promotion encourages mailers to integrate mobile technology with direct mail to create an easy way for consumers to do their shopping.

The promotion will run from August 1 to December 31, 2017. You will receive an upfront postage savings of 2%. This is for standard and nonprofit letters and flats only.

In order to qualify you must meet the following requirements:

Mobile Barcode or print/mobile Technology:

All qualifying mail must contain a mobile barcode or other equivalent print/mobile technology that when scanned by a mobile device leads to a complete mobile optimized website. Qualifying print/mobile technologies include one of the following: open-sourced barcodes (such as a QR Code or Datamatrix code), a proprietary barcode or tag (such as SnapTags or MS Tags), an image embedded with a digital watermark, or intelligent print image recognition (including an augmented reality experience) that takes you to a mobile shopping site.

Restrictions on Barcode Placement:

The mobile barcode or other print/mobile technology can be placed on the inside or outside of the mail piece. The barcode cannot be placed on a detached address label (DAL) or card that is not attached to or enclosed within the mail piece (e.g., unattached blow-in card). The mobile-print technology cannot be placed in the indicia zone or the barcode clear zone on the outside of the mail piece.

Directional Copy Requirement:

The mail piece must contain text near the barcode or image providing guidance to the consumer to scan the barcode or image and information about the landing page. The text must be prominently displayed and immediately adjacent to the barcode to ensure a customer sees it. Clearly inform the recipient that the purpose of the barcode is to facilitate a purchase. If the directional copy does not meet the requirement listed above for legibility and proper placement, it will not qualify. Examples include but not limited to:

1. “Scan here to shop our mobile website”
2. “Scan here to shop”
3. “To place an order Scan”
4. “Scan here to purchase”
5. “Social Buy Now” (must also include directional copy adjacent to the mobile barcode).

Website Relevance:

The destination pages must contain information relevant to the content of the marketing message included in the mail piece.

Mobile Optimization:

The destination web pages must reside on a website platform that contains or is deeply integrated with a checkout functionality that allows the customer to complete the purchase of the product referenced on the mail piece. The mail piece must lead to a complete mobile optimized experience regardless of the platform being used.

Purchase Path:

The mobile barcode must directly lead the recipient to a mobile optimized website where an advertised product can be conveniently purchased through a mobile optimized shopping experience on a mobile device. For purposes of this promotion, the recipient must be able to complete the purchase in one of the following ways:

1. an electronic payment method (such as a credit, debit or prepaid card) made through
2. the internet on the mobile device
3. a person-to-person payment method (ex. PayPal) made through the internet on the
4. mobile device
5. Social Buy Now electronic payment or person to person made thru social media app using the “Buy Now” button

Check Out Experience:

There must be a guest check out option available if the consumer does not have an account. However, for companies that require accounts for customized or personalized product purchases a guest checkout is not required. Companies expressing the need to do this must demonstrate how the purchase is a customized or personalized product. The user selection shall not include any type of auto enrollment that is pre-checked. The customers must have the option/choice whether or not to enroll/sign up.

Purchases from Social Media Sites:

Participants may also use any mobile barcode format to link the recipient to a social media platform with the “Buy Now” button capability for a specific product(s) to make a purchase. The social media platform can include Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. If you are interested in using a social media platform other than these or you are uncertain if the design or technology meets the qualifications of the promotion and would like to have it reviewed, please contact the program office at mailingpromotions@usps.gov.

Product Requirements:

For the purposes of this promotion, a product is defined as a tangible and physical item that needs to be distributed or manufactured and can be shipped via a mailing or shipping product offered by the Postal Service (delivery by the Postal Service is not required). Products that can only be fulfilled via private carrier example: local pizza delivery would not meet the requirements. In some instances the sale of services and charitable donations may qualify for the promotion discount provided a financial transaction occurs at some point during the scanning of the mail piece. Examples of Ineligible ”Products” (include but are not limited to):

1. Pay a bill (Bill me Later, etc)
2. Make payment online for prior purchases or recurring services
3. Auto payment
4. Sign up for email list, text messages or mailing list
5. Sign up for online billing or paperless statement services
6. Download a deal or coupon (and no hard copy certificate or voucher is mailed)
7. Enter a contest or sweepstakes
8. Sign up for a newsletter (electronic or hard copy)
9. Sign up for a subscription
10. Proxy stock vote
11. Take a survey
12. Confirm a reservation (like a doctor or haircut appointment)
13. Any link to a non-mobile optimized website
14. Download and/or receive text information such as directions/contact information
15. Link to sign-in page for online account
16. Link to webpage with information
17. “Like” or “share” on social network site
18. View a video
19. Link to phone number or make a phone call
20. Product for in-store pick-up
21. Credit Card/Credit Card Application
22. E-Gift Card
23. Insurance Quotes

Registration Requirements:

Participants and/or Mail Service Providers (MSPs) must register on the Business Customer Gateway (BCG) via the Incentive Program Service (gateway.usps.com). Promotion participants must complete their registration (including agreeing to the promotion terms) at least 2 hours prior to presenting the first qualifying mailing and specify which permits and CRIDs will be participating in the promotion. It is recommended that mailers register several days in advance of the first qualifying mailing. As part of the terms of participation, all participants must complete a survey about their participation in the promotion at the end of the promotion period. For issues and concerns regarding enrollment or technical issues please contact PostalOne! At 800-522-9085 or postalone@email.usps.gov.

Mailing Submission Requirements:

The discount must be claimed at the time of mailing and cannot be rebated at a later date. Mailings must be submitted electronically via Mail.dat® and Mail.XML™ or Postal Wizard. Mailings that are prepared and entered by an entity other than the mail owner must indicate the owner’s identity in the electronic documentation (“eDoc”). Participating mailers will be required to affirmatively claim this promotion in the Incentive Claimed section on electronic postage statement submissions certifying each mail piece meets all eligibility requirements.

Postage Payment Method:

Postage must be paid using a Permit Imprint or Precanceled Stamp permit. Some Meter Permit mailings may qualify. Meter mailers who wish to claim the incentive must affix the appropriate reduced promotion amounts. Mailers must select the appropriate Postage Affixed Method option. Any net postage due for the mailing must be paid from an advanced deposit (permit) account.

Requirements at mail acceptance:

The mailer must provide a hard copy, unaddressed sample of the mail piece showing the placement of the mobile barcode, image, or tag and directional copy to the acceptance clerk. If a mailing agent submits promotional mailings from multiple mailers, a hard copy sample of each mailer’s mail piece must be presented. All mailings are subject to standard acceptance and verification procedures and may be inspected for use of the mobile barcodes, images or tags, etc. and directional copy.

Post Mailing Requirements:

The Program Office will conduct a sampling of mail pieces collected at Business Mail Entry Units to verify that submissions meet program requirements. The Postal Service reserves the right to pursue a revenue deficiency for mailings that do not meet all program requirements, to unenroll the mailer from the program or restrict participation in future promotions. Additionally, all mailers who receive the discount must retain an electronic or hard copy sample of the mail piece until March 31, 2017, and if requested by the Postal Service, must forward the sample to the Promotion Program Office.

More than ever before our customers and prospects are making mobile shopping purchases, we need to make sure we provide easy ways for them to purchase from the direct mail we send out. This mobile shopping promotion will allow you to do that and save on postage at the same time. It is a win/win! Need all the information about the promotion? Visit https://ribbs.usps.gov/mailingpromotions/documents/tech_guides/2017MobileShopping.pdf to get all the details. Need help? Call or email us in San Diego at (619) 297-2281 or contact@neyenesch.com. We are glad to help!